New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-15
MAGISTRATE HoGAy's COMPLAINTS.

MAGISTRATE HOGAA'S COHfLAINIc.
General Greene's invitation TO Magistrate
Hogan is one which that distinguished jurist
can hardly ignore without confessing that his
violent criticism of the administration was made
in a spirit OF partisan malice. He has said that
the police were corrupt, and that blackmail was
levied more freely than ever before. The Com
missioner invites him TO specify the instances or
corruption which have come under his Observa-
ton, and promises to punish every person
against whom proof can be discovered. He also
conveys what is certainly just rebuke to the
magistrate who. becoming aware of police
blackmail and other abuses, instead of ce-operat-
ing with the Police Commissioner. who, he
knows, is trying to put them down. and giving
information which would assist in lettering our
government, merely uses with partisan zeal his
knowledge obtained as judge to injure, If pos
sibe his collea CUES in office.
OF course there is backmail in the Police De
partment General Greene has said so right
along, and sought the cooperation OF the mag
istrates and others in putting it down. The very
persons who most loudly complain of blackmall
and are trying TO make it appear that because
Matchmaking has not been entirely eradlcated
by the reformers Tammany should be returned
TO power. are those who. themselves cognlzant
Of Matchmaking, have refused to give General
essary to stop the practice Montns ago the
Commissioner urged the liquor dealers, who, 1t
was said. were being oppressed, to let him free
them from extOrtion. But they would not do it.
1t is unnecessary to inquire whether it was be-
cause they prefer Tammany and blackmail
with protection to illegal traffic to freedom for
lawful business, are merely afraid that Tam
many may in the future be able to punish them;
the fact remains that those who suffer most
from corruption and whose complaints are alb
solutely necessary to root it out entirely are in
effect acting the part Of allies Of the backmail-
ers
1t is also evident that the underlying cause
of such blackmai as still exists is Tammany.
The system became thoroughly established un-
der Tammany, and the police instruments which
Tammany trained in corruption have been the
tools which the reformers have been obliged
to use as best they could. Moreover, it is the
present power and future menace of Tammany
which now prevent the breaking down Of the
system. 1t is the promise of future license or the
threat of future revenge which ties the tongues
of the blackmailed liquor dealers. If there was
no prospect of Tammany domination hereafter
there would be no trouble about getting evil
dence and Furnishing almost every police extor-
zionist. Nobody, not even the Tammany men
themselves really doubts the honest purpose Of
the present administration with regard to this
matter. Everybody knows that it is doing its
best to secure honest police force. Tam
many'S past, present and future stand as an
obstacle to the complete accomplishment of that
purpose And now Tammany and it's sympa-
thizers rejoicing that the refOrmers have
been unable entirely to eradicate the diseases
with which Tammany inoculated the body pol
tic. But who is to blame for the existing evil
the reformers who are doing all they can to
abolish it, or the Tammany men who are doing
all they can TO keep it from being abolished?