The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-09-07
BYRNES USES PLAIN TALK,
HE SAYS POLICEMEN BELONG ro
 POLITICAL CLUBS.

It Is Partially on that Account that They
 Cannot Do Their Proper Duty-He Points Out Radical Reform-No Gambling In Public In tho City.
 New York, Sept. s.-Superintenden Byrnes to-day make report to the pos lice board In which he indulges in some plain talk, and points out radical reforms which he thinks are necessary to secure the department from the re- proach now heaped upon 1t and which, according to him. Is at least in part deserved. It is now about three months since the board spurred on by the dis- closures made by witnesses before the Lexow committee, directed the super- intendent to inquire into the disciplins of the department and the enforcement of laws to suppress crime and to report what he found, with such recommenda- tions as he thought needful. This report Is MT. Byrnes' answer.
 The superintendent says that he sent detectives whom he could trust out in pairs in certain precincts, all ordered to report what they found. Then he went about inspecting himself.As a result he is able to state that all the laws to sup- press crime or repress disorder are well enforced except the excise laws. In three months his men observed 63,48O viola. tions of the excise law. The superin- tendent says the police board put a fatal stumbling block in the way of the enforcement of this law by adopting three years ago, at the demand of the citizens alliance, rule which for bids policemen to seek evidence to con. vict In civilian dress.
 The superintendent asserts that there Is no public gambling in the city. The problem Involved in the suppression of disorderly houses he finds difficult of solution. He states that the kind of evidence demanded by the courts as a basis for warrants to raid houses is of character radically different from that which the law seems to contemI plate. Still, houses of prostitution and designation have been broken up in every precinct. Not one is left that pur- sues its business openly. The inmates have been driven into tenements and flats where they mingle with and con. taminate respectable people, and can only be elected with difficulty. MT. Byrnes thinks that the legislature should take the matter up next win. ter.
 In regard to the discipline of the force the superintendent declares that 1t is not what 1t ought to be, and he lets it be understood that what is lacking Is centralization of authority. The com- mon report in the department, says the superintendent, that men are pro. noted for other than merit and attenA tion to duty makes them negligentI Too many of them belong to social orI ganizations that are nothing but polft. ical clubs.
 He recommends that the rule prohibit, ing policemen in citizens dress from seeking evidence against excise offends CTS be recinded; that membership in pot litical organizations be forbidden DO, licemen; that inspectors be made re. sponsible for disorderly houses in their districts; that the inspectors be det tailed to do duty under the superin- tendent's direction; that promotion be made for merit hereafter, and that the Broadway squad" be reorganized and brought up to its former high standard.