New-York tribune., 1900-10-13
1--WE DON'T MIND THAT KIND OF THINGS

Chief Devery is evidently a worthy scion of
the house of Tweed and Croker. The first great
Tammany boss's question, What are you going
TO do about it?" was characteristic of the whole
clan whose amazing impudence in the face of
citizens who dare to ask them to conduct the
city government honestly and decently is
monument not only to their despOtic contempt
of public opinion, but also to American COM
placency under the rule Of thugs and thieves.
Devery, when asked about Franklin Matthewss
detailed charges in "Harper's Weekly that
crime is increasing here. that more women are
decoyed here for immoral purposes than ever
before. and that the death rate in certain thickly
populated quarters of the city is increasing be-
cause of Tammany maladministration, dismisses
Mr.. Matthews's specific statements, backed by
statistics with the characteristically nsolent re-
mark I'VE don't mind that kind of things
1t would be interesting to know what kind of
things Devery does mind. Likewise it would be
interesting to know what President York, who
says. ~ never pay any attention to these at
tacks," would consider an accusation serious
enough to call for some notice We do not
know that Devery makes any claim to decency.
York, we suppose, does. We believe he has
a family and would probably not wish his sons
and daughters to be subjected 10 the vile temp
tations to which he Is daily exposing the chill
dren Of his poorer fellow citizens on the East
Side through his wilful blindness to conditions
over which he has control, Mr. Matthews and
others long ago tried to treat Mr.. York as
man of clean intent and to induce him to en-
force the law, at least so far as to stop the
blatant and aggressive vice which was invading
the homes of the poor He chose to ally himself
with the gamblers and blackmailers to deny
the possibility of learning what the most casual
observer might know by simply walking the
streets at night. When the facts are presented
TO him his attitude is, Il never pay any atten-
ton" He sits at the head of the Police Board
and deliberately shuts his eyes to facts offered
TO him about the way his subordinates neg
| lecting their duties BY so doing he takes upon
his own soul the responsibility for every tene-
ment house girl who is ruined, for every tene-
ment house boy who is led into debauchery by
the invading hosts of the houses of i'll fame
whom he has allowed to jostle these children at
their work and play. He it is EvhO lets this
| demon reach its bloody fingers into the nursery.
But he never pays any attention to uncomfort-
able references TO such conditions as Mr.. Mat
! thews describes. Perhaps it might disturb his
enjoyment Of his vrtuous and religious
home to think of the perdition he is preparing
for other peoples children
Mr. York doesn't pay any attention. He is not
yet hardened to the recital of the blacIlmail-
ing and protection Of vice which he allows TO
flourish so he carefully avoids learning about it,
Devery, however, is brutalized. I'VE don't
mind that kind of things" he says A little
matter like larger death rate in the tenement
house region is nothing 10 mind! A few chill
dren more taken TO the cemetery every week is
not subject to touch Chief of Police! The
record is not even worth reading He doesn't
mind if the procurers do a flourishing business
| in decOying girls TO New-York! He needs his
time to take the air. at night on a certain
Eighth-ave. corner. He doesn't mind if a church