New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-26
A CASE FOR DISCIPLINE.

Police Captain Dean. or the EllzaDetll-st sta-
ton. Is treadlng on dangerous ground He
should look out for himself, or Chief Devery
may be after him. He has let himself speak
with respect. and even sympathy. toward the
subject Of reform" and has commended
cerg 'iran who desires n moral cleansing Of his
precinct and says he would welcome the assist
ance Of the Rev. DR.. Farkhurst In his work.
That Is about as near 10 an objectionable sir
as any police captain could commit under the
present Tammany government. which came
into power with the battle cry, "To hell with
REFORM
The Rev Father Plscopo of the Italian
Roman Catholic Church Of the Most Precious
Blood In Baxter-st, has been stirred 10 indig-
nation by observing the spread Of vice in his
neIghb0rlood in the last few months, and par
tlcularly by an alarming increase in horrible
traffic carried on by villains engaged in import
ing his countrywomen. Accordingly, he has adj
dressed his people, told them that the police
would or could give him no aid, and that for
the protection Of themselves and families they
must unite to stamp out the evil which had In
vaded the tenement-houses where they dwelt.
The priest said he would be glad to have DR..
Parkhurst's aid, and his people are determined
to desert the premises of all landlords who al
low their property 10 be used for improper pur-
poses. When this movement Is brought to the
attention Dr. Captain Dean he frankly admits
that the priests charges are true, and hopes
that the Church will put down the evil which.
he says. the police cannot cope with under the
law-an euphusm for under Tammany rule
for under Mayor Strong vice did not 6aunt IT.
self as 1t now does.
or course, Captain Dean does not really Com
NIT himself to doing anything. In fact, he
leaves It TO Father Piscopo TO do everything
Likely he cannot do anything himself with
Tammany running a wide-open town. and we
shall not question the sincerity Of his sympa-
thy with reform. Rather do we hope that Jhe
may be strengthened to help the good clergy
man. Still his conscience has betrayed him
into a great danger. He has spoken respect
fully OF a man who speaks respectfully Of
DR.. Parkhurst He has admitted that the
clergy have some legitimate interest In the
character Of the city. and that work for
public morality is praiseworthy That Will
never do Does he not know that DR. Park
hurst Is Tammany's most hated enemy? Does
he not know that 10Th machines last fall could
find nothing too utter to say of the Rev
Or. Ralnsford and st. Georges Church, because
they were interested In clean streets and de-
cent condition Of public affairs to promote
morality? Does he not know that the chief oh
lection to Seth Low was that he would strive
to make the town physically and morally
healthy. in spite Of politicians, railroad com
panies or real estate owners who wanted 10
rent property 10 vicious people? In encourag
ing Father Piscopo in Little Italy" he has
opened the gates of Inferno to let back on this
community the reform which Asa Bird Gar
diner sent In that direction. Reform was bad
enough when 1t was confined to Mugwumps
and college professors and silk stockings, but
If it once takes root among the Italians. and
the poor people begin to rebel against being
compelled to endure vicious surroundings, the
Tammany game will be up. Captain Dean has
made big mistake. If Mr.. Van Wyck does
not call the captain to the City Hall and give
him such wlggng as no Board Of Education
ever got. then the Mayor will not be doing his
duty byshis absent chief.