The New York herald., 1879-03-16
The Right Nove.

The Right Move.
Mayor Cooper has, in n brief communl-
cation, arraigned the Police Commissioners
on distinct charges Of official malfeasance
and notified them that they will be afforded
an opportunity to be heard thereon at
twelve o'clock noon on Wednesday next, at
the Executive Chamber. The allegations
of the Mayor are that the govern
ment and discipline Of the police force
have become lax and incapable; that the
force has deteriorated in efficiency and be-
come demoralized ; that the streets of the
city have not been kept thoroughly clean
that the ashes, dirt, rubbish aud garbage
have not been removed as often as neces-
sary; that the Commissioners have been
negligent Of tho public duties they were
bound to fulfil. have allowed personal dis
sensions to preclude the proper exercise of
the official trust which they assumed, have
been guilty of conduct unbecoming their
Office, and should for these causes be re-
moved.
The only just criticism to which this
action of the Mayor is open is that it has
been too long delayed. At the time Mayor
Cooper took office, between two and three
months ago, tho incapacity or neglect of
the street cleaning authorities was as
evident rs it is to-day. when the con-
dition Of the city is, even for New York,
exceptionally filthy. 1t was as well known
then as it is now that officers of notoriously
bad reputation are kept in responsible
tL.k cl. Il
that the personal dissensions existing in
the Police Board are destructive of the dis
cipline Of the force. II the Mayors first
official act had been to summon the Com
missioners before him to answer for these
misdeeds it would have received popular
approval AS he is now on the right track,
however, no one will be disposed to criti-
else his dilatoriness too severely.
The charges have been made against all
four of the Police Commissioners, and all
are summoned to answer. They are, of
course, entitled to u fair hearing, and no
doubt they will receive perfectly fair treat
ment at the hands of the Mayor. 1t is
stated that one Of them will prove that he
has done his best to preserve the discipline
of the force, and has been obstructed ut all
points by his associates; that he has striven
to make the Street Cleaning Bureau honest
and efficient, but has met only with
opposition from the rest of the
Board that he has persistenly urged
the dismissal of officers who are known
to have levied blackmail on assignation
houses, gambling hells and other dens
of vice and crime, and that this very per-
sistency has led to the dissensions in the
Board which have had their origin in the
singular anxiety of other Commissioners to
retain such corrupt and unfit officers on the
force and to show them every indulgence.
If this statement should prove to be cor
rect there will be no just ground for this
Commissioners removal but this does not
render the action of the Mayor any the
less expedient or any the less commend
able. We objected to the star cham
Der farce in which Mr.. Erhardt took part
because it only trifed with a very serious
matter. The Mayor himself now designates
that remarkably long conversation" as in
measure ridiculous but the present pro-
ccedings arc Of different character. They
promise to reach tho root of fragrant evil,
and will be very cordially approved by our
citizens, who suffer from neglected. streets
and are imperilled by police rufianism
! and inefficiency. We feel confident that
Mayor Cooper will not allow the present
proceedings to degenerate into farce such
as was enacted on a former occasion.