New-York tribune., 1899-07-02
TOO MANY POLICEMEN ALREADY.

Our Police Board, which is now made up of
cheap lot of petty politicians, says that more
policemen are needed. This suggestion Will not
be accepted by the taxpayers in sympathetic
spirit When Theodore Roosevelt at the
head of the Department he worked hard to
compel the members Of the force TO do their
full duty No one who has been reading the
newspapers since Mr.. Van Wyck became May
or can harbor any doubt TO the reasons why
the present commissioners were appointed, and
as TO the condition of the force In manners and
morals Evidence taken by the Lexow Com
mittee few years ago proved that many police
officials were corrupt The laws Of this State
are so careful TO protect the innocent that they
afford too many facilities for the guilty to es-
cape.
II is certain that various police officials for
wears before the evidence in the Lexow invest-
CATION was brought out had been carrying on
q carefully devised and far-reaching system Of
extortion and blackmail. But it is recognized
ON all sides that the difficulties Of convlctng
bribe-takers and blackmailers who hold offices
which give large opportunities for mischief are
almost insuperable in NewYork. The statutes
methods. technicalities which govern the prose-
cution of office holders make il wellnigh i'm
possible to send 10 prison or to keep in prison
for any long time faithless occupants Of lofty
positions who betray their trusts. There was
plenty Of evidence before the Lexow Commit
tee and a great deal Of evidence before the
courts as to the guilt Of welknown men in the
Police Department. but these men had behind
them political influence Of the strongest kind
When nearly all the prosecutions which were
brought after the Lexow investigation failed to
to of weight
every rascal in the Department was encOur
as promptly possible
Before the Mazet Committee when Richard
Croker whom thousands OF wearers Of the uni
form look upon as the embodiment Of authority,
testified that his chief object in public life was
70 enrich himself. II was plain that dishonest
policemen would be emboldened to continue in
every path Of evil which they had been pursu-
ing. On both sides Of the East River the Police
Department appears to be now In almost
unfortunate condition as IT was in the Tweed
times Nevertheless, this Police Board
smirched with disrepute as it is. has the ef
frontery to suggest that II needs more patrol
men. It does not need man. II is wasting
money steadily in large amounts. None Of the
members Of the Board pay sincere regard 10
the interest Of the taxpayers or the good name
OF this city From the North River 10 the
eastern edge Of Queens County. from the south
ern point Of Richmond to the Yonkers city
line. lounging, lazy policemen are seen in
excessive numbers They gather In groups,
they indulge in profanity and ribald talk with
an audacty that has not been approached for
years. The Department is radically misgov
erned With such a Police Board, with such a
Chief as Devery with such n man as McLaugh-
lin In the place which he holds with such a
captain as Price looking after tho dives In the
Tenderon. with such a Department rocking
with wrong. these Police Commissioners Of
whom Jacob Hess is n representative type. are
asking for more policemen.
Look at the grotesquey fat creatures in blue