New-York tribune., 1905-01-27
WOULD PURGE THE FORCE
Conference at Chamber of Com
merce to Seek Remedy.

Twenty-Five prominent men of this city have
| signed circular letter, which has been sent TO
! about three hundred other citizens inviting
! them to conference on the police administra-
! tion problem. The conference is to be held on
! Monday at $3.50 p. m. in the large room of the
/ Chamber Of Commerce. in Liberty-st. through
! the courtesy of officers of the chamber.
! The plan for such a conference was formed
/ by some members of the City Club who have
! been discussing the police problem. Lawrence
WELLER secretary of the club, said last evening:
! The meeting has no political aim whatever.
! 1t is hoped it Will result in the framing and en-
/ actment of measures affecting the organization
! OF the department and its disciplinary powers
| that viii tend to take it practically out of poll
! tics for good and make it credit to the city"
| The objects of the conference are stated in the
! circular letter as follows:
Renewed public discussion of the problem of police
administration in NeW-York brings up very forciby
the need of some solution that shall be permanent.
The effect of continued failure trouble
some condition can only be demoralizing. That
| the means Of lasting correction cannot be found
The evils and imperfections through which, ira
dittonay, the efficiency of the force has suffered
have proved so persistent and have appeared under
nized as very largely inherent in the system itself
! Much will always depend upon the disposition and
fest that the limitations OF tenure and Of power
attaching to the commissonershiP. and the re-
strlcuons placed upon the free employment Of dis
ctpnery measures, render 1t most difficult for any
/
tabAsh properly his own authority TO secure the
loyal service of his subOrdinates 1t is equally clear
that the effort OF any commissioner perform his
duty. especially in the repression of those vices
| that under code criminal. must frequently
be discouraged If not defeated when the evidence
required for conviction is of a sort unreasonaby
| Moreover for their own sake as well as for the
sake OF the city, opportunity should be given the
and for concrete accomplishment in dealing with
crime, such as they already enjoy for physical
courage
| The measures necessary to accomplish these ends
II they are to be adequate, and in fact permanent
should be based upon careful and thorough study
of the subject, and, if such study shows the need
| they should be radical and sweeping.
The signers Of the circular letter are the fol-
lowing;
| Felix Adler. John E. Parsons
Nicholas Murray Butler. George Foster Peabody.
| R. Fulton Cutting Bishop Potter.
Charles 8 Rairchiid FiihI Root
| Austen G. Fox. H Schin.
| Henry Hentz. n. Seligman.
William B. Hornblowsr Edward NJ Shepard.
Adrian Iselin tr. Charles Stewart Smith.
Morris x. Jesup s.
| J. Pierpont Morgan Alfred T. White.
Robert c. Ogden James 7. Woodward.
Alexander E Orr.
THE legislation thought Of" said one Of the
movers last evening, "is partly in the line of
purging the police force of unworthy men and
keeping them out, and partly In the line of aid
ing the police to suppress the cadet system and
other forms of vice which becoming a men
ace to the city. No definite plan for legislation
has been formed, however, it is felt that more
! light on the situation is needed The idea is to
have a conference which may determine, first,
what reforms in the police force are needed;
second what amendments to the criminal law
required to aid the police in suppressing GER
tain forms of vice in the city, and third, how
such legislation may best be brought about"