New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-08
THE MAYOES OPPORTUNITY.

Mayor Edison Is now at the turning of the
ways. Tomorrow will probably decide
whether he is to be a mere partisan officer,
parceling out patronage among the Demo-
cratic factions for the benefit OF the
workers. or whether he will try to be In
the best sense the Mayor of the whole city.
The prospect is not altogether encouraging.
If the confidence of Tammany Hall that Police
Commissioner Nichols is to be reappointed,
and that Patrick G.. Duffy Is to be
restored to the police court bench, is
well founded, Mr.. Edson's administration
will make a bad start. 1t is omnOus that
nearly all the names spoken of in connection
with existing vacancies are those of persons
whose only claims to the Offices are based on
partisan service. If that partisan service were
of brilliant or even of a clean and honest
kind. there would not be so much cause for
regret. No fair-minded Republican will CEN
sure the Mayor for filling all the vacant posi-
tons with Democrats, provided he chooses
Democrats who enjoy the respect of their own
party. But most of the candidates are only
valued by their own associates for their skill
and success on the lowest level of labor. The
channels In which their efforts are most eff
Gent are tIe bcWtJb VI Muu pOIlllCs.
The Successors of Police Commissioner
Nichols. of Police Justices Bxby and Otter
bourg and of Park Commissioners Lane and
MacLean, ought to be men of force and
breadth, men of energy and devotion to duty,
and, above all, men on whose regulations there
is no stain of suspicion. Mr. Nichols GER
tainly should not be reappointed. He
was put in Office and has been kept in simply
and solely because he could be relied upon to
stick at nothing which would strengthen his
faction. Rarely ever in this city has an i'm
portant Office been retained so long by one SO
naked of merit. Our Police Department needs
reforming from top to bottom, but nowhere
so badly as at the head. Get a Police Board
of the right Sort and we shall soon have a
department equal to any in the world. Now
it is notorious for rottenDess and weakness.
1t has too many lazy, drunken, brutal patrol
men. 1t has too many roundsmen and SER
geants whose intimate relations with keepers
Of gambling houses and policy shops are
matters of common report. 1t has too
many captains whose rapid growth in
wealth can only be explained By the
immunity which dsorderly houses, gambling
dens and other vile resorts enjoy in their pre-
cincts. 1t has q chief of detectives possessing
genuine ability and plenty of energy, but with
an overweening ambition, vanity and love OF
display which seriously interfere with his
usefulness. 1t has a set Of inspectors
altogether too much occupied in intrigues
for the position OF Superintendent 1t has a
venerable Superintendent Of excellent inten-
tons and blameless character, but one whose
methods are out of date, who no longer has
the power to make himself felt, and whose
originally narrow mind has grown narrower
and less keen from the effects of age and the
. cares of place. 1t has four Commissioners,
three of whom long since lost the respect of
their fellow citizens.
A few months ago Mr.. McKeon, with the
and of private detectives, broke up the princi-
pal lottery Office in the city. The police have
never been able to explain why they had not
done this themselves. The District Attorney
had found by unfortunate experience that
when the police force was called on in such
cases, the criminals always got warning before
the officers arrived. Mr.. McKeons bold stroke
caused panic in Mulberry ST. The next night
every gambling house in the city was closed.
aud every one remained closed for months.