New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-08
yySpEcTOH UILLTANS'F FLEW.

yvSPECTOH UILLT4NSF FLEW.
Tho contribution Of Inspector Williams 10 inc
,urrcnt discussion Of the abuses oi Inc rNls'lhs
notice system and the proposed methods oil re-
! nrc,uizntjon and reform. The substance OF
| which is printed in another r"iuhh' Is
mn, without interest and, fairly consld-
crod ought not Ia he without value. II
| i hardly necessary 10 say that no officer OF the
lcnortmcnt is more generally discrcdt"l than
| Insncctor Williams This not because he has
| hccu shown to lc deeper in the miro OF corr'ip
rou thiu the rest but for the reason that he has
| shawn more audaciiy in confronting public opin-
| inn and has added 10 the general discsccm in
which he has been held 10y the community for
| his bullying bel, vur toward citizens. by his
defiant attitude toward the Lcxow Committee
and his cvidcn; contempt for authority and law.
| II Is thoroughly characteristic OF him that ne
ventures now to discuss The abuses of which
| he stands as the most conspicuous and rcck-
less exponent. AID offers suggestions for the
correction and reform of Il vicions system when
he as much as any one has helped to build up
| and more than most has made Il source of I'M
clean profit But II mus, he admitted that he
brings TO the discussion the advantage of wide
| observation and long experience. ana Is aDie "
he chooses, 10 throw much HeH' up'" '"o ""'
| jcct.
This, however, he has not done. II" ana not
| manifest any disposition in that direction Wheh
under oath before the Senate committee hor
| has he in the interview which he has Just voinh
| tccrcd He is now. he WAS then. on the d'-
| fcnsive He contributes nothing Of value 10 the
public knowledge Of the police system. lie SIM
ply arraigns the public rs Responsible Tor 'he
| bribery and corruption with which the force IL
| honcvcombcd ana puts the blame for mos, "f
| The abuses upon imperative ana lhsun1c'h'
| laws Bnt his contribution 10 the discussion Is
| Interesting as exhibiting his peculiar point of
view Whoever reads il with nothing more Than
intelligent curiosity will observe that his treat
| mcnt Of the subject is based solely upon the
| theory So often flung in the fac" OF l'r. fark-
| hurst nv the high police officials AMI Inc men
about town. who sympalhizc with Them maj
| the strict enforcement Of laws against me com
| mon forms Of vice. which do not include violent
crimes against the property or the persons ~
citizens. j. an irdcsccnt dream of visionary
| enthusiasts He reasons that bribery begins
| with tips to the barber and the waiter ana
| the cab-drvcr and that when IL II 50 common
and almost universal it is idle to suppose that
policemen who have the same human frallii's
| AS other people will refuse the temptation when
| offered by respectable citizens.
| Offences against law which are INDUCED In
| or winkcd M by any class ~ citizens who pass
| as respectable do not seem 10 him 10 deserve
| reprobation from the officers who sworn Ia
enforce all the laws and paid for the service
| ON the contrary. II appears 10 him 10 he the
most natural thing In the world that these paid
officers should themselves derive profit from
winking AT violations " law Between that and
| paving tips" to barber or waiter he draws
| no line Like the dsorlcrly houses which h.
| said in his testimony before the Senate Com
! mitee he did not exert his authority To sup
| press. they are fashionable and fashion Is
| apparently. in his judgment, superior 10 law
| His line Of argument In behalf Of the employ
mcnt Of policemen who whnicver their short
| comngs may be in the matter OF supprcssng
the resorts Of fashionable" vice and crime. are
active and efficient in the apprehension Of Grim
nals Of the grosser sort il. in brief, repetition
Of the foolish and fallacious oil saw that you
| must set Il thief Ia catch Il THIEF II IL upon
that abominablc theory that the detective sys-
TEN. not only Of this city. but Of nearly all large
cities in the country. promotes crime and fur
| nishcs impunity 10 criminals by keeping In
| touch with thieves, who are permitted 10 plr
| sue their vacations unpublished with Il sort Of
| taclt understanding that whenever the reward
Is great enough they will peach" and play into
the hands Of the detectives. II i Il most fruit
ful source Of crime and * without excuse.
The policeman has no business with any ci
zen except to enforce the lawn his defence
when necessary and against him when he VIC
latcs it-ccrtainly no business 10 conntcnancc
any one in lawlcssncs> for Il price. whether the
law he dsrcgarls relates 10 sidewalk lnclim-
branccs or pursuing criminal vocation. And
the business Of Inspector Williams and every
other member Of The force is not 10 crticsc
statutes but enforce them. Above ALL they
are not TO discriminate between laws which IL
Is Questionable" to disobcy and any others. As
to the suggestion regarding the enforcement Of
the Excise law, that all places where liquor is
sold be compelled 10 do business openly with
curtains up. ii seems worthy ~ consideration
| But his views concerning the social evil and it's
| treatment are 20 say the least. crude and I'M
| scientific. The entire Interview Is more interest
| ing rs exhibiting the point of view OF an in
eliminated official than valuable as containing
recommendations Of importance.