New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-10-08
HOOULTMISM.

Fresh attention has been drawn to the spread
of hOodumism in and about this city by the
murder OF Bates, the ship carpenter, last Sat'r-
day night at Jersey City. He WAS the victim Oh
one of the many gangsn which intest the
suburbs, and the members of which are in the
practice of levylng blackmail upon all who pass
their haunts. Recent Efforts have been made
by the police to suppress these gangs but since
it is plain that many of the worst rulilans III
them possess enough political influence TO bear
them harmless in case of arrest, 1t would De
folly TO expect that they can be put down In
this way. I here are two questions To be con-
sidercd in regard TO these gangs. First, under
what conditions did they come to exist
Second, what are the conditions which interfere
with their suppression. Clearly the one certain
way To get i'd of the evil is to dig it mp by the
roots The so-calcd "city gangs have been
put down repeatedly already, but they spring
ND again because the soil in which they grow
nourishes them. They are the outgroWth OF
parental ignorance and apathy. drink and po-
itical corruption and for the first and third OF
these causes the second il largely accountable.
Not only here, but IN every American ci'y'
hnodlumism il the product of the same agencies.
An army of young runnns. worse barbarans
than uncivilzrd counties can show, Ia being
trained to vice and crime throughout the land
Il, rum aud its allies AMI ao imrudent are the
hrnonciatica or thia mlHaniim hocomc that they
,in not hraiwta tn demand the suppression ol
the law in tho interest or lheir.crimiuel pro
trgpn,
The corner lontrr the memhor at city
gang, In the "strhrr AMI hrnchmAn at nomr
saloon politician, who IN tam protects hie
hullios aud loughs against the police ana the
Justice. Some at these shameless pothnnse
politicians do not hesitate 90 enter aJu'toes
court aud threaten the justice with political
punishmcnt if Ia d.rcs 10 treat the gang
rowdics ~ they deserve. The result Is that
there are several districts where respectable cti-
zcns 20 constantly in fear ct outrage ana where
the police are powcrless because the patrons
of the gangs make it impossible to punish them
or To keep them in Jail Ii is OF course useless
for the police tn arrest them only Tor the
justices to discharge them. 1t is equally useless
for the justices to sentence them To the lSahd
If. rs is usually the case, they are released an
few DAYS. The only effect of this treatment IL
to emboden the gangs, and there Is ample proof
ihat they are becoming more audaciouS con-
tinuAlly. gnt it is not easy To find a remedy tor
this abuse unless the people are willing to un-
dertakc radical measures of reform. These are
the natural the inevitable results of politics
based on the whskey shop. Democratic politics
derive their chief vitality from rum, and they
are responsible for the city gangs and Tor The
corruption, intimidation and cowardice which
paralysis justice and puts the control of its adj
ministraton into the hands of rutfians and
criminals. The federation of the Democratic
system involves supine submission to the out
RACES of the city gangs, and to all the other de-
grading and anarchisng influences which are IL
Illustrated in the growth and history OF city hood
lumism throughout the country. Nor can there
be- any permanent relief from these evils until
the Democratic political and social methods are
got rid Of