The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-03
stopping at the Wrong Place.

EHIARDr, Police Commissioner, In dcclin-
ing to send to Mayor COOPER, at the
Mayors request. II detailed statement of
the facts upon which Mr. EHHARDr's recent
allegations about the Police department
are based, has stopped at the wrong
place. Mr.. ERHARpr had published most
injurious charges and Institutions against
the Police DEPARTMENT. They were uni
Vcrsaly construed rs including accusations
Of habituul intuNication and other dcrclic-
tons against one or more of his colleagues.
The Mayor, treating the matter with the
seriousness which belongs TO it, makes n
written demand ON Mr. EEHARDr for par
ticulars. Thercupon Mr.. ERHARDr, like
frightened turtle drawing his head into his
she'll declines tn furnish them.
Mr.. ERHAEpr assigns rs reason for not
furnishing such specifications, that he would
not wish To ovcn seem TO avoid response
blity for any action of his own which may
have in any degree contributed TO the bad
condition OF the Police Department, which
he has already set forth in general terms.
This is extremely ridiculous. Docs Mr. Err
HAl.pT mean 10 imply that when he repre-
scented that some Of the Police Commission
rrs habitually got drunk he meant that he
himself was in the habit Of getting ntoxi-
catcdY II the wrctched condition Of the
department which he has pictured, is In any
| degree attributable to his own action, rs he
now iutimatcs it possibly may be- it would
have been a much simpler and more direct
step toward reform II hc had resigned, in
stead Of asking for an Investigation.
Mr.. ERHARDr should never have started,
| pr he alplIi u1t -fDf ut.x pup ar tho pt her
This Is likely To be an interesting week
| in several ways. ono of Us promised incidents
Is the appearance of Mr. SAMUEL j. TILpES
before the Subcommittee Of Congressman
charged with the duty OF taking testimony
in this city in the matter Of the cipher
dispatches. This may turn out a very impor.
tant event indeed. In the Senate. ST jerome
! EpMrNps's resolutions Will pretty certainly be-
disposed OF. rs also HAYEss New York Custom
| House nominations. Iuthe House We shall prob
| ably have. among othcrthings. a continuation Of
the curious and not wholly uniructitying de-
bate brought on by Gen. BRAGG Of Wisconsin
| about Southern claims and subsidy schemes.
As il was clear all along thatthe irrtated South
orn members would have their say sooner or
! inter. II they were hent on IL. the time wasted
| last week in nlibus;erng might as well have
boen saved. Those who spoke on Saturday
fel below Republican antcipations. though
some ~ the personal illusions 20 Gen. BRAGG
were peppcry enough. Tho replies thus .ar
made show that the sting in his remarks did
not lie Ia tho reference t. war cla.ms-one or
TWO of the speakers announced that thoy were
| opposed 10 paying another one Of these-but in
the reference 10 so-ca.ied Internal Improvement
schemes. Possibly Gen. BRAGG may be moved
10 talk back; in that cusc the debate may use up
] tfIt ., lt..t 80 ia
Meanwhile tia public business is in arrears.
and the 81 Of March draws on nrace
Tho venerable HANNIBAL HAMI1N OF Maine.
whose humble efforts Tor the promotion of pirty
in Official lie arc too widely known 70 need
mention mere. is the author % u bill now before
the Senate designed 10 increase the spiritual
efficiency u navy chapnins. The Hon. HANNI-
BAL II AMLIN thinks that the greatest spiritual
efficiency in navy chaplains can be found be-
tween the ages OF twenty-five and thirty-nve.
since chaplaiu- younger than twenty-five are
an, 10 bee immature m their Theological notions.
while chaulains Older than Niriy-nyo usually
lack good sea legs. H. therefore urges that
appointments he restricted by the limits indi-
Gated and he further recommends that no can
didNts between twenty-five and thirty-Ave be
made u chaplain unless he has taken the degree
of Bichcior OF Arts or Bachelor % Divinity has
had practical experience in church manage
meut for at least one ycnr, and can show a GER
tiAnate Of his doctriuu souulncss signed by five
accredited ministers of his denomination. We
do not know what Information in regard 10 the
spiritual condition Of the navy has prompted
the Hon. HANNIBAL IIAAfLGS TO take this step.
Perhaps he has heard that profanity and The
use OF tobacco are habitual among the marines
Gen. GRANr ana his travelling rctlnuc,
including Lieut.. FRrnEMc DENT GRANT OF the
United States Army. JuHN RUSSELL loUNG. the
sneak news thief. and other lAcEeys. numbering
altogether moro than fifteen souls. ara now on
their way eastward. with intent 10 land at a
Chinese port. The attention Of the Celestial
Government IS particularly invited to this in
trrestng fact
There is IA field open to Brother MURPHY
down in TcXas, where nm earnest fearless tenn
uerancc rcformcr is loudly called for. Crimes
Of violence have been prevalent lately and al
most every week the local press has chronicled
a startling list Of assaults, highway rohh'ric3
and murders. The editors are now beginning
to charge the responsibility for this state Of
things upon liquor The olitor %, the Dallas
COuipO'c'dL in New Years greeting to his
rcadors. cNhorts them To swear oif. declaring
that most OF the hell which Is raised in the
world comes from whskcy" and that two
thirds of the human blood which smoked upon
the green earth last year calls ont against
whiskoy for Vengeance An Austin paper
compmins that There are too many dangerous
and vicious characters around the capital OF
the Lone star State, and such men are not inn
proved in temper morals, or good CITIZENSHIP
when innamod by strong drink. Danish
wh,Ncy and tho pistol from Texas
..pf, YItn In, a,