Arizona republican., 1900-12-14
HILL IN POLITICS
His Promised Fight With CrO-
 ker About to Begin.
John c. Sheehan Ready to Fight Anyhow-He Believes Tammany Can Be Beaten.

New York, Dec. 13.-David B. Hill will come to town today and will stop at the Hoffman house. When MT. Hill comes to town on flaw business" he does not stop at the Hoffman house, and it has become known among those persons who are familiar with the eX- senator and his political ambitions that when he goes to the Hoffman house, it is expected that he is up to do poli- tics. It was said that MT. Hill made up his mind that the time had come when he and his friends might get out in the open and fight MT. Croker and Tammany. MT. Hills friends have never given up the hope that he might in time be the democratic candidate for president.
 One of the men who will go in for an anti-Croker campaign is John c. Shee- han. MT. Sheehan is a practical poli tician. He knows how the game is played, and it is his belief that an anti-Croker democracy in New York City by fusion with other anti-Tam- many elements will be able to over come the wigwam's ticket in the cleo t1on of 1901. In view of the fact that MT. Hill Is coming to town today, it IS signicant that yesterday Mir Sheehan had something to say about the Char ter Revision committee and it's work and the condition of New York City politics.
 Some of the recommendations of the Charter commission are excellent" he said yesterday. "I believe that it is right that one of the branches of the Municipal assembly should be abol- 1shed. The council has proved to be an obstructive and useless piece of city machinery. I do not think that the number of aldermen should be in- creased to 120, for that would make an unwieldy, manageable body.
 The recommendation of a single headed police commission Is proper. The substitution of one responsible head will have very beneficial results; at the same time I do not believe that the mayor should have absolute power Of removal over the police commits sloner If he does it will simply mean an absolute lack of Independence on the part of the commissioner. Any way, if the mayor is to have the power Of removal over the police commits sioner, the police commissioner should nave the power certainly in the first SIX months of his term to remove the police captains under his Jurisdiction, Tor whose work he is responsible
 T agree exactly with the criticism made by ex-Mayor Hewitt as to the responsibility for the present state of aHalrs. The chief, Devery, is directly responsible for the vile conditions which exist in the various parts of the city. Devery is responsible and not the police commissioners, and the mayor is responsible for Devery. The mayor is absolutely responsible for, him, as ex-Mayor Hewitt says.
 The appointment of a vice commit tee by Tammany hall, at the order of MT. Croker, is absolutely ridiculous EVeryoody knows what it will do, and, what IS great deal more important what 1t will not do. The appointment was a positive confession on the part or Tammany hall that all the charges which had been made against the po- lice department were absolutely true, and that the condition of affairs which the people are complaining against are in existence, and that Tammany knew that they did exist. If Mir. Croker was honest in his desire to rid the city of corruption and vice all that was neces- sary Tor him to do was to give an order to the chief of police and the conditions would have been changed in a moment.
 We hear a great deal about vice on the East side. The fact is that in all parts of the city conditions are practi- cally the same. The police depart ment has always been criticised; it al ways will be criticised; much of the criticism is unjust. I am free to say, however, that the police department under the administration of Devery has not rag of decency left.
 T am opposed to state constabulary police law, but ever such a law would be preferable to the present condition of affairs in the police department. I believe that no man is more anxious to see the moral condition of the city bettered than Senator Platt, and it is safe to say that if such law is urged by him, it will be because he is con- vinced that it will be to the general advantage of the residents of New York City"