New-York tribune., 1900-11-30
CHOOSING THE FIFTEEN.
CHARLES STEWART SMITH TALKS OF
THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE
COMMITTEES WORK


+ nllttee Of Fifteen which. is TO be appointed oy
/ Charles Stewart Smith. acting upon the authority
ot the Chamber Of Commerce citizens meeting Il
the EFFORT suppress the vicious conditions Which
! are prevalent in the thicky populated dls-
r!cts Of the city. Will be known for some days
r < exoected that Mr. Smith VIII lame the COM
I rni;tee either to-day or tomorrow In compiling
TIE list Of names from which the fifteen VIII oe
chosen Mr.. Smith is not relying entirely upon lis
| own Judgment bur Is seeking also suggestions
from men whose advice believes viii be Valua ole
to him In the constitution OF committee that VIII
/ and public confidence and support There are
hundreds Of such men 70 choose from ont II Is
NJ Smiths purpose to select men who will be
I aoIa TO devote nearly the whole OF their time TO
! the strenuous and active work which is before
: them.
! L is realized not only by Mr.. Smith. but by
/ these who are ready to aid with funds and per-
/ sonai energy the movement which has been begun
WIN so much promise thai If lasting good IS TO
! &c accomplished that result be obtained only
BY hard and persistent work When the personnel
ot the committee has been decided upon. the new
y formed body VIII al once hold meeting. and
Z. tae ensuing or three days II Is anticipated
that il viii formulate definite plans for the cru
sade which IL is TO institute
Il the mean time discussion upon the procedure
i may determine TO follow can take no more tang-
bic form than mere speculate The promoters Of
the Chamber of Commerce meeting are even in
doubt as to whether The committee will ask for
The cooperation Of other reform organizations or
whether Il viii work independently The resolution
adopted at last Tuesdays meeting gives the COM
n.t--ee power follow eithe- course, and the de-
cs.ol II this respect viii necessarily Sepend upon
the view which the committee viii take OF the
ez:gsacies Of the situation
L was -,.r.ored yesterday that the drst movement
@: TIE committee would be demand OF Mayor
Van wyck the enforcement of the laws against
vice and disorder. and n the event OF this step
proving uravailing appeal will be made to the Gov
e-nor put an end 70 the apparent alliance which
exists between the 1awbreakers and the city Of
fclals. Il IS uot fc- moment thought THAI the
Mayor viii see his way clear 70 aid the committee
unless he receives sanction to dc SO from Richard
Croker. However much TIE Mayor may De inclined
20 break away from the position in which he finds
himself II is well understood that he viii do moth
ing that is directly ordered ~ Tammany's
caieftair. The course that the Mayor has taken
since he has b9e2 n Office PrecIIdes the idea that
lie is likely Take any initiative that Is not dc
tated by the Tamnany leader. II is openly stated
that the Mayor Will 60 nothing that would antag-
onize Tannany. Mt. Van Wyck, as is well known.
has his ambition for Just!ceshtp Of the Supreme
Court, and he VIII not hazard 1is chances OF oo-
taining nomination for that berch by taking any
step that has not had first the seal and approval
CT Mr. Croker
When Charles Stewart Smith vas seen yesterday
he said he would Eor presume TO forecast The prob
able plans Of the Committee Of Fifteen Al the
rneD on that committee NJ Smith said. will be
men Of such standing y the community and with
such positive convictions OF their own that 10
can foreteiI the plans which hey likely
evolve. Speaking for myself. however think
there ara many things which the committee might
We have enough laws or morality already II
prevent thief, in Office i they were oaiy enforced.
n proportion 10 the population and the number of
EaT- as znc:a of5oiaI 6!aSEnsi as here vas n
ne tine OF Tweed And as the population IS low
greater. The methods employed By Tweed and MS
rig haye 70 !a7gg - extent been discarded as woTa
vented Ever since the Lexow Committee. improve
Enents have been made N tne collection of revenue
Eor es "a x 81 s7G & 6y t poc
Pr@cuce was t2r Inc cot.eeLiors 70 Pc made BY the
2ocS-'2sa' o-S oS 1aee.sIa:ia IhS p3--ce % -2t
1ct2! connection whatever with the CITY govern
he no-ev on ID 70 t5ose who taTa - " r ~
I5ese cases. aad il would De within th@ scope ot
make certain test cases. There are in fact vast
with no otaer authority than thar Of the tndi-
9slei W. "a czeH who 2as a. al tines ne right 10
tne COMPLAINT q rhe individual citizen has been ig
said rtat We NV -eoT3asT r. yaor a. - go Il
-- &c ooI-7, Il WoG-d not De a. uEceaso--
Charles : Ac4:ron. ex-convict and divekeeper.
755 - oTS1 ~ ~ = r - ;1-Tke goo1 ms 64asJ :5at ne
5ttn-st~ On Saturday be stocked MS place with
WI T3-5 - 80 ~ 80 .1e c3Tps q LA1SS
a. 7eth. Dragged that despite me police he would
---.-i---s EVStSF-ay- -lC!16Lt44-E 1a
Instructed MS walters = break the heads # any
Poieefe- or reporters who dared 10 snte- MS den
q --soCCe-.y women and thieves Wan Captain
-2otE4S q ne Thirtieta-st. ponce station. heard
o Ackro1's ooas-.ng, ne round word 20 the
e15et taat i ne pace wcs opened a score Of
lc-lce-re7 WoulG te detailed arrest Ark-on- a-d
very one found within il. The Tivolt vas closed
Is cgEIy yesterday as Il cas been or some weeks.
arc Il ceaIly does seen = Aczron had lost ne
-.otec;.o2 ABOUT wnoa he naoGLaed 50 i@5iscreet.y
ne sergeant \ charge a. ne T.rJje-h-sc- statto-
S-i~ E7S-er1zE- "Ack-or won't dare open Up.
--e news 19U ne S--t-L lies TIE minute ne
ter1r-s % ore1 IS doors Wen pull him
Lewis Nixon. chairman Of The Tar-mary Hall
wee Comm Zee. CO led al Police F{eadG uarters
yes1erdag afternoon and rad conference w.la
Cr-eI D5veCy W1.ca .zstec hour and
-s< Pa-t C ne tina Inspector Cross was pres
81 None q --e Police Commissioners were
Headquarters YESTERDAY
Ar Nixon. Wien asked WAT -he talk had been
Go1It- SAD: "C1. orlv Thanksgiving call"
he VOL 1ot ssy anything more a5out the visit
S-le- Devery SID: 2tr N.xor same 70 maze a
w= spent ! -a.k.--