The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-10
ALL POLITICS, SAYS H'ADOO.
CRITICS OF POLICE ARE OUT TO
CAPTURE CITY GOVERNMENT.
Some Evils Police Can't Eradicate. Com
missioner Thints-Partisans Try TO
MIsIead Citizens by Historical Out
Misunderstanding No O1iiee Himself.


not discuss the matter further. saying he
bad put into it all he cared 10 say and that
II could be taken as a reply 10 all his critlcs
or any of them whom 1t seemed TO fit. This
is what he said.
ANY effort, so far al / am concerned,
TO stir I'D strife between this Office and that
of the District Attorney will be useless.
Both OF these offices are created and carried
on for the enforcement Of the law and the
npprehension and punishment OF criminals
and the District Attorney has no reason
10 doubt my assertion that | am only too
glad at any time TO cooperate with him OF
nny of the constituted authorities in enforc
ing any aud all laws on the statute books,
and In this respect / am willing 70 lead
or folow-the main thing being that the
laws are enforced and citizens protected
TO have the laws efficiently honestly
and impartialy enforced is the main thing.
Personal feeling or political advantage
must not be allowed 20 interfere with this.
Mr.. jerome and may differ to the per-
sonal qualities Of the police al a body or
even In individual instances or az to the
best methods Of reforming abuses In this
department, but take Il that we are one
In placing our duty to the public above all
other interests.
In the matter pointed out by the District
Attorney with reference to booths and other
bbsfruc ions in harrooms will endeavor 20
see that the question as TO the enforcement
Of this feature of tho law Is presented TO
keveral Magistrates. 80 that there may DO
A conclusiveness TO the findings on the sub
feet and that tho law may be perfectly clear
and Ineligible 10 saloon keepers in all parts
of Great or New York
y have repeatedly enjoined on the heads
Of the uniformed police force that all laws
on the statute books, without regard 20
what opinions may be held with reference
TO their wisdom or otherwise, and that
especially in tho case Of laws more or less
criticised. the greatest care should be taken
that their enforcement be absolutely honest
and strictly impartial. l have specifically
called their attention to the enforcement
Of the excise and Raines laws.
In this revived discussion Of the enforce
ment of these laws and the police admins
tranon in general | have been COM
PEELED to recognize that. on the part
az certain newspapers and individuals
these questions are being exploited without
the slightest regard for the moral we'll
being Of the community or the best
interests Of the city. or with any hon
est intention Of reforming inherent
abuses in the police system. but solely for
partisan and political purposes. in the game
of chess now being played for the control OF
tho city government at the next election.
The assumptions Of moral indignation and
virtue only beget derision.
Their simulated astonshment AT the e1-
istence Of conditions which are IA old
ne the town and the existence Of laws
on the statute books Of many years stand
ing and of an acute division of public senti-
rnent as TO their proper enforcement, which
has been made political football of politi-
chi PARTIES and partisans for many years,
Is 70 he treated as more amusing than seri-
The sole effort is TO create such
situation as will insure the defeat at
the polls of the present city adj
ministratdion Any weapon with them
fact and minimize another is their idea Of
fair play; to Inislead honest and we'll
meaning citizens bv hyS, outbursts
and big headlines into believing one day
that this vice Is rampant or that crime
unchecked Is part Of the play
One day the gambling houses are all wide
open: the next day pools on horseraces are
being sold on the street corners; the next
day al another time the red lights
have been reestablished Chinatown j. re-
discovered. the Tenderloin Is found TO
exist disorderly houses. instead OF being
repressed. are encouraged To these people
have nothing whatever to say, would as
soon think Of getting INTO wrangle with
parcel Of viregoes in the back yard OF a
tenement house in the Slums neglect
ing the pressing duties Of this office TO en-
gage in such controversy. They Will have
20 carry on their politics and personal cru
sades without aid from me. he worst they
can do is 10 retard an honest effort al legisla-
ton or other reforms of the police admins
tration by misdirecting and misleading well
intenioned citizens as TO their motives and
their aims.
AS everybody knows. there are certain
vices in this. a. in all great cities, which
are so inherent in human nature and so
woven into modern civilization that no
police effort can eradicate them. All
Police Commissioner can do Is to enforce
the law impartallv and fearlessly against
them and to see to II that the police do NOT
coIrrptly profit by their persistence j. Is
Ike keeping lawn in good order. You
cannot root out all the weeds but the mower
mist be kept going constantly night and
dav in the interests Of the public safety
and morals and in the performance of
official obligations to see that the laws are
carried out.
"The Police Department in any CITY
administration is always in the centre Of
the firing line inviting the most vigorous
attacks Of the opposition and a prominent
target for criticism lust or otherwise.
Personally. | am willing 10 hear criticism
which know 10 he fair and unsefsh and am
only too glad TO profit hv IT, | am only
too fully aware Of how liable I am to err.
br,f whom 7 am convinced Of NV error. no
one Is quicker TO make confession of 1t and
undo the resultsF
Il have UP to this time refused 10 give
expression 10 personal opinion on the
eycisc and Rapes hotel laws. As this office
is peculiarly charged with their enforce
ment do not think It proper that should
either cri'icise or praise them, As my
critics have assumed all the virtues and
claimed ~ be acting solely for the public
good and from the highest motives, they
force me 10 claim for myself an equal virtue.
| have no personal or political ambitions
20 preserve | am not a candidate nor do
I expect TO receive atvan cement 70 any
other Office in the public gift. entered
this Office with my eye vide open and
knew it 10 be the potico, graveyard OF any
ambitious man
Il believe it to he quite impossible for
man to honestly and iearles-ly administer
the cxacting duties Of this position without
rakng q multitude Of enemies for the
favors that he must deny, IN the interests
re must antagonize, IN the lawbreaker~
whom he must put down and the chrome
opposition of those -cf-consttuted censoIs,