The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-03

he was nothing but a minister. Men
like Byrnes, who have been in the midst
of iniquity clear up to their ears for
thirty years can fight iniquity If they
want to. That they do not fight it, but
try rather to shield it and hound those
who do try to fight it is hardly accept
able proof of pure intentions and COM
memorable innocence. The doctor closes
3nus:
| am aware that many who are our
friends will take exception to this state
| ment. Some will say that ii Is inexped-
lent. That Is not consideration that
weighs with us. We are here for
principle and we are here to stay. Com
promises, evasions, shifts and deals we
believe to be inimical to everything in the
shape of true progress and permanent ef-
| fects We are not prowling for promo
| ton nor burning for popularity, but the
| Society for the Prevention of Crime was
here before the senate committee came
down, and will be here after the senate
committee has gone back and the un-
compromising line that We have followed
| in the past will be the line that we shall
just as studiously and unswervingly. fol-
| low in the future.
no apology for giving it in detail Now
| let us look at the defence. Senator
LeXow, when shown the foregoing
statement at Albany, said:
] am not surprised at its tone Of con-
| demnation. | expected 1t. in fact. 1t is
| q sort of case of Othello's occupation
gone. Other men are getting credit for
| the work of exposure. Mr.. Parkhurst has
| found that what he began superticially
| has been gone into very deeply and the
work has outgrown him. In the law we
would call it professional jealousy. If
| the committees work of reform goes on,
DR.. Parkhurst will have nothing to do
| but preach the Gospel.
Byrnes keeps discreetly silent, having
taken the precaution, however to re-
| sign in preference to being kicked out
But there is a fourth person In this
episode who is more liberal with his
words-a person who has for many
years stood ominously in the back
ground of Tammany misrule as one al
| ways willing to profit politically by
| Tammanys ill-gotten power-the per-
| son, in other words, of Thomas C. Platt
We find in the Wilkes-B Barre Times of
Monday an authorized interview had
with Mr.. Platt during recent visit
by him to Lu2erne county. In this in
terview Plat says:
| II opposed the methods of Dr. Park
| burst simply because they were not prac-
| tical, and If adopted as Il part of. the re-
organization would be no better than no
reorganization at all. The doctors idea
| of having u one-headed police force is al
| together impractical and would put into
the hands of the appointee power which
he could use to great disadvantage to the
force. His intentions in making these
suggestions are no doubt sincere, but
| they are visionary and therefore of no
| use"
What do you think of Parkhurst?'
| "Hc has done great deal of good,
but, by reason of the fattery of the New
York newspapers, | am inclined to think
| his head has become swollen. His ideas
regarding the suppression of crime 10
| longer amount TO suggestions, or re-
quests. but are given out in way that
has latterly become a charaCtcrstic-tha
| is, they are ISSUED as orders. When
asked his opinion regarding any move
ment looking to the publication of the po
| lice force, or the suppression of crime, 1t
| has become his custom to say, this man
must go or that must be done. Some
are pleased by this method, but others
men of wisdom. who desire only practical
| reform-are inclined to not only take cX-
ceptions TO 1t. but criticise 1t harshly."
| What will be the effect of Superintend-
ent Byrnes' withdrawal from the police
| force?' was asked.
| IN my opinion" continued Mr.. Plat,
| Superintendent Byrnes' resignation Will
not be accepted by Mayor Strong. The
| superintendent has been valuable man
to the city of New York and | believe
when the force Is reorganiZed he will be at
| its head
So long as the use of the impera tive
mood was monopOlized by Mr.. Platt
Parkhurst, it appears, was all right;
but so soon as the president of the So
c!ety for the Prevention of Crime began
| to lift scalps from Platt's Tammany
friends and to interfere with Platt's
perquisite of bossing the Republican
party of Manhattan island through the
media Of his pulls with Mr.. Croker's
society, then he became ''impractical'
and ".swall-headed." We do not think
| that the replies of either Lexow or
Plat call FOR much discussion if read
in immediate connection with Dr. Park
| hurst's statement. Calling Pdrkhurst
Jealous ''impraticai' and Swell
headed" will afford a measure of the
caliber of the opposition to the move
ment which he so magnificently and
fearlessly represents sooner than it will
refute the cutting truth Of Dr. Park
hurst'S incisive comments. These terms
are mild compared with those hurled 1t
him when, single and una!ded, he left
the quiet of his study to fight an evil
said by nine men out of ten to be alb
solutely fortified against corrective at
tack. If he could survive the abuse OF
three years ago, when scarcely any
body was on his side, he need not worry
much about the puerile sarcasm of
sQu!rming victims now that his cause
has become the cause of civilization.
Good counclmen are possibilities, but
like all good things they have to be
worked for and fought for.
| -
The man who Is beaten at his owr
game Is invariably the first one to
squeal.