New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-02
SIGNED AT PLATTS DICTATION
REASONS WHY THE RICHMOND County POLICE
BILL SHOULD NOT Re A LAW

REASONS WHY THE RICHMOND COUNTY POLICE
BILL SHOULD NOT BE LAW
The Richmond County Police BILL which passed the
Legislature at the recent session and signed by
the Governor last Friday. promises to cause much
trouble. There Is marked similarity between this
bill and the Barnes Police bill In Albany Enrour-
aged by the decision in court against the Barnes bill
the Board Of Police Commissioners on Staten Island
'hat is .egisated out OF office secured an injunction
10 prevent the law being in force and the matter
VIII be Fought out in court. The Board legisated
OF ONCE Is Republican, and the Board o be placed
IN control is Republican. Major c. T. Barrett a
member OF the Board retired by the BILL told some
interesting facts yesterday about the way bill
was damned through the Legislature and signed by
the Governor and incidentally threw some light
upon the way the machine Is holding the State
delegation in line for Morton
Major Barrett is one of the best known Republi-
cans In Richmond County and has made good
RECORD as Police Commissioner. Speaking Of the
way the bill was rushed through Major Barrett said
Inc oil egislates out of Office without cause life
long Republican 10 make room for another Republi-
can 1t takes the appointing power out Of the hands
of the Board of Supervisors and places it in the
hands OF a special Board. jum5lel together for this
occasion, consisting OF the County Clerk Sheriff and
Dstrct-Attorney. who happen to he Republicans,
and the Democratic County Judge and Treasurer.
making the law one for party advantage this
eason only The only reason urged for the passage
OF the bill Is that the Board retained the services OF
the Democratic police surgeon and the Democratic
counsel That is true but both of these officials
men Of unimpeacha character and have long been
connected with the Board and especially eff
Client and fitted for the places.
The signing OF the bill done in obedience to
an order over the long distance telephone Gov
ernor Morton Albany the part OF Mr.. Platt.
from his office at No. ~ Broadway | have always
been a Mckinley man and an Anti-Machine man.
but have never been especially active but this is
too much. kept quiet about the candidacy of Nor
ton. on account OF State pride. but do not think
man who is pdble as Governor Morton proved
himself TO be In this case should have the Pros
Dental nomination. The Governor had all along
refused TO sign the because he thought ii
TO be Illegal, and because he knew that almost all
the better people the Island opposed 10 II.
The only men who advocated the measure Were
graceful terms with the machine. The foremost
advocate OF the bill is notorious eX-Oftcial Of the
county. We now being assessed to make good
a Of $4,000 los; through this man. This man
and is delegate 10 the ST. Louis Convention. That
where he used the whip. He walked into Mr..
Platts Office, "a am authoritativey Informed by
who present and who IS gOating over the
passage of the bill. and h'usernG.y told Mr.. Plat
that unless the bin signed he would not sup
port Morton in the Convention Mr.. Platt called
he came back smiling and said the Governor had
promised 10 sign the bill. That did not satisfy this
man. however. and he demanded that IL be signed
at once. Again the telephone was brouGh, into use
the bill. signed II and given ii OUT. few hours
later the papers announced ;he fact.
The whole thing Is deal 20 build up the Re-
publican machine In Richmond County and place
TIE bill will be fought upon the ground that Il ia
Illegal II will only tend II dsorgan.ze the police
force II II Is allowed 70 20 into force. and the bc'i
interests Of the island demand that 1t should not be
placed in effect"