The Washington bee., 1888-11-10
water, where it might be propagat-
ed.-"Chicago Journal
MAJOR MOORE ON NEGRO
CRIMINALS. WHAT HE PROPOSES TO
DO. IS THE MAJOR CORRECT? DIR.
R. S. LAWS TO THE FRONT.
Laws Seminary,
Washington, d. c.,

Nov. lst, 1883.
To the editor of the Washington
BEE:
[ wish to call the attention of
the official public to the facts SO
essentially necessary to the gen.
eral public. I wish to say 1st
That while the government does
not provide any special protection
to one community more than
another, yet 1t seems from all
evidence, in every place and at
all times, the general complaint is
that 81 would have called in an
officer, but there was not one in
sight or hearing And these
complaints and informations are
generally made by citizens in
dark streets where there is no
light, and where, as it seems, that
the policemen never go. 1t is the
duty of the government, however.
to light all streets and alleys that
are strolIable by the officers;
because it is not only the proper
ty and lives on the improved
streets that the government pro-
vides protection but those of the
whole city. And that protection
is not for the whites alone, but
for all of the citizens. Now, that
our police officers, as a general
thing, are very conslderate and
polite gentlemen and that their
office is praiseworthy aud honor
able one and should receive all
honor and respect, are facts be-
yond discussion. For, Of all life
preservers, they are the most nee
essary.
| would venture to say that if
the superintendent of police, Maj.
W. q. Moore, was to restroll his
official canvass of criminal depre-
dations for which he so distress
fully and unjustIy styled the COL
ored citizens "the sneak thieves"
he would readily find and honor
ably acknowledge that two-thirds
of these crimes were committed in
dark and neglected communities;
and they were committed by both
colored and white. These dec
larations are irresistible because
they embrace that truth which
makes men free. They are made
by cOlored citizen in toe inter-
est of colored citizens, for whom
the law provi'es no distinction
and justice protests against it.
Now, if there are any official
scluples in the case, the writer is
ready TO enter recanvass of this
report in search of real facts or
to deny most positively the just
ness of it's publication.
His aggrevating and ungodiy
assault upon the colored citizens
for possessing 137 concealed
weapons, while the whites were
only reported for Sc, does not
show SO much that the whites did
not have any more, as reason
shows that the colored must have
some protection In the absence Of
either gas-light or policemen. He
also asked for what might he
known as a book of criminals in
order that be may note and make
recommendations for exclusion
from employment, all colored per-
sons who may be accused of steal
ing, falsely or otherwise, by some
white person whose natural incli-
nation is to misrepresent and be-
lie the colored Ieople in order
to justify themselves. Will the
Major please tell US what recon-
mendation he proposes to make
for the punishment of the white
highway robbers, safe and house
burglars, forgers, pilterers, sneak
thieves and other vile criminals
of the government, thousands of
whose crimes are concealed while
only the hundreds are punished?
For ceartainly he does not mean
to tell US that he does not believe
that the broad road from here to
hell is not paved over with much
better class of people than many
of the whites, who, to-day, ought
to be in prison?
The white people, whose crimes
he SO skillfully passed over with
out any recommendations, in his
hurry to hound down and to have
the official arm of the national
government to provide for an un-
usually strange way to discharge,
impoverish and starve the colored