The Sunday globe., 1901-06-30
PULLS OF POLICE
And the Peculiar Promotions in the
Department.
SYLVESTER PLAYS FAVORITES.
Experienced and Tried Officers Have no Show
Against The Pets who Stand In with Major
SyTsster-An Attempt 10 Fost Another Po-
lice Court Reporter on The Tax Payers as
Assistant 10 Our Literary Chief.

An incipient rebellion in the ranks
Of the police was averted, so it is said,
by the timely opinion of the District
Attorney that Major Richard Sylves-
ter had no authority to appoint as his
assistant a man not a member of the
Police Department.
From what can be gathered relatiN
to the excitement among the police
owing to the proposed appointment of
an outsider as captain and assistant
superintendent, it seems that the Ma.
jor had in view the appointment of
young man who gathers police court
news for an evening paper However,
it was deemed advisable to ask the
opinion of District Attorney Duvall in
the matter The opinion, as stated,
was adverse to the authority of the Ma
jor, and the young man with the over
abundance of executive ability" for
which the Major longed, will have to
swelter during the summer months
pounidg the heated asphalt streets
chasing the festive police item, or be
loled into a doze reporting the flashes
ID wit" that fly f'om the brilliant
Mullowney in the police court each
morning as he sees that 'justice" is
given to the drunks and disorderlies.
The promotion Of a clerk IN the
police headquarters OF the District does
not meet with the appreciation of mem
bers Of the police department who for
many years have faithfully performed
street duty and other duties appertain-
ing tn a policeman. The clerk, it is
said, has never had day Of duty as q
practical policeman. He is not a man
of any experience in the line of appre.
hending criminals. 1T is claimed by
the men who have been overshadowed
by him, through Sylvester's favorit-
ism, that he has only performed cleri-
cal work since becoming a member of
the force. OF course Sylvester may
have very good reason for recogniz-
ing his clerk, but the only apparent
reason, so the old "coppers" allege, is
to aid the Major in getting out his ever
flow orders, instructions and other
epistles which require the steady op-
Grafton of the headquarters type.
writer.
The Su day Globe has nothing in
the world to say against the clerk
personally. He has the reputa-
tion of being a reputable young fellow,
but The Globe does say that the course
adopted by the District Commissioners
in recent promotions in the fire and
police departments is not an incentive
to the faithful painstaking members of
these departments to use their best en-
deavors in the interest Of the District.
They remain permanently in the lower
positions, being overlooked when op-
nnTfnpifU ~ To-,
mere striplings and neophites in the
department.
No branches Of the District Govern
ment need to be further removed from
political, social or religious influence
than the police and fire departments.
Recent promotions in these depart.
ments speak for themselves.
1t is hoped that the batch of youth
ful pohce who have a superabundance
OF executive ability has about run
through, 80 that the next promotions
may be given to men without this over.
supply of that kind of ability but a lit
tie more of practical experience in
the apprehension Of crime.
correspondent suggests that the
ability to run a typewriter is more
essential to recognition in the police
department than knowledge Of Grim
inals and fearless performance of duty.
He gives as his reason for this asser-
tion that Major Sylvester never had
any experience as a policeman, but is
familiar with the work of the tyne
writer Be this as it may, it is about
time that a grip be put on the loose
rein with which Sylvester has landed
the promotion business in the depart
ment.
To be sure, Ross and MacFarland,
naturally, are prone to recognize a
pull" as that is what put each OF
them in the Office they hold. but in the
interest Of the welfare of the District
these worthy gentlemen should not al.
low the pull to regulate the depart.
ments mentioned