Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-04
PRESIDENT MoRE's ADDRESS.

last FEBRUARY. lie pfoceeos VIII DC
expended tor cork leg.
-. . -
PRESIDENT MORE'S ADDRESS.
He Reviews the Police and Fire De-
partments.
On account of the pressure Of matter
the annual address Of President More
to the board of police and fire CON-
missioners was given brief notice only
yesterday morning. Ii appears IN full
appended:
GESrLENES OF THE BoARD-The time
of my retirement from service upon
the board has arrived, and by virtue OF
the time honored custom, claim your
attention for few words of farewell.
During my term OF service the de-
partments under the control OF this
board have steadily grown IN numbers
and in efficiency. The cost of main
tenance has increased from $95, 2S5.49
to SIG, S6O.57, As estimated. In 1887
there were seventy-slx men in tire fire
department and fifty-seven IN the po-
lice department.. Now there are 100
in the former and eighty-seven in the
latter.
So long as the city enjoys the rapid
and substa ntial growth it has expert
enced IN the past, the SIZE and cost of
these departments and the duties and
responsibilities of this board must
necessarily increase. The cost of these
departments is large item in the an
nual budget, and IT Is not uncommon
for taxpayers to complain of it. 1t
may, however, bs safely SAID that in no
city of like SIZE in the country is life
and property better protected and bet
ter order preserved at less cost than in
this city. II will, doubtless, be the
aim of this board in the future, as in
the past, to spend the moneys conf
mitted to its custody with judgment
and economy, and to maintain the
highest degree of efficiency in the de-
partments ut the least cost TO the tax
payers.
The board has teen in the past, and
60 long as il continues to perform Its
duty will be subject 10 severe and un-
Just criticism in connection with It's
management of the police department.
The function of this department is to
enforce the law. In attempting TO dis
charge this function it stands between
two fires. 1t it fails to enforce the law
it is sharply censured by the law abid-
ing people. Ii it enforces the law il is
bitterly attacked by the law breakers
and their sympathizers. But little diff
ficulty arises from the execution of
the law against the more serious crimes
aud offenses, such as murder, burglary,
theft and the like; such offenders are
few in number and have few friends.
1t is the enforcement oil the laws regu-
lating the liquor traffic and prohibiting
gambling anu prostitution which give
the police department and the board
mos. trouble. The offenders against
the laws are numerous, aud they have
many sympathizers and apologists of
influence.
The state wisely abandoned the fruit
less attempts to prohibit the liquor
traffic and resorted to the policy OF SO
regulating as 10 reduce the resul!ing
evils to o minimum. Since my connec-
ton with the board its policy has been
To enforce these regulations, and the
attempt to do this has met with the
hearty approval and support of very
large majority of the citizens IF all po-
lItical parties and with bitter opposition
of . few persons engaged in the busi-
ness, who find their profit in persistent
and continued violation OF the law.
The board has had this opposition TO
contend with from the start, and al
ways will. so long as it performs It's
duty. In view of tho good results at
tanned IN the past. the board is not On
Iy justified in pursuing this policy, but
It's pursuit ia an imperative duty, the
performance OF which will merit and
receive the hearty communication of
very large majority OF our citizens.
| The experience OF all large communi.
ties IL that gambling and prostitution
cannot be efiectualiy prohibited. en-
til recently II Was tile policy of this
board to recognize the existence If
thcee evils and to keep them under
close restraint aud surveillance. Atthe
| request of the common council the
board abandoned this policy and adopt
| ed the policy of suppression. This pol
| ICY hss not been and cannot be efiectu-
| ally carried out, and the results Of the
| change are most unsatisfactory.
During the past year the city has
passed through the most serious lsbor
| disturbance IN its history. The duty
| Of TIE board was clear and imperative,
I 10 preserve order and protect LIFE and
| property at all hazards and 10 tire ut-
most of it's power. In the attempt 10
| do this no member hesItated. The
board acted SEA unit fron, the begin
nng 10 the end of the difficulty, and
took no sides in the controversy, ex-
cept the SIDE Of law and order.
Prompted by bad leaders and Instga-
tors OF violence sod lawlesmess, many
of the strikers and their suppor ere
censured the hoard ard the police de-
/ pertinent bitterly and most un1ustly.
The lsv against crime and disorder
winch IL vas the duty 0f the board 20
enforce, nsskes no dssenctsoa estweeB
clsses II protects equally the life
ard the property Of the poor and TIE
rich. II protects equally the rights
and property OF the corporation ana
TIE individual. and in the enforcement
Of the lss TIE board aud me police de-
psrtment did nothing bat 81 5aty. ard
every honest nxa sesoBs tbs strikers
ard their sagyofteTs csBnot ish, nfyon
calm rsfeeeoe, 10 sdmst thst TOE ref
ferr aaee Of thst dafy -as hsasht e
The city sad 20 asn8sssts sns saved the