New-York tribune., 1905-02-15
B4oK TO FIRST PRryCIpLEs.

"A noIicenan is a Waterman" The Commit
tee of Nine is out with this definition as result
of its labors and conferences 1t is the last
thing that the man in the street would think ef
the policeman as. To think of him as anything
but that has become second nature, both from
his observations Of that ornamental Official ana
from his habit, imbued in his mind perhaps by
the nurses custom of using the officer as a
handy bogie man, of thinking of the policeman
as something entitled to capital "P." A watch
man! 1t shows the advantage of getting back
to first principles We all have to be reminded
now and then of that day of small beginnings
when policeman was watchman. 1t is not
new idea that the cure of the evils of complex
and artificial civilization lies In getting back to
nature" 1t was, perhaps, not new idea when
Rousseau used 1t to overthrow an established
order of society; but it has lost none Of its eff
fectiyeness. New-York will doubtless be the
gamer by having recalled to 1t those days or
small beginnings, of "Watchmen," and then
turning TO contemplate our present swollen
Caesars of the paye
How many citizens offhand would say their
first conception of the policeman was watch
man? Certainly the policeman himself is not
among the number. His last conception OF him.
self is one of owing to the public the duty OF
vigilance, or any other duty for that matter
Too many of the police, the more alert minded
OF the class, think OF themselves as having en-
tered upon a commercial career, with excep-
tionaI opportunities of becoming masters Of
"frenzied finance" If the Committee of Nine
can make the public remember all the time that
the police are watchmen, and can impress in
deIibly upon the minds of the police themselves
that simple conception of their duties much
will have been accomplished TO make New-York
better city.
Mr. McAdoo. too seems to be going back to
first principles. He has dropped his habit OF
unsuspecting self-eomplaeency, induced by the
magnetism of personal contact with the well
bred, we'll dressed gentlemen who surrounded
him at No 300 Mulberry-st. They are clever
persons those headquarters detectives. 1t is
their business. Their sdroir fdre, knowledge
how to do commissioners and the like is re-
markable. But Mr.. McAdoo's eyes are opened
He is "going back to nature" Headquarters
he declares, is not now place for "shooing off
the suckers" When we stop TO think OF it, 1t is
not the place where the swindled complainant
should be treated as Suspicious character
| Yet Mr. McAdoo admits that LESS than five hun
dred years ago. such victims were "shooed
with a club, while certain polished men of the
world extracted with "magic jimmy portion
of the illgotten gains from the swindlers. There
| is an end of ''rake-offs" No business" is done
| with crooks" at the back door of headquarters
That is Il most wholesome getting back to first
principles and abandoning the commercial ideal
OF police opportunities.
| Mr.. McAdoo is going to try to make the patrol
men patrol. That Is elementary, too. but diff
| cult Patrolmen seem to have been named on
| the '1ucus a non lucendo' principle Howbeit
when burglary is committed. if the patroman
! on beat playing pinochle or making love-
his punishment the Commissioner declares, will
| be severe.
| To complete the return to first principles ii
| is expedient for the Commissioner himself TO be
/ the real head of the force. The difference be-
| tween the Mr. McAdoo of the interview which
| preceded the District Attorneys operations
| against gamblers and the Mr. McAdoo of the
! Wednesdays utteranee congratulating the pub
| lie on the ending of ''shooing OFF suckers" is
q revelation of the enlightenment that has
! taken place in the Commissioners mind Let
him use his increased knowledge to master
the situation. Let him employ every atom of
this power, including that which the Court of
| Appeals says he possesses. to rid the force of
| 'fhe system Let him be the head watch
man."