New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-07
FOUR HEADS OR ONE?
mr. pARKHURsT APPEARS BEFORE THE
LEXOw COMMITTEE

LEXOW COMMITTEE.
HE CONDEMNS THE PENDING POLICE BILLS AS
i. PATCHWORK OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES BILLS
WILL BE READY IN A wEEK-MR LATTER
BACH SUPPORTS THE COMMITTEE
Albany Feb. G (SpeciaD.-It was thought when
Superintendcnt Byrnes closed his testimony peiore
the Lexow Committee in New-York over month
ago that the committee had made its last puohc
appearance but to-day 1t was again in open ses-
sion to listen criticism on the remedies VINO"
proposes for evils in the New-fork Ponce Depai'
ment Not only the committee but some VI '''e
counsel were present. and but for the handsome
walls of the Senate Chamber 1t would have oeeh
easy to imagine that enc OF the IaHi'i'ai 'e
in New-York was In progress 40,
II WAS not intended that DR.. Parkhurst anu ''e
reformers should be the sole representative VI 'e
sentiment of New-York City present so EuWalu
Lauterbach, Cornelius Van Colt George W. wan
maker and some other Plat Republicans were on
hand to uphold the committees views. Win III.
parkburst were William Travers Jerome ana
Frank Moss. counsel Of the committee ai'hough
Mr. Jerome present merely as spectator ue
ing In Albany other business; Ihaudeus ~
Kenneson of the Society for the prevention Oh
crime. Horace E. Deming. r. Fulton Cutting, Dr.
Theodore Durham William Jay ocheheh' "'''se
L. Rves and ]. Augustus Johnson.
II was intended to begin the hearing at o ciocK'
hut n postponement of an hour was TAKEN DIS ~
Parkhurst was late in arriving. X. ruitoh |"'''s
was the first speaker. appearing as the representa-
tive Of the mass meeting held in Cooper Chioh'
He said that with him were Mr.. Rves' OF the com
rnittee of Seventy j. Augustus johnson, OF the
Good Government clubs; Mr. Windmuier, Oh .,e
German American Reform Union; MI ochieie"''
OF the Chamber of Commerce: DR. Parkhnrst' OF the
CITY Vigilance League, and MI Deming OF 'he |''.
Service Reform Association. The mass-meethg OF
for Ito sze because many large meetings were hed
IN New-York but it was notable for the char"c.e.
of the gathering and its enthusiasm VI 'iie 40
men asked to be vice-presidents only four had ce-
cl,ned to serve. Mr. Cutting then read the resou-
,,ons adopted on Monday night. He asked mat the
Senate delay for a short time before acting on 'he
Police Department bills. as the mass-meetihs hao
appointed a committee to draw up iesisauoli en-"
bodying its views These bills would De reao! io'
submission soon 1t the conviction OF 'he
roea,,ng that the Recommendations of the Lexow
Committee tended rather 10 perpetuate the evils
laid bare than to end them
SPEECH OF MIR. RIvEs.
Mr. Rives was then introduced. He said in part;
Although have made a study Of this subject ior
some time did not expect 10 SPEAK .o,uao ne ne
Charles Stewart Smith, who vas chairman OF 'ne
meeting has been Ill recently. so suppose en-, ne
afraid to venture cut ners.oF or differences
relate not to details but to the root OF the
Lei first sGnsdsr he sys wh the
exnressed by TIE committee that the object Of leg
Ts a ;n fhSa s Should 'G
We concur in the recommendations OF the commit
Tee that the police superintendent should have en-,
iarged powers and that the civil service IDEA shou
The s' chief derence Of opinion hSwsysr i in re- re-
i s rec4 o ssr
be appointed to the force because he IL Commits
sioner J0ness man or Commissioner Snliths man.
ia
appointed by the board. but by the Commissoners.
50 that Whs the to 5n to 1
PATRONAGE again comes in. The power OF appoint
rnent, promotion and punishment should be taken
4 board consisting O. two men from each Of the
fs ds.d ssie' and that leads don
what or Logical nd the Bureau Of
Elections or course. the latter should be ~, !,
a,sn The police NEED have nN!ns 70 az
inspectors. etc.
ONE. THREE OR FIVE HEADS
cannot say that favor a sng'e-headed Commits
sion: am undecided whether there should be one
three FIVE or more but it should be an odd num-
her TIT There mGsd s es they SeS
the powers, OF appointment. promotion and punish
"e"' DIR. PARKHURsTs SPEECH.
senator Lexow asked some questions as to whether
the best way to keep politics out OF the department
was not to have bipartisan board. Mr. Rives
didn't believe So DR.. Parkhurst was tnen miro
duced He read the following speech:
- t}entemen o. the Committee: We venture to be-
lieye that the municipal question is the most sc,
rio,Is problem to which as legsla tors you can AZ
the present time, address yourselves In so speak
ing our reference IL not to any single municipality
hut 10 municipal conditions as they exist Throughout
the State our cities are everywhere trying just al
this time to break loose from the shackies OF cor
rrnt admnIstration We have reached what may
be distinctly defined as an epoch In municipa
life The problem is deeply complicated with al
that concerns the State in lis entirety and requires
therefore 10 be handled on broad lines ana III the
spirit OF a comprehensive craftsmanship 49,
So far relates to the particular MUNICIPALITY
which represent here to-day your committee mas
played an important par, in preclpatng the crisis
Your committee came to NewYork at the Instance OF
the Chamber OF Commerce, and once upon the
ground and committed TO the work. you received
from all parties who could aid their cordial sup
port and cooperation All our resources Of may
refer TO the Society for the Prevention OF Crime
were put at your disposal and by the assistance OF
such resources. coupled with the mastery advocacy
OF 1ir Con and his associates. you have been able
70 disclose, so FAR as you have gone condition OF
tnings that Is without parallel. probably. in any
community making pretence to respect for author