New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-26

in ,hc enforcement OF the law?" Mr.. Roosevelt
was asked.
II do not want TO be drawn into any controversy
with the Magistrates" he replied. Nevertheless
the action of Magistrate Brann in nnctng fine
of S. on Callahan, the rumseller of Chatham
Square. and then continuing the hearing in the
case OF that defiant lawbreaker. may have been
ranking In the mind Of the Commissioner as ne
said further: at is most important that arrests
for violations OF the Excise law should De ionoWc"
not by small fines but by the Imprisonment OF the
offenders That Is the way to reach these VloId-
tors Of the law. A fine they regard merely as an
extra tax on their business. but imprisonment
would put an immediate stop to the lawnreaKins.
] was particularly pleased al noticing that JuS..S
jerome, in the Court Of Special sessions, uVom
fined and imprisoned the Offenders SUN d o.
by the Judges greatly strengthens our hands,
What do you understand to be the iee'l ing
among the patrolmen Of the force as 10 '"e ''
II sincerely believe that the bulk of the patrol
men are heartily glad that the ola reign VI Io.
ruption and favoritisn is past Ihes aiN So
that they have nothing 10 fear now, save "'e
results OF their own misconduct or failure 10
perform their duty. They are no longer IN teIroi
cf offending saloon-keeper with a pIH ,nsn't
ever else the saloOn-keeper has a pull, ne hasi
cot II with The Police Board or with tie pviiN@
force When he violates the law we arres. n, ~
arrested Callahan wholly Wl'h0ua
TO political influence. and hope the Maeis.ra.es
will do as Justice Jerome has done.lhi,c' Hv''s
fines and Imprisonment on all lawbreaKe .rro ,s
Are there reasons 10 believe that mere IS
still much corruption in the police force
CANNOT BE STOPPED IN A DAY.
ut is impossible to stop all corruption IN
day. Among 1000 policemen some will be READY
10 be corrupt If they get the chance. but al
fragrant corruption in the force has been put
an end 10, ! think Every citizen knows mat
con,nlaint from him will receive prompt ana
II
worthy OF consideration, and every o!hCVI ~
the force high or low. knows that we Will toi-
crate no corruption IA: gnu a"as .Ae I'M rmvr
important step ever taken to put down corIup
lion In the Police Department was taken when
we began our course of urging an honest en-
forcement Of the Excise law Thls law was
never obsolete. but IT was enforced spasmoui,
cally- and with favoritsm. II was ehioicci
against some people all the time, against others
only now and then. and against some noa d. az,
We have sworn to enforce the law impartaliy.
and / don't believe that in the long run the
majority Of citizens will be against US on 50
plain and simple an issue
MORE THAN THIRTY MEN DISCHARGED.
In reply to an inquiry about the work OF re-
organizing the police force. Mr. Roosevelt said'
The best answer tC that Will be to continue Ill
the future as we have been doing in the past
When we can clearly prove gross breach OF
duty on the part of policenan-such as steep.
inc on most drunkenness or Observation-Disclosures VIII
dismiss him once, as we nave done IN tiiirt! vi
forty cases already. When say forty perhaps
/ should include some whom we nave ds.eSu
to dismiss II a captain is grossly derenc' III
bis duty we will put him on trial ana ulslllls ,
him If the evidence warrants IT'S uis'lssn ,,
There are undoubtedly plenty or men we WouI'
have gotten rid Of IL there had been rcorSah-
ization bill, and we can't touch them now OWNS
to the many technical requirements OF the courts
In the matter Of evidence. we shali 'urn " ",
the worst offenders in time, and we shaH Set J., y,
some excellent new blood Eventually we shdiI
teach the men that 1T is for their own interest
TO be decent and faithful in their performance
Of police duty"
Are disorderly houses IN the CITY O'i"S '"P-
pressed?" .,,.o
ut is difficult to know what to say about those
houses We can't stop all vice, out we 40 Uri
best to stop the police from blackmaillhg IT, we
have given orders TO have all inmates OF such
houses treated alike. In former tunes !. mas
heen the practice TO arrest the unlorlui1dte
women in those houses and let the men 20. ny
rolice have strict orders TO treat 'ne liei, III s
houses exactly the women are treated.
us there much public gambling III the CITY
now?' .,oos Tho Mag
,s,-ates require such technical evidence in many
cases particularly in cases OF poIicY pisS me, nc,
that it is difficult for the police 70 s,op snp
at shops where the propilelOrs use e~'i
'"Has there been any noticeable decrease of
crime in the city as result OA q ''eO'0"' va
forcanlent OF law! - -
s"There has been decrease Of drunkenness on
Sundays I have received the figures OF the ar,
rests for intoxication and Tor druhkehhtss anu
d,sorderly conduct In this city during t"en.s
60, hours after a. H. on each Of four sun
DAYS In April compared with similar ngures Ioi
the last four Sundays in which the Excise Jaw
has been fairly enforced. For the four sundays
In April the total Of those arrests was 54l' ana
for the last four Sundays the total was 40 Ihat
&c a shrinkage Of nearly 90 per cent IL Is no
slight thing to have reduced by nearly one-haf
The drunkenness on Sunday and that IS what
Police Board has done By the righteous enforce
ment of law.