New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-16
INFORWERS.

,rh. conventional ethics which are called
honor exercise strange tyranny over the minus
of men Every generation has certain rules OF
conduct which are rather 10 be oD'yed 'h'h
any or All the Commandments and IT were
better for any man IN the eyes OF his fellows
to be known rs thoroughly dishonest scoul-
drcl than 10 have outraged their notions OF WHAT
honor required him 10 do. Ninety years ago
Alexander Hamilton went 10 his death in obe'ii-
cnce 10 the demands Of a code Of honor 1h'r'
are still regions in this country where men ieei
II incumbent upon them 10 repcl insults WIN ii
shotpuu That stage Of civilization has been
uasscd by this city but some curious COMMISSIONS
still liupcr here which serve often 10 keep men
from doing right and to protect them In doing
wrong. II is muddncss Of perception. not fine
ness Of scnsibny that mistakes confession FOR
treason and confllScs the spy with the detective.
When Police Captain CreeIcn was on the
stand last Friday he explained his former IN
Willingness to tell The truth by stating that ms
family were Irish Rcvouionsts. and among
them The name informcr was Of all things most
dsrraccful He lad not wished in the matter
of police corruption 10 play The nforner or
prove false 70 these whom h. had supposed to
he his friends He had ~ first preferred 10 sac
rifle, himself by committing perjury rather
than tell II The corruption to which he had been
q pnrtv. The essential difference between re-
naming true 10 an honest cause and by silence
aiding a corrupt one had moi been perceived by
him The tradition Of a code Of honor over
weighed The conviction ~ right The lrSh
Rcvolutionisis. like the hungarian aud other
polIiical offenders. banded together to rid them
selves u a hated government and free their
IL founded
an unselii>h purpo>c They were brave men
who did not shrink from danger. who were Will
Ing ro bc treated ~ criminals for The sake Of
serving their native land. Patriotism was their
plea. and for lis sake they fought plotted and
made themselves outlaws. They became rebels
on, Of love for Ireland They had a right 10
expect good faith from their fellows In Tho
common cn,sc lie who embarked with them.
then deserted them and sold their secrets To
enrich himself was with reason regarded AZ
among The most dcspicablc OF men. h" was
traitor and an inform'r.
New York has Il band Of conspirators. They
plot FOR no idea of country and with no en'husl-
asm ~ mariyrlom. They are knit together for
pIundcr: they are handed for blackma; they
are organized 10 live by cStortion and To make
pront ~ crime No stretch Of the Imagination
can mike bi lu'ill HUNlHllS bHt WV duh biN-
gushing thieves lie who reveals their knavcry
does Il public service The innocent man who
knows ~ their msdccdS becomes a partner
with them II h. keeps silent. The guilty man
adds 10 his crime by refusing to confess II.
Conceptions ~ honor can be- stretched to
cover many sins. but the sins OF Tam
many are not among them. The fight here
is not against body ~ revolu;ionists engaged
In manly warfare but against IN organization
nf criminals which must be- cXicrmlnated. To
track their dolngs Is the work Of the detectives.
The revelation 81 their miSdc'dS Is the confcs-
sion Of the r"pcnlani sinner. Concession TO
these outlaws ~ the consideration due 10 hon
orabIc enemies would be parallclcd only 10y the
extension of The protection This country gives
political Offenders 10 the robbers. murlercrs
and forgcrs who come here In their flight from
Justice Irish Rcvoluonists should be careful
not 10 damage their cause by assuming toward
\ew-York thieves the obligations they owe TO
their fcllow-patriots.