New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-19
COMMENTS ON THE EXHIBIT.

1t thus appears that of the forty-fve highway
robberes. burgaries etc. reported by The World
for the fifty days. just four were genuine in other
words. THE Worlds" statement contained little
less than per cent of truth; somewhat unusual
ly large percentage of truth for The World: as
of Its of burgaries robberies and the
like do not have this slender foundation in
fact.
Mr.. Pulitzer's paper does not even do well its
own disreputable business. There is always risk
where the reporters of paper paid 10 lie when
the editors of the paper think that falsehoods
will their purpose better than truth, that
they Will finally grow TO think 1t easier to invent
untruths out OF the whole cloth rather than TO try
to find out few facts on which TO base their
superstructure of falsehood
a careful examination and tabulation of the num-
Der OF felones committed and the number of fcons
with the corresponding period for the previous
], 1894 until January 90 1885, under the old admin
istration of the Police Department. lOs3 felones
were reported committed in NewYork, and 80
felons were arrested From December /. 1895. until
January 70. 1896, under the present Board 81 feon-
les were rePor'eo: ana "a ieons arres,ed IN o'n.p
very fifty days covered by The Worlds" article
per cent and the number of felons arrested in
creased by 10 per cent 1t would be impossible TO
desire a more striking proof OF the Increased
This efficiency has been attained in spite of the
industrious service rendered TO- the criminal classes
its readers who crooks to take up their abode
y
had certain effect. THE World" has an extensive
circulation among the criminal classes. and some
of them have been Influenced by It's fasehoOd 50
that 1t has rendered little more difficult the task
OF the police in preserving order and protecting
life and property; The Board, however has always
counted upon the hostility OF the criminal and
semi Terminal classes and their apologsts whether
II the sa 0 o on the
pies OF honest administration into The Department.
but has warred more successfully against criminals
than has ever previously been the case.
THE GREAT CRIMINALS" NOT TO BE FOUND
on other occasion Mr.. Pulitzers paper COM
mitted itself to important statements which were
easy of certihcation. This was in an article which
covered It's first and second pages on December &C.
This article contained pictures well as a written
account of twenty-six great criminals who are now
at large in this city" The editorial article which
accompanied 1t was headed "a Paradise FOR
Crooks and spoke OF It "a particularzcd and
authenticated account of the appearance in our
streets Of various notorious professional crooks
'twenty-sx notorious professional crooks whose
pictures The World" gave as being at that mo-
dead. one was dying seven were in jail In Europe:
three had reformed and were leading reputable
lives. and Of the remaining seven not single one,
far as could be found out. was In New-York;
In us issue OF January ~ Tne Wor,ds sGry nd
the pure metal of its falsehoods to 81 per cent In
the statement of December &C. the truth If present
indicated only by what chemists call "a trace
be crime: and under any administration there will
occasionally occur striking murders burglares
The present administration has not done away with
crime for that IS impossible but It has reduced IT,
ard has waTred upon II more RED hG one c ana more
now more efficient than II has ever been in its pre-
vious history.
In making any extended comment. or indeed any
comment whether extended or not on Mr.. Pulitzer
and hts paper Tho NewYork World" one invol-
UNFAIRLY calls 10 mind Macauay's essay on the
Memoirs Of Barare" One paragraph of this essay
in part follows
jects Of hatred. and the qualities which are the
proper objects OF contempt preserve an exquisite
and absolute harmony. AS soon he ceases TO
write TRIES he begins to write lies and such lies,
man who has never been In the tropics does
know what thunderstorm means; man who has
never looked on Niagara has but faint idea OF a
cataract: and ne who has not read 'Bareres Me-
mOirs' may be said not to know what II Is to lie
OF course. when Macauay wrote thus OF Barere's
prominence In his class, Mr. Pulitzer had not been
born.
Macaulay closes his essay with the remark
I'VE have now gbbeted the carron. and from It's
eminence Of infamy 1t will not be easily taken
down.
We shall not hereafter take the trouble to deny
any unsupported statement whatever that may APP
pear In THE World
THEODORE ROOSEVELT. President.