The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-02
A CORRUPTION FUND.

1t is hardly cheering to learn from the
New York San that heavy corruption
fund is being raised by the Police Depart
ment of that city from members of the
force for the purpose of securing legisla-
ton which shall prevent the proposed re-
organization of the force. This means
three things: First, that Tammany infu-
ence is striving to regain its power and is
using the corrupt sentiment among the
police to that end; second, that Police
Commissioner Roosevelt's stirring up of
the department has alarmed it and forced
it to face the alternative of becoming hon.
est or resorting to bribery of the Legis-
lature to protect its rottenness; third, that
Office holders who for so long have prac-
ticed evil without fear of interference are
unable to believe that public morality has
been sufficiently reformed to be in earnest
when it makes an cutlery against official
corruption.
Funds of this kind are an old and famil-
lar institution. 1t was they that gave
birth to civil service sentiment in the
country. Those cherishing that sentiment
had observed that office-holuers, by COM
bining and raising money, could exercise
an enormous power in perpetuating the
success of their party, which meant their
own continuance in Office. This alone
might not have been sufficient TO start a
civil service movement and secure the
enactment of Federal laws prohibiting the
practice, but when the idea of raising
money among office-holders had developed
into the plan which the New York police
orr foil ha hon IF fvfl oil
heavily upon party spoils. In the idea of
party spoils-in the bestowal of appointive
positions upon those who had contributed
to the success of the party-there was
never anything intrinsically wrong. 1t
was the corrupt use of money by office
holders that cast odium upon the whole
system of party rewards.
The exposure by the San illustrates the
value of the press in a contingency of this
kind. Were it not for these discoveries
and publications the political administra-
ton of the country would be shameless.
AS it is, the corrupt officer has reason to
fear and hate the press. He may have
both unfair accusers and defenders in the
newspaper ranks, but when he reflects that
considerable proportion of humanity
would rather believe evil than good of
political office holder he knows that the
odds are against him when responsible
newspaper, taking all the risks of criminal
and civil libel suits, charges him with ras-
cality.
We can imagine what will be the result
of the Suns exposure. The Police Depart
ment has only hurt itself by an attempt to
resort to rascally methods for its corrupt
and undeserved benefit. Millions of eyes
will be turned upon every member of the
New York Legislature, and every act of
that body with reference to the police will
be eagerly watched and, if need be, merci-
lessly assailed. He will be hardy mem
Der who will dare to vote for the schemes
of the police. We have something like
such situation here, where office holders
in very responsible positions are openly
spoken of as betrayers of their trusts and
tools of powerful interests which have in
Cured the animosity of the people. At
present these gentlemen hold up their
heads with brave show of courage and a
pitiful pretense of indifference, but they
must still have an ear for the tolling of the
bell that announces their inevitable ruin.