Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-06
NEGRO POLICE IN NEW YORK.
Cookers Policy is to Abolish, the Color
Line on the Force.

From the New York Herald.
Negro policemen in Broadway are a pos
sibiity of the near future. They will be a
decided innovation in this borough though
one negro already wears the blue uniform
and swings the locust in Brooklyn. Rich
ard Croker has given orders that the color
line shall be abolished in the police force
and Police Commissioner Sexton has prom
ised to appoint the first colored man who
passes the police examinations.
To become policemen has long been a
cherished dream among the colorad popula-
ton of the city, and dozen aspirants for
shields are busily engaged in studying up
for the ordeal. Some curiosity is mani
Tested as to the success of Mr.. Croker's eX-
pertinent. for while the general public does
not protest against the employment of ne
sroes by the city in n subordinate capacity
some may object to having them placed in
positions of authority.
Another phase of the question is also at
tracing attention. While the negroes in
the south are being driven from office al
the muzzle of the shotgun, they are being
invited to accept good places in New York
city. Will not Mr.. Cookers edict cause
migration of the colored popula ton of the
Carolinas northward? And if they seek
and ind privileges here which are denied
to them there, will not the exodus go far
toward solving the race problem. which
has given the south so much trouble? This
is a question for sociologists aud politicians
to grapple with.
Through Mr.. Cookers influence negroes
are now holding offices in this city which
pay Si30,ooo in salaries. For years the great
majority Of the twenty-five thousand col
ored votes in Greater New York were cast
regularly for the republican ticket. So sure
were the republican leaders Of receiving
this vote that they did not think it neces-
sary TO give the negroes anything to speak
of in the way of offices. a few thousand
dollars during the campaign for meetings
and parades ana three or four trif1ing ap-
pontments after the victory were all that
the colored men obtained, for did not the
party of Lincoln free the slaves?
They complained of this treatment. but
they did not see any remedy until Mr.
Croker noting their unrest made up his
mind in the campaign of 1897 to annex the
colored vote to Tammany. He let it be
known that ii the negroes would vote the
Tammany ticket they would get offices.
They were so used TO broken promises that
many of them refused to believe that Mr..
Croker would keep his word; but as soon as
Mayor Van Wyck was elected the colored
leaders We're sent for. As a result, negroes
are now filing municipal offices. as follows:
Deputy tax commissioner. salary. Sl.10o.
Sealer Of weights and measures for Man.
haitian and the Bronx, salary. $500.
Highway inspector. salary. $i.290.
Diary clerk in the district attorneys Of
fee.
len OfllceS III the COCK ueDarlm
Forty laborers and inspectors in the de-
partment of street cleaning.
Five places in the department of public
buildings. lighting and supplies.
One inspector and three laborers in the
department of highways.
Two places in the department of water
supply
Two places in the controllers office.
Two places in the tax department.
Three physicians in the health depart
ment.
One place in the fire department.
Brooklyn's colored policeman was ap-
pointed before Mayor Van Wycks election,
and therefore. cannot be credited to his in
fiuenCe. He is responsible, however, for
opening the fire department to colored vot-
ers. The first appointment was made
month ago, and four more men are await
ing appointments which have been prom
ised soon.