The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-19

and [212ZZER Pres CAEZzAA1E21 4E2A 80

places licensed to sell liquor in Greater
New York. At least 1900 or 5000 proprietors
belong to the Retail Liquor Dealers Pro-
tective Association. Protective" they use
In a queer sense. The dealers are organ
lied by police precincts. They pay monthly
dues of IS up to $780, according to the ex-
tent of their lawless doings. The monthly
dues are paid to the police in consideration
for the protection of or noninterference
with the violators of the liquor law. The
fund thus collected was estimated by the
mayor of New York in recent official
communication at 100000 annually.
1t seems like retributive justice that the
police themselves contribute to grafters,
and do the firemen. The rank and file
of the police and firemen are always ask
ing for special legislation to give them
more pay and shorter hours. At nearly
every session of the Legislature, it is said,
a corruption fund of from $4,000 to 5000
Is raised to procure laws favorable to the
flremen and policemen. This Is common
talk that has never been substantially de-
MED. Not only the police, but every cor
poration that requires legislation has to
buy 1t. and this year the Legislature has
earned, and justly so, according to all au-
thorities, the designation as "the worst
ever" The political bosses permit their
henchmen in the Legislature to graft for
themselves sometimes. but the ends In
view are their own pockets all the time.
For granting this pious indulgence the
bosses secure legislation Of their own. A
bill was enacted by authority Of which the
judicial sales. that is, the sales ordered
by the Supreme Court, to concern In
which the Tammany boss was a partner.
The bill, 1t may be noted, was permissive,
and allowed the Supreme Court to select
the auctioneer, and the firm chosen was
the one in which the man who makes Su-
preme Court justices was interested.
Even death has been turned to profits by
the grafters. A prominent man died and
the public buildings were decorated In
honor of his memory. Carriages, gloves
and badges were provided for the alder
men at the public expense, and the alder
men to 1t that a certain man always
got the funeral job at his own figures
Horses for the police. fire. park and street
cleaning departments have cost the city
on an average from $3.50 to $500. Private in
dividuals bought them Mt one-third to one
half less. Suits have been brought against
the city with the understanding that judg-
ments would be confessed in favor of the
right parties. Inspectors of weights and
measures in years past have had a rich
yield of graft from the small shopmen, OF
whom there are many thousands. and the
housewife who received short weight was
not only cheated. but thus unkn wingly
and unwillingly contributed to the pay
ment Of blackmail.
Violations of city ordinances, such as
sidewalk Instructions with goods by mer-
chants, were permitted for cash. Up to a
short time ago man did thriving bust
ness shaving warrants for impecunious
city employees at the philanthropic discount
Of 20 per cent.
The CRATER plays no favorites. The poor
as well as the rich are made to give up to
him. The peddlers in the open markets
established for the convenience of those
living in tenement house neighborhoods
must pay much a day for standing in
the public street TO tax gatherer. The
peddlers in turn increase prices to "get
even." The public is mulcted every time.