New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-10
Mr.. JEROME IN CHICAGO.

Mayor Harrison rebukes District Attorney
Jerome with unnecessary severity When COM
menting on Mr.. Jeromes talk in Chicago u
saws: If l went to New-YOrk and WAS asked
ito speak on municipal affairs, 1 would inform
myself before doing So" He fails TO appre-
ciate that Mr.. Jerome is priced not for the wis
dom he displays, but for the enliYenment he i'm
parts One star differeth from another star in
glory Some books are read for information,
others for inspiration and still others for enter
tainment. Each kind is good in its way, and 1t
will not do TO say that one is noble and an
other gnoble. So It is with men, We look 10
Mr.. Jerome for enthusiasm and for an icono-
cIasm which clears away many shamS of con-
vention. even if it is incapable Of setting up
solidly useful structures in their place. As an
agtator Mr.. Jerome is always interesting, and
sometimes inspiring. If the applause which he
thus eNcites sometimes causes him 10 over
value the worth Of the spectacular when dis
ISOLATED from wisely conservative performance.
and seemingly, TO think of radical uttcrance as
an end in itself, the mistake is perhaps not
surprising.
OF course Mr.. Jerome did not give good ad-
vice TO the Chicago police when he said:
Do as we do in New-York If a policeman
gets hold Of a notorious crook and IS not
sure that the courts will administer fun share
lock, bat the crook" on the head, and bring
him into court well bandaged up.
1t is impossible TO conceive Of a wise man
and a respecter of law, especially official
charged TO uphold the law, soberly counselling
such violence. Any exercise of brute force by
the police beyond what is absolutely necessary
TO make arrests is intolerable. \ policeman is
not n summary court for Judgment and eXecu-
ton. If he can club one man because he thinks
he deserves II, he can club another and his
own opinions or preiudices made the ar
biters of the rights Of citizens. There is no
guarantee that the only broken heads will be
those Of crooks" il policemen are allowed 10
20 about clubbing at their own sweet will: and
If Mr.. Jerome really has information that New
York policemen INDUCING in wantou VIC
lence ii is his duty 10 proceed against them for
the protection Of citizens. instead of going 10
Chicago recklessy 10 commend their lawless
ness. Respect for law cannot be inculcated by
lawlessness Order is not the child OF disOr
der, and we are not yet prepared TO see courts
and prosecuting attorneys turning their func-
tons over TO the lyncher, whether the Iyncher
be one brutal policeman melting out his own
crude ideas OF justice with club or an insen-
safe mob condemning men TO death on suspicion
IL we were TO take Mr.. Jeromes words serious
ly, we should say that this counsel OF violence
was the work Of 4 dangerously lawless mind ut
terly unfit 10 DO trusted with important and
delicate functions touching the rights and llber
ties Of citizens.
But Mr.. Jerome is not TO be taken seriously
, In this matter He probably wanted to impress
Chicago with the idea that it was too easy with
Crooks" that its laws were not strictly
enough enforced. In an interview he suggests
as much with regard to its ordinances affecting
the Iroqucis Theatre. So he put the idea in
Enthusiastically radical form. He told Chicago
that it should have peace even IL it had TO
fight for it, that it should enforce law even II
it had 10 make every policeman a brutal law
breaker. That sort of talk attracts attention
If it is taken an irresponsible figure of
speech, it will do no harm. Chicago is too lit
eral. Nobody who knows him takes Mr.. Jerome
literally