New-York tribune., 1880-01-11

il apy doubt as 10 the proprety of granting license,
we tnrn over the application to the police for ntor-
nation, and If they give favorable report we grant
the license. | won't say they don't make mistakes.
every human being does, but further than that
cannot saw"
"You remember Owen Geogheghans place.
struck In Mr. Merkle at this point. " we nave re-
yoked that license and vet the man is selling still;
for that the police are responsible" go
Now. Mr. Morton. the interview with eupelln5,
tendent WaIling closes with these words 10 ana
ask them the Excise Board how many inspectors
they have, and what those inspectors do.
81 cannot tell Won how many inspectors there
are ; one in each precinct, think. Their business
is 10 receive applications for Licenses, 60 10 lhe place
DESIGNATED and examine It, ascertain the chataeter
Of the person applying for ee1se ana Mo'f6e nto tbe
character of the suretes, and 20 report upon these
facts to the Board 1t IS impossible Tor the G0ni-
mssioners TO examine all tne places Ion %idCn ;oOl
licenses are asked or TO accept the representations
OF the parties themselves" 4
irons OF your inspectorsE
"And in this way the disreputabe places have
been licensed y ,,..on,to,lo rlocas I,consed.
such licenses have been obtained by misrepresenta-
tons" =,
"The misrepresentations of your inspectors 7,
81 do not say that. 1t ia impossible for the Com
mssioners TO judge in all cases who are dsrepntaOe
persons. 1t is hard to draw the exact line,
But here il the fact that well-known disreput-
able persons have been llctDSfu
81 don't admit that. do not say there Is no pos
sibllitv of making slip or n mistake. Sometimes
a man who has nothing against him, ana VINO mas
therefore right TO make his living, VIII apply, ana
vet IL we accept the statement OF some or ms
neighbors, he Is unfit to be licensed. AS 10 tne
question of reputable or not II you ask some people
about the prOprIetOrs of our rst-cass hotels b.cy
would declare them to be dsreputaDle ana de-
nOunce them in the strongest terms -,,
"As a Commissioner. do you not know that Well
known disreputable people have been Licensed
'sAs Commissioner have no know edge of any
dsreputable person, or any against whom there is
q strong suspicion or being dlsreputaDle, Oelhg IL
censed. ,.
"Bnt the question. think, is in regard to unli-
censed persons and responsibility IN regard 10
them is answered by the law itself. IL nearly l,OOO
persons are permitted to go on selllhg wl'nUut /"
license, il gives a premium, as The lkl';
UNE states. to the most unht TO adn
to all their other violations OF law
bv refusing TO take out n license. Any mistake
made by this Board III granting licenses mas noun
ing TO do with that question. have personally II
good opinion of Mr.. Walling and OF the Police De
partment under its present OrganlZatlOn' VIC
merely wish % act OH the defensive IN TINS matter
II is their intention to execute the laws, undOuot-
edy But still the simple fact remains mat thcrg are
g63 unlicensed places where they could not produce
a license If called upon, and none Other Dut tne
police are authorized to call upon them to produce ~
do not say II Is not our business 90 enlorce ,te t
law, but the duty O SuperVsi0n hs You see, ~ WIN
the police And what are our few officers; twenty
or thirty compared with the two or three thousand
OF tne police fOrceT
"Mr. Merke,' said the reporter, " what Is your
opinion of the police IN this matter
=" caunot tel l." be replied II have nothing par
iculaf 10 SAY about it. But stll know they have
disregardcd the instructions of our inspectors
They have done that several times. ld0nt see thal
tbc Board has ANYTHING 10 do with seeing the law
carried out: IL is the police, and they don't DO IT,
" How many licenses were issued last year
"From MAY, 1873 to May, 1879, the NUMBER was
| 7741; so that about One-seS enth OF the dealers
| are unlicensed, aud the number OF unlicensed
| dealers Is increasing. There have been 900 les
Applications from May last M to the end OF he yea
| than there were m the same period Of the previous
| wear | don't think myself, that the unlIcense'
! flipk the police are responsible for them"