The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-07
ST. PAUL AND NEW YORK.

The control of the government OF
Greater New York was turned over to
a Republican municipal administration,
as the country knows, for the CHER
purpose of securing a reform OF po-
lice administration. In like manner,
the control Of the government Of st.
Paul was turned over to a Democratic
municipal administration for a like
purpose. The people Of this city tes-
titled at our last city election that the
purpose had been accomplished, and
the Democratic administration charged
with the work of reform was confirmed
in power.
The situation in Greater New York
in the matter Of the fulfillment of the
pledge of police reform, made by the
Republicans, is very instructive in it
self, although, unhappily, very unfor-
tunate for the people Of the big me-
tropolis. There has been no police re-
form. The efficiency of the force has
been broken down under the new re-
gime, and universal dissatisfaction
prevails, among Republicans, Demo-
Gratis and independent voters alike.
The City club is a reform organi-
zation, organized and conducted under
Republican auspices. 1t was one OF
the most potent factors in the work of
defeating Tammany and installing
Seth Low as mayor. It's political bias
t. oJo d1y h..
lican. If the pledges of police reform
which secured President Low his pres
ent position as mayor of Greater New
York had been fulfilled, or even If
measurable success had been achieved
in the effort to fulfill them, no munic-
ipal body could be relied on more
promptly to affirm the fact than the
City club.
Instead Of doing so, however, that
body has been compelled to go on rec
ord as giving very strenuous express
sion to the conviction of it's governing
officials, that the situation is beyond
endurance. In an extended letter adj
dressed to the mayor by Mr.. Wheeler
H. Peckham, president of the club, the
following terse sentence is found. set
ting forth the actual existing situation
in. the police department:
It has seemed to the trustees that the
police force of the city has rather retro
graded than improved in efficiency and in
tone, and especially that the levy of trib-
ute for illegal privileges has in no de-
gree diminished.
How this state of things has been
called into existence the officials Of the
City club make very plain. And their
elucidation of the operating cause Of
the retrograde movement is very clear,
and almost equally concise and forcible
President Peckhams letter proceeds to
point out to the city executive that the
very worst evil Of Tammany ad
ministration, as it presented itself to
the reform eye, is perpetuated under
the new administration-the evil OF
coercing police officers into collision
with criminals. Says Mr.. Peckham's
letter in this behalf:
1t is said that any special activity in the
way of a rigorous enforcement of the law
is frequently followed by a transfer OF
the officer to some distant and to him
undesirable locality, and that on the other
hand a more lax administration is follow
ed by prosecution for neglect of duty.
The real source of the trouble has
been throughout that the so-called re-
form administration has not the cour-
age or the virtue Of reform. Mayor
Low has let 81 dare not wait upon I
would" and has made the effect on
the partisan fortunes of himself and
sideration in running the city govern
ment This truth the City club peo-
pie clearly recognize, as the following
additional excerpt from President
Peckhanls letter makes plain:
To the last degree it seems to the trus-
tees to be important that by some def
mite statement over his own hand, the
mayor should advise the police SO that he
who runs may read how and in what
manner the excise and similar laws should
be construed and enforced. The police
should know authoritatively and definite
ly what is expected of them and should
then be held to strict responsibility.
The contrast between New York
and ST. Paul is so plain
that che who runs may read"
as the writer of the City clubs
communication suggests. Here Re-
publican administration produced de-
graded and incapable police force and
the people intrusted the work Of it's
reform to Democrats, and the trust was
carried out. There the task Of reform
was intrusted to Republican hands,
with the result that, as stated by
leadings Republican organization, the
city police force "has refrigerated rath-
er than improved in efficiency and In
tone, and especially that the levy of
tribute for illegal privileges has in no
| degree diminished"