New-York tribune., 1877-06-01
PROFESSIONS AND 1HG POLICE


II will surprise a great many people to know
that it is contrary TO law for professions to
interfere with travel on the street railway
lines. From time immcmoriai it has been the
custom of societies Of all sorts, in paradng
our streets, TO put a stop 70 ordinary traffic
and nu cala days il ia usual TO see lines Of
cars. a mie more or less III length, waiting
for the march 10 be over, while belated tray-
clers missing thcir railway Trains aud steam
boats fret aud funa - vain. The abuse, how
ever, is strictly forbidden by q law Of the
state as well as ly The rules of the Police
Board On Decoration Day car layel was sus-
pended as usual. The car companies appealed
to the Police Board. President Smith gave
orders that the cars should he allowed 10 pnss
The orders were not Obeyed, and We learn
that charges are 10 be brought against several
captains and sergeants for disObedIence Of
orders This is encouraging. Now that the
Police Commissioners have made a beginning
by trying, however weakly and vainly, to en-
force the law on Decoration Day, it may be
that they Will even muster resolution some
time-not sud3eny, but with tFat gradual
preparation which so grave an enterprise re-
ouires-to carry ont their ordinances on the
feast of St. Patrick. We rec0lleGt that iew
years ago the police made a timid attempt to
keep the 81. Pahick's Day procession of the
car tracks and it failed. Oar IRISH fellow
citizens said, in effect, that they would march
where they pleased and so they did On the
last anniversary of the blessed Irish bishop
the blockade led to numerous scenes of dis0r-
der, and in one instance the paraders stopped
the United States mail. and detained II until
its custodins drew their rcyolycrs disalmcd
an Irish soldier, aud forced their way through
the line. If the Police Commissioners will se-
sumc Tie exercise OF thcir function, or 81.
Patnck's Day, we shall believe i'll the posi-
h;lity df a municipal millennium.
The nuisance of blocking mp thorouehfares
for an hour or two, while long line of
societies marches through the middle of the
roadway, is all the more exasperating because
it can be so easily prevented. In most cases
pIocessions can be and ought to be kept oil
tie car routes altogether Where they must
cross the tracks the ears shOuld always be
allowed TO break the line. blockade on an
important avenue OF travel in a city like New
Yorl, is a serious public Inconvenience, gen
orally involving more or less pecuniary loss,
and il would not be tolerated except by the
most patient of pubics. But what makes the
abuse most irritating is the fact that it exists
only through the inemciency and weakness Of
the municipal authorities II is monument to
official negligence. There arc laws 20 prevent
it, and there are rules of the Board of Police
10 carry ont the laws; aud yet the abuse con
tinues. Perhaps it is as wei that sundry
captains in carrying out the policy of non
interference with professions have at last
added to the fault of disobeying the law the
crime of ii>obcying Il Police Commissioner. In
the cour.c of the investigation which is coming
we may am whether the laws and the rules
have any meaning.