New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-14
4 coon BEGINNING.


Where is il going 10 end: The campaign for
tlr punishment of the bribe-iakcrs and black
mailcrs in the Police Department has begun NJ
the bottom one of the smallest Of the crimes
has met with conviction Captain Stephenson
took peaches His ease is enough 10 fill win
apprehension the men who Systematically col
lcctcd large sums Of money from business men
to avoid annoyance and persecution. and from
lawbrcakcrs To permit them 10 carry on their
criminal practices The police have been feel
ing iubilani for some weeks. They were con
idcnt that The storm had blown over. and that
little diplomacy would enable them 10 90 on
i'm their old courses Their attitude recalls
I'm, of , body of men in Kings County Just
about 4 year ago McIianc and Sutherland and
Newton with their followers were rs confident
of their ability To maintain themselves in power
as the accused policemen have been MP 10 III"
present time one hard blow was struck and
the confidence disappeared. with II vahlsh'n
into prison the whole company of rascdls
Here more than one blow Will be- required
The ramilcations of the corrupt system are 50
extensive that wholesale prosecutions VIII u"
necessary and desperate lighting may ID" expect
ed. especially hy those high in authority. Hence
There IS reason 10 he grateful that the first con
victon should be f." Il comparatively tnVlai
offence l. makes ii impossible for I'll" greater
crimes 10 he ignored II bride Of basket or
peaches is 10 send Stephenson 10 State frison'
Schmitlbcrycr will hardly be able 10 arrange
any deal by which he can avoid answering the
charge Of taking 500 from the French Line
agent Above these men are others who have
offended in greater measure. and above thcn
others still in series the end Of which Is not
,,t,r sft,t..n
will no, permit the petty scoundres TO suffer
while the larger ones 10 free. Every c"hNic-
ton makes more easy the exposure Of the whole
mass of wickednesS and the punishment OF All
those who have faticncd on 1t. The advantage
Of beginning at the bottom In this work Is obvl-
ous. There would be danger that, II "A few Of
the leading criminals were punished first, the
demand Of the community would be satisfied.
the lesser rascals would be thought beneath
notice ard the people would settle down into
"A viriuous and comfortable calm with the work
Of puriicallon only half done. Now the cry is
TO 20 up higher. aud the people Will not be baked
I'm tina, demand The corrupionsr chiefs may
sacrifice their suborlina'cs one after another.
These VIII be- punished. but their fate will not
abaie the carncsincSS Of public opinion when
will compel rigorous investigation until the city
government is purified from the bottom 10 the
top. There must be no cessation In the work
of the Lexow Committee until all the rascals
are exposed The people impcratively demand
that no favor shall be shown. They believe that
the corruption which has been exposed at every
chance thrust Of the probe extends 10 the high
est authorities Of the city government. and they
are in no mood for pity, compromise or deal.
The work has been well begun. 1t can end only
| tn N ius Tee
TO the petty bribe-takers, much as they de-
serve punishment. 10 make them s'ih'r' anu
leave those who set them on and proh'ed by
their evihloing to escape the penalty or Their
misdccds.
The fact that n NcwYork jury should have
regarded IL a crime for policeman 10 take IA
basket Of peaches 70. performing or ncglec'ing
10 perform his duty Is remarkable tribute 10
the force Of public opinion. year ago this
would not have happened. Indeed, anybody
who had proposed TO prosecute petty blackmnll
on the part Of o policeman would have been
laughed at Some brave spirits tried to punish
brutal assaults and other grave crimes, but
without success. 1t was IN accepted fact mat
policemen were not amenablc 10 law. They
bruised bullied and blackmael unhindcrcd
To-day even "a Tammany District Attorney
finds il necessary to bring 10 trial petty charges
against them and To prosecute earnestly to con
viciion. The lesson Of the incident Is trite but
ii Is not the less real for that. 1t IL. after all
the people who govern. If they care enough
for decent rule % deserve II and demand hon
esty alike from party friend and party foe they
need not have their cities disgrace to them
selves or be forced periodically 10 rise In re-
volt against their own servants.