The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-21

-A-~ Has llOl
years accumulation of dis
organization in the New York police
force and sealed up tightly every site
of law-breaking in a community Il
large proportion of whose population
are law-breakers by heredity, instinct
or vocation, the Reverend Doctor
Parkhurst of leap frog fame is cunning
for Mayor Lows scalp and trying to
weaken his influence and power.
In letter which, for monumental
gall, has had few parallels in political
literature, he lays down the assump-
tion that Mr.. Low is Il perjurer, who,
after taking solemn oath to enforce
the laws, has proceeded to single out
laws which he does not intend to ell
force, directly accuses him of having
made 1T entirely indefinite as to what
civic righteousness in New York city
is and what it is not; and intimates
that if Low doesn't look out Parkhurst
will present charges before the COVER
nor calling for somebody's removal All
this from Il man who was one of Lows
loudest supporters.
This is not surprising. however, for
it is what is always to be expected
from men of Parkhurst's type every
where. When Parkhurst first came
into. general view his courage made a
strong bid for public admiration; but
as time went on, and congenital pre-
dispositions impelled him to act af-
ter act Of mischievous eccentricity ap-
parently calculated more to advertise
Parkhurst than to perform any useful
purpose, the conclusion has been re-
luctantly accepted by many that he is
a nuisance. That conclusion will be
strengthened by his latest perfor-
nance.
Philosophy teaches that it takes all
. kinds of people to make a world, and
it is a soothing belief that each kind
has some value in connection with the
general scheme. The function of Park
hurst is apparently akin to that of red
pepper in the vegetable world-not
good for diet. but sometimes useful in
causing people to snceze. AS chronic
irritant he doubtless counteracts
some tendencies to inertia or sluggish
ness in the administration of public
laws, and for that we suppose we
should be grateful.
But it is not to be wondered at that
men of quality often shun responsible
public office, fearing the stabs CT pro-
fessed friends even more than they
dread the general deluge of billings
gate and hystericul criticism which is
the conventional penalty of promin-
ence. We are continually surprised
that in the face of the small credit
given by public opinion to public ser
wants for honesty of intention and gen
une dedication to duty there is so
high an average of fidelity in public ad-
ministration ana SO little calculated
betrayal of public trusts.
AS the situation stands in many of
our cities there is today actually no
incentive whatever proceeding from
contemporary public appreciation for
honesty in Office. The honest official
is abused and maligned even more
bitterly in most cases than, and sus-
tained quite us little by the men upon
whose support he has the best right to
call as, the deliberate crook or trick
stef, able to combine deft corruption
with hnesse in fooling the people, Those
who dog the honest man in office and
try their level best to becloud him with
suspicion and ignorant nagging are al
most always the very ones who are
most easily taken in by clever scoun-
drels,
Such is life.