The Washington times., 1904-04-10

I little injury. and yet the buzzlng OF one
about our faces Is often so irritating
/ that we DO not wait for the small boy
/ TO do our swearing It is not strange.
/ therefore, that the newspaper para
grapher is constantly heaping his so
called witticisms on the head OF the 20
/ liceman; not strange that we read and
enjoy them. We feel when We lauEyn
at those jokes as though W. were In
some way getting ever with the DO
/ liceman for the annoyanees he thas
caused us.
It is not strange either that we mag
nifty their occasional mistakes or fail
ures. 1t IS a part Of a reporters stock
/ In trade 10 note that no policeman was
/ around at q time and place when and
where his presence would have been
helpful; TO call attention to the fact
that some reporter has unearthed a
crime which the police have failed 70
discover or has pointed out a criminal
whom the police were unable 70 detect.
The Foreigners Attitude.
| Back OF all this. too. IS the fact thar
In our cities are multitudes OF foreign
ers who have come to our shores with
little or no conception OF what liberty
means-coning with an Unborn and in
herited hostility to government OF all
| kinds. fancying that here IS the freedom
which means license IN all things, and
to them the policeman is the symbol
Of despotism. He represents government.
and they rejoice at every discomfort
which attends his actions
! The truth OF IL Is there are only two
/ classes that really admire and love the
policeman; the ladies who find him so
: 81 FL l.
/ crowded with vehicles, and the sman
boys. whose ideal OF life Is the big Do
/ Hceman with his brass buttoned coas
! and constantly displayed club. To them
there is no greater person on earth than
the policeman. He is a bigger man
than General Grant
Honor to the Policeman
But notwithstanding all this abuse he
Is our best friend. All honor to the
/ policeman Stunned by criminals who
dread TO hear the echo Of his footsteps,
ridiculed by society because he IS not
ubiquitous and Omniscient, he IS the
visible arm Of that municipal force
which not only protects US but throws
around US those restraints which ara
essential to the general welI-being and
the public peace.
As you go home late in the evening
how comforting 1t Is to see the police
man standing at the street corner. What
a feeling OF safety IN his presence. and
as you retire to your couch the con-
! seriousness that he IS patroIHng the
! streets gives a sweet and composing
| sense OF security Through the long
night hours his footsteps are heard on
the pavement. He searches the recesses
OF city life to see that all the provisions
established by the municipality for pub
lie health. safety. and morals are OBJ
served. When an angry crowd gathers
to do violence he is there 10 preserve
the peace.
/ He was the hero and the sufferer at
Haymarket Square, and Of late In this
| city he stood beside the hearse In
which the pale and sacred clay Of your
dear ones was borne to its final resting
place and babe defiance 10 those human
devils who. because Of a trining dig
ference IN matter of wages. sought to
light the fires of violence in the quiet
darkness Of sorrow and play the dances
Of hell around the coffined dead. With
out him city government would be a
failure. To denounce him because Of
his inability TO do all things is poor com
pensatiOn for the fidelity with which
he does most. When we come to build
statues in honor of our faithful and
efficient public servants we shall find in
every city statue OF a policeman.
Tends Toward Moral Health.
Again, the strict enforcement Of
municipal regulations means much, not
merely for the physical safety and COM
fort. but also for the moral health OF
the community. Vice centers IN a city.
and all the attractions which vice is
able to present ind there the fullest
manifestations. No one can be blind 70
its luxurious and costly establishments.
Go into one of your first-class saloons
and you viii find everything which
money can procure to induce the habit
I of drinking. The furniture-is not mere
| ly comfortable. but luxurious. the walls
are hung with pictures. while skillful
manipulatOrs place before you the most
tempting and delightful connections. the
most appetizing drinks, all of which are
more or less saturated with alcohol. So
pleasant is cle experience that IL is apt
10 be followed by many, until the habit
becomes settled. These saloons are open
upon every crowded street. and they arc
the constant invitation TO the weary az
we'll as 10 the lovers of excitement.
The gambling houses. though not so
open. are found by him who enters
equally luxurious, and the passion for
gain without toll is iniamed by she
convenient drink. In other places music
and wine and beautiful women. gor-
geously gOwned. are the ever-present
temptations. Is It any wonder that 50
many young men coming into city.
away from their country homes and the
influences which have hitherto sur
rounded them. find themselves drawn
little by little into careers Of vice which
too often end in crime, crime committed
in order TO keep up the habits Of vice?
Suicide-Quick OF Slow.
All these cOngregated temptations
make one vast appeal 70 suicide. for Il
Is suicide all the same whether by the
short haul of the pistol or the long haul
Of dissipation. Indeed. the latter may
be considered the worst of suicides, for
il not only involves the individual. but
by the force of example and companion
ship gathers others into the same Vor-
tex. is there any mistake in asserting
that this centering of vice with its at
fractions in the city is steadily under
mining the moral health of the COM