The sun., 1895-03-26
GOV. MORTON TAKES A HAND.
He Urges the Passage Of the Police
Magistrates Bill,
ASSEMBLY PROMPTLY PASSES II.

Delay. but Does Not Cormit Mir,selr te
Any Particular Mea.uro-A special Mes
sage TO the Legislature, In which Ne
Lectures the Lawmakers for Their Tar
diness In Passing Reform Mensures.
ALBANY. March 20. The police reorg ganlzatlon
topic was burning question on the reasscm-
bling OF the Legislature this evening. The atti-
tude Of the members OF the closely balanced
Senate was supposed to be tho most interesting
feature OF the situation until Gov. Morton
took n hand In and sent most unprecedented
message to the lawmakers. Then the attention
Of all was focused on that document. Tho
anti-Platt men refused to believe that IL
arrayed the Executive their side in op.
posing the Le1ow bills. and with the COM
mittees and people in New York who issue
unkases to the serfs of the Legislature that arc
even more mandatory than the Governors. The
critics of the Lexow measures dispute this
structon, and say that in calling for "such
legislation as will meet the emergency" tho
Governor distinctly and significantly refrains
from endorsing tho pending bills. The follow
ing Is the Governors message.
" To the Legislature:
"The Constitution Of the State makes 1t my
duty to recommend to the Legislature from timo
to time such measures as may deem expedent.
In obedience therefore, to that mandate call tho
attention of the Senate and Assembly to matter
which regard as being of tho highest present
Importance. namely, tho reorganization of the
inferior criminal courts Of Now York city. Ten
weeks have elapsed since n bill having this
object in view was introduced. concurrently, in
both Houses Of tho Legislature but the measure
has not yet been passed by either House. The
| session is fast drawing to o close. and unless
prompt action is taken upon it there is danger
that 1t may fail to become . law. Such result
would be public misfortune.
There has been no measure before this Legis-
lature which more deeply interests the people Of
New York city. 1t is widely, perhaps generally.
believed that in some OF the present police courts
| there is to-day practical denial of justice.
| This belief is strikngy sustained in the report
| made by a committee appointed to investigate
certain departments OF New York city, COM
monty known as the 'Lexow committee 1t
| is charged that a very important reason why
| the police have been ablo to carry on and sue
cessfully perpetrate their reprshensible prac-
tices is that at least some of the Police Justices
have apparently worked in sympathy and coll
| luson with them. Again. 1t is stated that, be-
cause of the maladminstration that prevails in
those courts, tho poor and needy were unable
| to obtain redress or relief from the oppression
| or the tyranny Of the police and that their
| path to justice was completely blocked
These arc serious charges and seem to DO
largely supported by public opinion in the city
| Of New York. They invite tho careful consid-
Grafton of tho lawmakng power and call for .
| speedy remedy. 1t is to these inferior criminal
courts, the very sources of the administration
| OF criminal Justice. that tho poor especially
look for protection from oppression and wrong.
| When these fountains of Justice are polluted
| the evil results to the people are beyond calcu-
lation.
THE bill to which reference is made was in
troduced in the Senate by the Chairman of tho
| investigation committee above mentioned. pre-
sumaby result Of the inquiry which made
that committee SO familiar with matters need
| ing corrective action of the Legislature. Its
| object is to create an improved system OF in
| ferior criminal courts, and conformably to give
| the people new Board of Police Magistrates.
| This legislation 10 a necessary step toward
| municipal reform. II is supplementary TO tho
Power of Removal bill already passed, and
which was recommended specially in my first
message to the Legislature. The language used
| in that paper on that subject is rs follows: A
power OF removal bill for the city OF New York.
placing in the hands Of the Mayor absolute and
unqu estionable authority to remove any OF tho
| appointive officers OF tho city Government, and
| to appoint their successors. is an immediate re-
| quirement at your hands 80, convinced that
| mis- power OF removal already conferred should
| not be limited to administrative officers. but
that it is equally important that it should be
made to apply to the Police Justices. A doubt
| has been expressed to tho consttutionality
Of this bill, but that doubt has been practically
resolved In its favor by tho recently published
| opinions of some OF the most eminent aud
| learned lawyers in New York city.
| II desire also to call attention to the need Of
prompt reorganization of the Police Department
| of New York city. In the testimony before the
| LcIow committee it was charged that many
members OF the police force, among them officers
| OF high grade. were not only backmailers and
! extortioners. but were actively in league with tho
criminal classes. 1t Is generally believed that
the extent Of these alleged corrupt practices has
not yet been fully revealed. The law abiding
| classes are naturally uneasy under such con-
| diton OF things and knock impatently
| at the doors of the Legislature for
relief They demand that police officers
who have betrayed their trusts, or used their
great power oppressively. shall be ascertained
and dismissed without unnecessary delay, and
the Legislature Is asked to provide tho method
| OF relief 1t is apparent that this request should
| be needed and such legislation enacted as will
meet the emergency ! therefore recommend
| tho early passage OF the Police Magistrates bill,
so.callcd, and of n measure that will place In
proper hands the power to rcorganize and re-
| generate the Police Department OF the metropo-
| lis. LEVI y. MORTON"
In the Senate where the message wa. received
| ten minutes after the session began. its reading
| was listened to with strained attention. No
| sign as to its effect was allowed to become vis-
| bic on tho faces OF Senators Stapleton aud
| Lamy, whose attitude is uncertain. They
| would no; say, either before or after the receipt
| of tho message, that they would vote against
| the bills. nor would they say that they would
! voto for them,
| Senator Childs, who has not been considered
a doubtful quantity hitherto, wac not %
cautious IIe said that he would probably voto
| against the so-called Lcxow measures unless
they are made satisfactory to the people in New
York. lie has made up his mind to vote for
| ANYTHING that they want.
The police muddle was added TO by the intro
ducton OF new batch OF bills by Mr.: Aims
| worth The question whether the inspiration for
these measures 10 found In a desire To reach
| compromise was put 10 Mr.. Ainsworth. He sim
| ply said that the inspiration OF his bills was
ceivcd while he was listening 20 tlIe sermon In
church yesterday morning. They are pretty