New-York tribune., 1899-11-24
TUr CONST SCHEME.

Governor Roosevelt has gone 10 MS county
house at Oyster Bay for few DAYS rest pre-
paratorv to a winter of hard work at the capltal'
He will scarcely he able, however, 10 aVoiu
thinking seriously of various public questlons'
and especially of the State constabulary scneihe
which he and Mr. Platt discussed on wednesday
and are to discuss again early next week we
sincerely hope that solitary reflection VIII set
somo in,nortant facts relating to that measure in
a clear light before his mind.
If is frankly admitted that the leaders OF the
Republican machine are extremely desirous ol
convincing themselves that constaDuiary Dill
closely resembling that which they tried IN VAIN
10 force upon the statute book last winter can
be nut through the Legislature at the coming
session. and the general impression Is that they
are disposed to make n second attempt, even IL
they have been unable 10 secure in advance posi-
tive pledges of enough votes to pass the Dill
The Governor on the other hand, without eA-
nlictlv DENYING or affirming the assertion mat
he still fayors II. has permitted it TO be known
thot he is strongly inclined to insist on proofs
that the bill can be passed as condition to his
annroyaI of its introduction as a party measure
So far as il goes that is a prudent policy, and
tho machine leaders ought to be grateful to the
Governor for adopting It. They really cannot
afford IN promote any more legislative fasc0s.
Rut what could Governor Roosevelt reasona-
hlv expect the great majority of honest fair
minded clear sighted citizens 10 think Of him II
he should base his action solely on considera-
tions of mere temporary political expediency
Republican managers who have become expert
in dev,sing means to weaken their party at the
polls NAV only ask to know whether they can
no
scmbly to accomplish their purposes We have
never regarded the Governor as leader or that
kind. He must presumably be anxious TO ascer-
tain what the people VIII say when they get a
chance to express their opinion Enthusiastically
and decsively. And we are convinced 'hat Il
he nuts the question fairly to himself his judg-
. ment and conscience will answer that the people
are morally certain TO say that State cons'aDu-
larry bill put through in the only way IN when IL
possibly can be put through, and Tor the pur-
poses which such a process or enactment Woulu
clearly reveal, would be wanton invasion oi
local independence, an impudent proclamation
OF selfish personal ambitions, monstrous az
| front to decent public sentiment ana whohy
deserving Of a stinging popular rebuke.
There would be an element Of responsibility IN
| q STRAIGHTFORWARD declaration that the police al
/ ministration of New-fork City was KNOWN Oh III
men 10 be at once despotic and rotten, and that
the Legislature would be invoked TO improve a
condition of affairs which had become intoera
BILE, without any regard TO consistency or any
minor principles of political conduct. We should
not approve that course, for we are firmly con
vinced that the surest hope Of righteous govern
ment In this city lies in letting the people of the
city work out their own salvation; but 1t woulo
not be a contemplate course. 1t Is, on the Other
hand. contemplate TO proclaim devotion 10
new policy of police administration and to poln'
as a proof of good faith to the inclusion in the
scheme of several contented communities whlcf
have lately succeeded in honorably arranging
their affairs 10 suit themselves, when every
body who knows anything knows that th'
scheme is inspired solely by an ignoble longint
for power and for revenge.
There are arguments in favor OF State police
system which other countries have accepted al
conclusive and by which the people of the STATE
of New-York might possibly be convinced afte
a free. deliberate. impartial investigation. Ther
Is no conceivable excuse for dragooning such {
scheme through reluctant Legislature in th
face of obvious popular disapproval and at th
imminent risk of overwhelming retribution a
| the polls.