Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-10
est in the country. Mr.. Brown further
APPARENT WISDOM.

valuable and special information, showing il
detail the vast number of prosecutions o
criminals and the suppression and extinction
of vice and immortality, and the regulation anC
control of the Sabbath day, making the same {
day of quietude and peace and rest to all oul
people throughout the whole city, worthy oi
| your investigation.
am happy to state that all kinds and char
acter of gambling have finally been eradicatet
| and driven out of the CITY; that there are now
| no public places of gambling whatsoever; thai
| faro banks poker rooms public dance houses
| and dives of all descriptions have been eradi
Gated and expelled from the city.
RESULT OF A STRUGGLE.
This has not been brought about without g
| great struggle against men. money and political
| influence, and that it has been achieved at all
| in view of the stern and uncompromising efforts
made to continue perpetuation of these vices
| isa great credit to the Police Bureau, and that
the suppression of the vices has been great
benefit to the city, socially and morally, there
| can be no doubt.
Chief Brown here dwells at length on the
improved morality of the city as regards the
extinction of disorderly houses or their rele-
cation from public view, which he says is
almost complete. Such places, he adds,
ought not, in his opinion, TO be totally
eradicated, but rather placed under strict
police surveillance. He then continues:
DIFFICULTIES TO OVERCOME.
In enforcing the laws against crime in this
city there have been many difficulties in the
way, and wish to embrace the present oppor-
tunity of calling your attention to some of
these, and ask your cooperation in overcoming
the same.
Frst-In many cases it is a very difficult
matter to obtain positive proof against Grim
inals.
Second-The opposition and interference of
otherwise respectable people in the interest of
friends relatives
litical associates, who have been unfortunate
enough to get within the meshes Of the law
and on the criminal calendars.
Third-Councilmanic influence and inter-
ference.
Gentlemen, these things ought not to be.
am well aware that sternenforcement of the
law is not what is wanted in a community made
up of mixed population snch as Pittsburg,
and the man that has the courage TO do his
duty invites upon himself a conflict that will
ultimately carry him out of office and power.
Criminals and their associates are all against
good government. Many sensible citizens want
laNity in the enforcement of the law as TO their
friends and acquaintances and great ma
jority of good citizens love to enjoy the peace
and quietness of law and order. but do not
wish the personal trouble and inconvenience
of assisting to maintain the same.
THE sPEAK-EAsY EVIL.
might in this connection call your attention
to the fact that, perhaps, the greatest force at
work to-day, silently in most cases, but surely,
for the disruption of the moral condition of
the city is the illegal liquor traffic. / am
aware, gentlemen. that this Is a question about
which there are an infinite amount of opin-
ions, but there are some facts that can easily be
proven from the records. and that is, first. that
drinking is largely on the increase in the homes
and families of this city; second, that the
young and growing generation are becoming
acquainted with and familarizing themselves
with the use OF liquor in the homa life that was
nprhanS known n PiffShurp n
time. The SpeaR-easy proprietor is not wholly
responsible for this state of affairs. The bot
ting house, wholesale liquor dealers and the
brewers that go beyond their premises to dis
pnse of their goods are chargeable with much
of the introduction of liquor INTO the home life.
AN AsToNIsEER.
There are at present about 500 spenk-
en.ies ia the city of Pittsburg.
The reason why these are not suppressed by
the Police Bureau may be a question that
might fairly be asked by your honorable bodies
as well as by the public and answer:
FiTst-The Brooks law makes it the special
duty of the ward constable to return all un-
licensed houses in their various wards.
Second-LIcense is the mere mercantile tax
for the privilege of engaging in and handling
of a legalized business made SO by the State of
Pennsylvania. the collecting of which tax is
not part and parcel of the work of the Bureau
of Police, in any sense, more than the collecting
of any other mercantile or commercial tax.
Third-It is not breach of the peace or any
statutory law relating to the peace of the com
munity to be engaged in 1egaliZed business
without having first paid commercial tax.
Fourth-The limited number of saloons and
their distribution is wholly inadequate for the
supply and wants of the drinking community
of this city.
ONE THING NEEDFUL.
There should be absolutely prohibition with
in the city of Pirtsburg, or else there should
be such number of saloons and properly
distributed as to fairly and orderly supply the
wants and needs of the drinking classes in the
city. If this was done, and the proper authori-
ties, whose business it is to collect the CONNER
cial and mercantile tax, would unite with the
Bureau of Police for the proper enforcement
of the liquor law, and the collecting of the
tax aforesaid in this city, the speak-easy man
would soon be a relic of the past
This department. however, has vigorously,
and with an unrelenting hand, attempted to
and with much success stamp out illegal traffic
on the Sabbath day.
Bureau wish to state that the morale of the
police force has been steadily improving dur
ing the past year under the system of drills and
rigid discipline and the fidelity of the inspect
can be only made successful by hard and labori-
Gus work and constant attention to duty. l
trust that with your cooperation and assist
ance the work of improving the morale of the
police of the city, enforcing of law and the
Suppression of crime and for the uplifting of
the Police Bureau may continue.
TRIBUTE TO THE PRESS.
OF the newspapers the Chief says:
During the year the criticisms of the various
newspapers have been of the most friendly and
helpful character, and have been in the nature
of wise counsel and assistance, with but few ex-
ceptions and they probably for political pur-
poses and from party politics-as it must be
apparent to every observing citizen and every
right-thinkinC man, that much better munich
pal government has been accomplished under
the new charter. and especially SO far as police
and regulations are concerned.
At the end OF his report Chief Brown
writes:
have given my entire time and attention to
the personal management, supervision and con-
troll of all work in my department, and am per-
sonally responsible for all acts of omission and
that have occurred during the year
the government of your city might or
could have been improved so far as this depart
ment is concerned. II such has been the case
it has been brought about owing to the magni-
tude of the work to be done, and the vast yari- |
ETY. of details requiring such constant atten-
tion. labor and thought.
In conclusion permit me to say, gentlemen
that with the countenance of your hearty CO.
operation as well as the cooperation and as
sistance of all law-abidiDg citizens and the as
sstance of those great conservatives of public
pulpit and the press-the CITY OF
with its vast industries and wealth.
may add to it the better gifts of law and order.
peace and morality, and be, indeed q great
city, blest of God.
HE FEARS NO ENEMIES.