Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-08
ABSOLUTELY SoS-rRoGnEssrvE.


they are not marching to the rear, they are
standing still. If they adopt any Improvement
tie suggestion comes from an outsider, not
from police officer: and, what is more discour-
aging, the police seem to have no ambition to
DO anything to improve the police systems of
the country. The criminal classes are 200 years
AHEAD of the police in everything Indicative of
progress. The discoveries OF science the con-
ict OF laws. the triumphs of Invention, TIE care
cssness oil commercial dealings. are appreciated
FIST by the criminals. last by the police The
skilled forger knows everything about inks
printing and iithOgraphing; about chemicals and
paper; about checks business forms and
methods. The burglar has minute knowledge
oi the properties of iron and steel and under
stands the TEN: eT OF metals. L! tell silver from
Tatc; knows what paper is negotiable and what
not; Is acquainted with the iniricaces of locks;
can ascertain by listening to the lock move
n:enfs on what combination your safe is shut;
mas studied the power and eject of explosives:
the use ana strength CT ancathet;cs: the limits
AID lGOphncs Of the law. There is little about
plates. engraving processes and printing. paper
ard paper manufacture. that is new to the
c0unteric.ter The coiner is Tachinist and
practical rletaCrmist. The svindlcg is student
OF law. The Murderer is a chemist. skilled in
the virtues of pOis0aS. and has profound
knowledge of anatomy And these brilliant.
c!ever. energetic gentlemen arrive in town by
ire limited express, notify Their confederates by
advertisement in the leading newspapers and
retire to the metropolis to enjoy their gains,
Per cohtrG what Go the police know OF all the
trades and professions OF the criminals or of the
progress which they indicate? Nothing For
thirty years and over the police have cnioyed
the advantages of the telegraph and have vet
to learn of first attempt to secure for inn
portant ponce messages priority over private
business NO desire has been manifested TO reg
uiariy exchange important information between
LAY nc ia In-,n in I,,- Io;lx-
official Gazette. No systematic effort has been
made to
SUPPRESS THE SALE OF STOLEN GOODS
by regulating the pawnbroking business.
general of the army would hardly think of
placing all his sentries in the middle of his
camp Yet i'll each of our cities the most lily
protected portions are the outskirts, where a
Single patrOlman is accounted sufficient for ten
10 fifteen miles OF streets. Tie policeman in
England. France. Germany, Spain, Belgium,
Austria and other counties is trained to his
duties. Some preparation is made, some care
taken. that he shall not enter his high respOn-
sibit!es without at least being warned of their
nature. He studies invariably all law likely to
govern cases in which he will be called up0n to
act: Tor a policeman is constantly obliged to de-
ede at n moments notice law points that take
the greatest lawyers in the commonwealth
months to wrangle ont afterward What prep
q.
We confde the highest responsibilities the most
vital questions. our property. cur lives to the
hands OF Grass ignorance, and trust to luck for
security. Our business men repOse so much con-
hdence in the police that icy employ thousands
OF private watchmen to attest it, And we per-
init them to do so. for we permit most ANYTHING
We permit. for instance. any kind of iniquity to
be practised by private detectives. We even
allow them to
WORK Up EVIDENCE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
against the very authority that licenses their
existence. And nowhere are there signs of
change. Chicago enjoys one jot of progIess-a
police wagon Boston made move in the
right direction some years ago. and organized
board of police commissioners. But the infant
was soon throttled 10y political influence. and is
dead. "Philadelphia,' says her mayor in his
annual message. has the finest force in the
country and the force must be excused when
respectable citizens are dubbed because it is
only done when the police are under the stress
OF ardtouS labor. is it sGppOsahe that police
man would club a respectable man over the
head it he had a months time to think about it?
The evil is that whenever there is the least strain
the chain snaps, and some one else is hurried
away to the hospital Or the morgue; while
HEART DISEASE. APOPLEXY AND FITS ARE MIS-
TAKEN FOR DRUNKENNESS.
and the cells of the station houses are filled with
dying men.
This is the police problem: this the picture be-
fore US: incompetence, ignorance. brutality and
corruption. From whence the deiiverance? It
is idle to hope for anything out of the
regeneration Of political parties. That
day is too far Off. Policemen must and will
remain the approximation prizes of political lot
ter'es. The power OF the police is too great too
valuable TO be surrendered by the politician. As
menace or reward it is ali-pOtent 1t is
usually the extent Of the ward workers ambi-
ton. and no political manager ever vet had the
least intention of abandoning the ward-worker
or his desires. Relief from this quarter the
only quarter it can now come from, is impOssi-
bic. A Chinese wall of selfishness is i'm the Way
Whence then the deliverance. the solution of
the police problem? In my judgment from the
editorial rooms of the great daily newspapers. in
the formation and operation in every large
newspaper office ola
BUREAU OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
1t is not necessary to detail here the methods
that would be employed in the organization of
the bureau; they would be understood only by
newspaper men. Suffice it to say the bureau
would be organized with chief and the neces-
sary number OF assistants. All would be able.
gentlemanly Journalists. with some taste and
decided abilities for their work. The first step
to obtain the necessary powers would be swear
ing in the men as special officers with
out pay, which would give them the au-
thority to make an arrest. The want of this
authority has threatened the defeat of Justice in
dozens Of instances. Mr.. John Norris, of the
Philadelphia Record, when he had unearthed
the bogus diploma doctor. Buchanan, was
obliged to take an officer with him to Detroit.
merely that the Oflicer-Otherwise of no earthly
use-might make legal arrest The Boston
Herald representative who captured Chastine.
Cox followed that murderer for a nile and q
half on Boston streets without seeing a police
man, and was obliged to leave Cox unmatched
in order that the authority necessary to cause
his apprehension might be summoned But no
one will dispute me that the power to arrest
should be conferred on the ability to detect.
After the power of arrest had been secured for
the members OF the bureau. they should by
study and examination prepare to qualify as
nOtaries public or justices of the peace. and
such laws should be passed as would confer ON
them not only the authority to take a sworn
deposition, but In cases OF crime the power to
compel one, as have the Judges of instruction"
in France. On passing the examination pre-
scribed for admission to the bar the bureau re-
pOrters would receive a license-say YEARLY
from the state executive. which license should
be Endorsed by the executives of all states in
which tine reporter would be likely to CO. This