Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-12-17
COMMUNICATED.
OO-13K . kN1O.3 I U31s
The Police Question.

1ue OIcc VueALiOu.
Imagine the inhabitants of city beiog daily
s~iDdled 10 necessary articlts of f:od by sdul
tcrations # sotted to ca The part of tho dealers
tor the sake Of profit, but which have the effect
to ii juro the health AID opa -diz, the lives OF
the consumers: 10 less then to take their money
under false prctepses. Imagine agaip, that
after suspicion OF Something Of the KIDD has
been strepg heoed, their chief agent, empow'
cred with full authority for the purpose, dem
Qussrates tho fraud beyond any question, by q
personal INSPECTION; apd, thereupou. notifies the
offenders that the supplies will be purchased
elsewhere thereafter, where, it is hoped, less
dishonesty ard less disregard for the welfare Of
the cluzeus will be found And imagine, 6rsl!s ,
that ct this stage Of IF .irs the Common Couu
| Gil sIcps 10 aud itss's, ~i b its governmental
! autt ority, that the cllizets. one and all shall
crn.lru: t. purchase tter suppl, of food fr, III
tc Sc convicted .duterators and swiudivrs,
WHISTLER rn6btd aUd poisoned or no1, ADD thar
they shall Dot buy Ut any one else in tht r stead
This you arc ask TO inag,; not that the
| fact kiss, yet 1t msy serve as mild iustra-
| ton ct an &C uaI fac! which at present outtages
| the nights OF the o:t!z rs IF Alex .ndra. Our
Oil q Us have been paying taxes tJr the strvlUcs
OF ctrtalD poilcemeD-scrplccs which they arc
sU0rn to rend:r, be it rcmem bered. II came
| t. be suspect d by our vigilsnt nod efficient
Mayor, 10 commoo with naoY of our CT Us,
!baL these po!iuy me? were Gisregardlug at obce
their .oaths aud the security Of th..r cm ployes'
property and Ves. Mayor Smith determines
| 10 asccrtsio the truth by vers3usl inspection.
As Napoleon the First is known to have gone
! the rounds Ut hs srDy Oh moro than one &C
c-sion, 10 the DIS sd o! ulpht, obscured by the
d,1kGess 70 test the fiituiuincss OF bis scuti
reis, 90 which the safety Ct all d, panded, our
Mayer traversed our oily, along beet after beat,
10 the hours when the taitbess policemen
thought him Of course comfortably ensconcod
| IN bed. Certain policemen We're found properly
on duty; others we're foucd, but ooly after long
| search s0d waiting; and stiIl others, who give
| occasion Tor this letter, could not be found st
| oil. These last, Mayor Smith dismissed. Was
ever dismissal more richly msti.cu? But. be-
mold ! GalArlty of the Coumon Council 70
! lOstate then. | TN par loulsr 10 say m j1ri
| ~; for 1t Is vcly serious charge, which would
| be very soirS to have 10 briGg sgainst all the
| members. The Mayor says rtf,c you shall not
| auy logger take the peoples money uoder tie
| pretsnce OF protecting their lives and property
! Whllo they sleep, when. porjurug yourselves,
/ yen Leave them more deeI ceiess than it they
we're oot induced 10 repUse their trust 10 y, u
The Councl OR the majority-;aterpc aud
says, y u snail; and the ctizeus shall not have
any Others 10 'ur stead
Una OF two things Is true; either police
torcc Is useless, 10 which Case VIC are i'm posed
upon BY being required to give something for
nothipe; or our lives and property are eopar-
died by tie maintenance OF 40 inefficient and
uotsltbiu! police. Assuming tba, the latter
hypothesis IS The true one, would offer word
on the drgree Of Danger, 10 matter Of fact
view, to which the c)uduot of tho mbj ,rily If
| the Con, mon Couucll may .ut G. Us. Oppor
tunlil for thieves aud burglars are not as
plentiful as blackberfiee. These vile orea-
! lures are always On the sharp lookout
tor them. Scnrcity-:hat 49,, eosrcity rcla'ive-
ly to the plumbers engaged in tie bu:i.
| uess-Shsrpens their Wits, and begets.
! TOO, patleooe 10 their explorations worthy of
professors IN the NEST occull sciences. could
give ln5lGtc'a OF their cunning aud Ingenuity
| cut Of MY own suffering experln,e.. Now lot
| Il ouoa tccJme k0Uwn 10 New York aud other
| lsrge cities where mos. do 90, greeate these
dangerous Individuals, who make trade of
ajlog upOu proi crig of others and upon life
Wncre II stands IN The Way Of the former, that
IN the city OF AitX!Ddila there is 40 uotaithful
| and Inefficient police. They need learn nothipe
| more They already know that Alexandria is
ouly six miles bslow Washington; that 10
WASHINGTON they can avoid observation while
! making their preparations, becoming familiar
with the particular localities Of Alexandria, &c
What depredat.oos may not be committed
Wherein Is cur saiety2
am taxpayer and propertyowaer, and am
10 near relation to those who may be etL eriz ID
into helpiessucss 10 their b, ds, or vino may lose
life or Ilmb in struggle to defend themselves
or their property against vaius Other SINH
larly clrcu0sssnced ciliz,os, ltbiuk, must share
my vltws and feelings. At any rate, fJr mys IT.
L thank Mayor Smith most warmly; while the
oooduct of the majority of the Comm IN Couuoil
leads ne TO excIaim, I'm what age and country
orc wo living REMoNsTRANCs.