New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-24
MEN POLICE COMMISSIONERS.

The anpointnent of General Francis "
Greene 10 the Commissionership of Police in
Mace of Colonel Partridge justifies hope that
the most important department of the munlcl-
nal government. and the one which thus far mas
done Manor Lows administration least credit
will steadily. if perhaps slowly, be 1mbued
with the right spirit and ultimately raised to a
satisfactory standard of discipline and en-
cheney. General Greene possesses many per
Sonal qualifications for the difficult post which
he has accepted. and he will not be handi-
capped at the outset by i'll will in any quarter
He is a Republican. and his appointment should
he entirely agreeable to the organization, OF
which he was recently the local manager But
on the other hand, he has retained the favor of
various anti-Tammany elements which do not
always get on we'll with one another, and there
seems 10 he no reason why he should not con-
tinue to command a sufficient measure of public
confidence.
In regard to General Greene's intrinsic quail
tiles it is at least safe TO say that if they do
not fit him for the place in which so many
predecessors have been found wanting, there
is a widespread misunderstanding as to the
kind OF man be is or as to the kind of man
Police Commissioner should be. The conyic-
ton has long prevailed that the head OF de-
partment controlling thousands of subordinates
who need to be held under rigid discipline and
of whom unquestioning obedience to orders
must be eyacted ought to be a soldier. Gen
eral Greene has had the best military training
which an American, or perhaps a citizen of any
country. can have. He was graduated the first
man in his class at West Point, and ali
active officer Of the regular army for many
years. Moreover. he has not rusted since his
retirement but has enlarged his experience of
requiring the exercise of talents for admins
tration and command. He will be expected TO
start on the performance of his rev duties with
sound views concerning responsibility and sub
ordination and no tenderness for treachery or
shiftlessness. He has hard task in prospect,
but his education is likely TO make it less diff
cult for him than others have found it. and he
is in the prime of life.
We are convinced that what the police force
chiefly needs is a commander of infieXible
temper, who will accept no excuse for negli-
gence and who disdains that easy. ftful and
cheapening popularity among subordinates
which an amiable desire TO avoid friction pro-
duces. There is no conceivable reason for
coddling policemen. They are highly paid for
work which is not arduOus except in rare emer-
gencies. In fact, the advantages they enjoy
are so conspicuous that their places are eagerly
sought. and it is rather serious question how
they to be kept from getting fat and inert.
The Indispensable requirement Of the situation
is that they should one and all become acutely
conscious that they are to be inexorably judged
hereafter according to their capacity and fidel-
ity. that no influence them from swift
and exemplary punishment for a failure to do
their whole duty, and, equally, that no power
exists anywhere TO obscure or falsfy a good
record. Such realization of what is demanded
of the police force is essential to its rehabilita-
ton, but it would be foolish to expect a new
order of things to be quickly established. Con-
ditions due in part TO long liberation of abuses
ia part to laws which shelter them, cannot be
rectified all at once. The undertaking is full of
difficulties, but do not believe it is impos-
sible to make a beginning without delay. More
over, once in a while a man appears who is
capable of compelling unfrendly circumstances
TO serve him; whose personal force and aptitude
infuse spirit OF emulation commingled of fear
and hope In spite of every artificial obstacle,
and who thus aecompishes wonders with ma
terials which others have seemingly been justi-
fed in pronouncing utterly intractable. Honest
citizens of New-fork, recalling some examples
of rare genius of that sort earnestly desire
that General Greene may prove to be such a
man.