Evening journal., 1889-11-13
coMmsh,nAslE. If TRUE.

CONNIE ftOAbLEy ~ itS-
Chief Swigge' has sent in iestcr Of
resignation. There WIS nothing else 20
do. It is commcndahle 70 have done the
right thing even though late. The EVEN.
ING JOURNAL pointed out the necessity OF
resignation from the beginning.
But there is suspicion that the
resignation has string to 1t, which robs
II Of force and honesty II it is simply
political trick then all Of the burden Of
Ignorance or dishonesty returns to the
guilty parties with intensified richness
and stamps the whole lot as not only
guilty. but contumacious, and defantly
guilty.
This suspicion Is raised by a sentence
in Chief Swiggetts letter placing the
responsibility, as well as the credit, Of
the resignation on Mayor Harrington's
Judgment Itsays
AS accepted the Office with the single
purpose to aid you in giving to the city
a creditable and efficient police admins
tration, SO have no desire to continue IN
Ii a aay longer than, in your Judgment,
can contribute satisfactorily TO that end.
Commenting on the beauty and holi-
ness Of Chief swlggett's character and on
his reign, the thick aud thin moralist Of
the Morning News SAYS.
The amends that he has made for the
blunder ialo which he unwittingly fell
are ample and complete, and ia oLr Judg
ment his resignation should not be az
cepted
That brings back the whole question,
Of the competency Of a man who is draw
ing pension for physical dis.
ability, who has frequently and
persistently affixed his name to an afiida-
yit which was false, who has not read
the law, or cannot understand the law,
under which he IS acting2 The error
that Chief Swiggett has been guilty Of is
not as the News puts it, OF following
wrong custom but of swearing falsely
and not knowing the law.
The appropriation Of few hundred
dollars not belonging to him Is not the
gravest fault that the chief has COM
mitted. lie has been guilty Of serene
moral obliqulty and grave moral delin-
quency. Things that a ten year-oid sun
day school boy should shrink from, Chief
swiggett has done constantly.
II they have been done recklessly, OF
heedlessly, or ignorantly, the gravity Of
the situation Is increased not diminished,
Chief Swiggett was appointed because
Of his alleged high character and for the
purpose Of giving the city clean and
sanity Republican administration. lie
is not to be judged by the wicked stan
dard Of bad Democrats, but by his owl
standard Of paragonic purity, He is not
expected to be like the man Of old, VIII,
smote his hypocritical breast in the tom
pie and congratulated himself that he
was 80 holy, who when examined criti
cally was not holy at all-not even 81
good in fact, as the humber man VIII
made less professions.
If Chief Swiggett has sent in an hon
est and irrevocable resignation--if ther
, is no string tied to the letter-he ha
/. done commendable and happy thing
| He has done the only thing that coul
i have been done.
II he is to be continued in Office ait'
/ even Mayor Harrington has admitte
that his usefulness was destroyed, I'll
people will have something 70 say. III
people and the EVENING JOURNAL do n,
expect saint as Chief Of Police, br
they have right 70 demand that !
. shall be man who knows whether Il
affidavit be signs is true or false.