The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-26
DEFYING PLATT'S DEGREES.
THE CHAMBER or COMMERCE TAXES
HEADER INFO POLITICS.


Stewart smith presided over one Of the largest
meetings held by the chamber In years. Joel
b Erhardt. who is not = member OF the
chamber was there by invitation. Others
present we're Cornelius n. Bliss. J. Edward
Simmons. James McCreery. Abram S. Hewitt.
Henry Hentz, Oscar S. Straus. William H. Rob
ertson. Gustav II. Schwab. James NJ Constable.
Gen Horace Porter, John II. Inman. Marion j.
yerdery, John Jacob Astor. A. Foster Higgins.
John Clafiin. Louis windmnller. and Jacob II.
Bchifi Mr.. Claln opened the proceedings on
the door by introducing a resolution:
hoss dStY ~ mai b. To- this bier before
the Leuss,urs and the C.nstttutlonei I?oNen.lonii
soTsrnmen, Of tbs city aud the commercial proc
psrity VI tue stats
Mr.. Claim said that the system Of taxation
In this state had forced corporations to organ
lie in New Jersey and other states. Mr. wind.
muller sustained him in the argument and
offered amendments calling for separate
municipal elections on say the second Tues
day in APRIL But the prime Object OF ne
whole gathering was revealed when Mr.
Schwab offered this resolution:
commits: q ys SPSgsd n .y the GGST
OF this and the Constitutional Convention he re-
lions from state ana nsionS elections. genuine ballot
reform. and a sinRle.headed police depar ment
Mr.. Bliss was on his feet in an instant advo-
eating the passage Of the resolution More
oyer, he flung down the gauntlet to Thomas G.
platt the master republican OF the state. hy
insisting on this addition to Mr.. schwabs
resolution:
Tnatint ito opinion Of this chamber there should be
pnttn,ent IN It's Sity before any radical changes in
the administration Of the department are made.
Mr.. Platt in an thorized interview, printed
in THE ST. several weeks ago. declared
against any such investigation unless legis-
latiye committee could te furnished, before
hand with positive evidence OF wtongdolng.
Col Frhardt had been especially invited to
prepare an address on the Police Department
eo6 JGHoeHTg S OF rrbrd Sse came oG
strong in opposition to Mr.. Hiatt ana to the
Bipartisan Police bill as recently amended at
tho suggest ion OF Dr. Depew. Whitelaw Reid.
and Elihu Root.
Col. Irhardt said that the bill was n. @.
You cannot create n bipartisan Board"
said he. lit il a misnomer. II means four
partisans instead OF one and Is therefore four
thoroughly non partisan ioard than the one OF
The frat act OF that Board was to delegate to
one Commissioner all duties relating to dis
cipline and the enforcement OF the law this
was very frank confession that nothing could
ing the power. Still the trail Of tho serpent
was over 1t all. and 1t took the better part Of
six CAPTAINS for unitness. When the offence
was proven. then came the tug ~ war, This
ore had Republican backing. This one Demo,
there was always political rioting about the
Board OF Police in the efforts to save IA sub
"Thirty years ago tho police force attained a
high degree OF efficiency. Thomas &. Acton
was one Of the Com lssioners the same plan
single headed by giving him full power; the
character and discipline OF the force instantly
rose; this absolute power he welded Justly
during his lncumbency OF some ten years
Inder a iour- headed com mission the de-
linddent officer knows that it takes three out
OF four to punish him, and he hopes. and not
without success. that his political affiliations
may stand him in COED tn turn with the two non
probably obtain one from the other lot. which
favor Ia to be repaid in kind; This is dice
Under a single head the punishment will he
swift l'romptness and certainty OF punish
1T 10 impossible to Keen II non rnrtisan
Board II 1t were possible to start with one.
You can only provide at the outset that two
Who appoints them Who reads their hearts,
Who knows that they, are adherents Of the
can say how long their views will coincide with
the party who placed them in power after
not inirequent where incumbents have
changed their politics to save their office
The argument Is Ise az s9at d singie G9mm1i
appoint partisan. II this Le true then You
may be sure that Y he has tho power he will
two OF each party one Of these things will hap
pen, He will appoin, either, two strong men
opposite party. In which case there will he
barEsins OF the most yenal sind. and men who
a
trade slaves Or he will appoint two weak
men Of his own party and two weak men for
the opposite, party, Then the head is Celatine."
Mr.. EThardt was for taking the bureau OF
Elections and the Boiler Inspection bureau
away from the Police Board: and also the
power to audit it's own accounts making it
subject to the Comptroller's olice as other de-
Take ior Illustration as to what non par
tisan BOARD has anally como to; A charge is
made that crime exists IN certain districts.
that payment Ia made to officers for the pro-
tasf FFf haf Ttp thaf thA n ,fatn
themselves are not free from llame on the
contrary, the all egation is made that they are
Tatrolmsn have paid for their appointment on
the force and other officers for lromotlon.
supsrors over Them Is noHinT fSr G %e %ha
has paid is the mastor Certain districts. 1t
Is said. are fat precincts. To- correct
officers elsewhere. Why 1t Is the same
as If the President Of bank or trust
was corrupt, that his receiving teller was cor
rupt. and that his cashier was not what he
transfers them giving the paving teller the
receiving telleTs place, the receiving teller the
cashiers place, and the cashier the gsEipG
he would be disgrnced and removed from his
position, and VERY, properly 81. Yet It is the
ppoye In the TCard with 6'y Which w NSw com m
nected. one member took the ground, and
not At for one proclnrt he was not III for any,
and should be tried. convicted. and dismissed
from where ne was.
There is another consideration and that Ia
this the police force must be- under severe dis
cipline, and i must be kent up. This IS very
i'm Portant Without il an army becomes
mob. Without discipline they are not to be
depended upon to repress riots and disorder.
] have watched them during the riots Of lab,
1876 and 1877. | have seen them receive
punishment from the mob without word OF
complaint until the order to advance was
given, when they charged with the speed aud
IprJ q atornado. They are the inventors Of
through mob OF one hun ired times their
number scattering them like sheep. leaving
their own dead and dying in their wake 4
well disc plined force has never been whipped,
Take the TOiee force in Chicago: see how a
few closed up after tho explosion OF dynamite
bombs which laid low hall their number and
remained yictorS This was the result Of dis
The New York police are as body manly
lot and desire to do what is right. Their LIE
10 q hard one, Not permitted TO engage In any
other business, they have no competrnce 10
look forward To. NOT one Of the men who Reek
to make the present bill law knows u line OF
the complex manual OF Tul es consisting OF rs
pages printed in small type. Let US treat them
fairly. Tricksters can denoralize the regular
army You can make them 3.S,S} Wiggling
politicians or 3S}3 law-entoTcing officers n