New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-29

7, may bc n long time before the average cl'i-
zen who has had no occasion 10 nave n''''"sS
Win the Police will thoroughly comprehend and
fully apprccatc the fact that the f"r'" i u"
,onc,r in collision with lawbreakers. and that
,hr system Of backmail which had become S"'"
. scandal and disgrace has been broken up
Many small iradcsmcn. who nave h'r''"'o'' '""
unified 10 petty impoSitions by Policemen on '"'"
heals who considered themselves an'h"rlH'" p'
their uniforms 10 levy upon minor ar"c"S VI
necessity ar luxury without compensation INV
already observed an Improvement III tha' r'e''".
The swaggerlng patrolman no longer s"iP''
cigars drinks. fruit or other unconsidered 'ril'@
with a wink or lccr: no longer helps hihis'h
,v,hout having nor Ia the sidewalk ihtrui'r
holds sancily behind him Tho suggestive open
n,lnn The feeling Of gratitude for rriici lroih
these small impos,tions has already i"""d 'N
urcssion on the part Of some 81 the VICTIMS '"'
,h,s class Is limited in number. and the great
mas. az citizens not being affected 10y the change
have hardly observed the improvement.
I'm, in one parllcuar there has been change
in the department Of the mel hers OF ,n' l''''
from the high officials down. which has pc'h
noticed very generally by al cl'l|'"s' '"''
,o,.. h.com. respecfflil and civil. The ordinary
citizen who asks information from wv "'''
formed policeman Is apt now =" get III inv"
that il neither impudcni nor abusive """ u ~
has business with the officer In cllarg" III 'h'
desk Of the police station h" is NOT w '"''
treated like an impairment Intruder OF 60"
vic,cd malefactor. There was h""'''""
dimlnuiion Of swagGer during til" sessions OF inc
Jcxow Committee. but the effect OF the re'''"-
tons of the investigation was only 10 c"'"sc
their air Of bravado to the manner Oh s"''i"''
Tho whole force was discrcdlcl by me TANK III"
| omen pcrlury with which man AFTER man ~ 'h'''
wo,to., ,o the wItncss-stand and shaInciessiy
| covered himself Every member OF IL Iei' "'''
| u,dcr the daily exposures he was growing more
and more 10 be an object OF dis'rus' M" s"S
njcion and that his uniform was badge Oh us
honor But they had not yet lost commence j"
fine mower ~ the politicians pull: they p'ii'V'"
,ba, the popular feeling of indignation ehgeh-
1r.d hv the disclosures would presently die ou';
thar the storm would blow over ana 'ha' ther
| ,.nur. was scc,,rc So they ceased 10 swagg'r
and were only sulcn. Not civil and polite, mere
IL uncom,nunicatvc and suen
| r-pdor tho new regime IT begins To be under
| ,o,, that the average decent citizen Is not under
| -. ~, tho noIiceman's club and that he does
mot do business and walk the streets by grace OF
the policcman's favor or conh'>c'hs'o"' ~ ~ :.
long stride toward improved CONDITIONS III" S""'
government when the members OF the force
from the high officials down are made To uhd'r
stand that impudencc and bad manners are 10
part Of their proper equipment; that 'h'ir uni
form gives them no authority to insult or prov
| heat ANYBODY: but that the poorest c'iZch VII"
obcys tho laws has the right to require from
them civility. po!tencss and the most courteous
and respectful treatment. They are learning
this and are prohing by the lesson. WIN a
BOARD Of Police Commissioners who are them
selves civil and courteous TO all. ana who sustain
the character Of true and honest gentlemen
there is every reason TO hope that the morale OF
the whole force will be elevated. There IL M
reason why policeman should not be gentle
| man in the best sense OF the word