The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-20
TIE POLICE COUNTS.
In View York, a. In Washington, They
Are Abomiuabie.


The Chamber Of Commerce, az the re-
quest Of proFninen, members has been
called 10 meet today for the purpose of
pstit'oning the legislature To pass with
out further delay a bin Cor the removal
Of the police justices Of this city and the
REORGANIZATION of that branch OF our
criminal procedure" This is an appeal
% the lawmakers In which are should
suppose that ali reputable citizens would
FSe glad 10 join. whatever differences Of
opinion may exist among them as 10
other measures advocated by the Cham
Der Of Commerce. Indeed, it Is perfectly
safe 10 be more emphatic. and 10 assert
that an overwhelming majority of the
decent people of this city are convinced
that the police court system OF New York
as IL now is and 4ong has been admins
tered is a biistering Disgrace 10 civil
izsd community. being the source OF obi
Gus WRONGS and evils and a constant
agency In degrading still further those
Clements 81 the population with which II
comes into immediate contact.
The Tribune has repeatedly eudeayored
90 impress on public attention the fact
that the police courts are OF more vital
Importance 20 the public welfare than any
other part OF the judicial machinery. but
We make no claim OF originality for this
assertion. II has been said over and over
again. and BY no one more earnestly than
justices exercise an influence, for good
or evil. on municipal life more pervasive
and potent than that OF all the rest Of the
official circle put together. From them prI-
MARTY and chiefly the criminal classes
and those tending towards criminaiity
derive either wholesome respect for law
or bitter contempt for IT, Administered
as II lis. the system is an embodiment of
abominabie injustice. Those who are
often brought into relation with IL. either
as accusers or accused. inevitably learn
sooner or later that not q good cause
but strong pull Is the one thing need
ful. They see lawbFeakers on the bench
| welding arbitrary powers OF punishment
and exeuIpation over iawhreakers at the
bar. they see maglstrates,of corrupt as
soctations. degraded character and eyil
courses discriminating according to their
whlns or interests between creatures OF
their own Kind atraignei before them, i'm
parting 10 one a cheerful assurance that
lawiessness is not necessarily unsafe and
! Improbable. and infiaming hnother with
natural hatred of civil institutions which
are rotten at the core.
To plead for the extirpaiion OF this
moustrous. fundamental evil is the pur-
/ pose Of the Chamber OF Commerce meet
Ing, and It's petition will go To Albany no,
merely as the voice of a few houorab bic
citizens whose political activity is
but as the voice of New York. for il VIII
be sustained With ever-increasing volume
ard insistence GG.n IL Is granted. AS to
other matters OF administration there
may be honest differences OF opinion. but
IL viii be confession of imbecility for
any legislator 90 assume that the people
OF this city are willing To retain longer
tho police court system and the incum-
heuis Of the police court bench II any
shifty member of senate or assembly
imasines that this detestahle abuse can
be usefuily employed as "A lever In the
manipulation of patronage and the ad-
jusiment OF iealousies ne viii ascertain
his mistake before he liz much older We
suppose that there may be persons capa-
BILE of Cherishing that ieluslon and
therefore we think that the Chamber of
Commerce meeting IS timely and Well ad-
vised. IT will give definite and suitable
expression To public sentiment. and If
necessary We DO not doubt that Il will be
followed by still more impressive demon
STATIONS of popular feeling. So FAR as
we know. the police court bill now at
Albany Is a satisfactory measure. II 1t
! needs revision. IL should be revised at
once. Prompt action on some lines is
imperatively demanded. No conceivable
change from existing methods and prac-
tice which the wit of man 2ould institute
at u single stroke could fail 10 be vast
Improvement upon the system which has
reached it's full en0rmity by slow degrees
But there is no need 30 accept poor and
weak measure of reform The peOpIe
have a right 20 expect and the intention
Of demanding something far better than
that