New-York tribune., 1905-01-28
THE POLICE PROBLEM.

?. .o,o+ sofoI, no assumed that the call for
n public meeting TO discuss the propieAi VI ~
lice administration will lead TO liilpoi .'"l
s,l+s MANY conferences on questions Oh Horals
and government which were as resleci"oi9 III
itiated have failed to accomplish their opJoO'
/ for one reason or another-oIteh Oeo"u'o III y;
have not really enlisted the zeal OF those ul-
~oo+1,, rosnopsfble for bringing them about 1t
! is no novelty to find distinguished names at
! tached TO such an, invitation and usuilly not
much s1lrprise is manifested when ther owners
! fail TO appear We sincerely hope that tlls at
tempt to ascertain why police conditions are uii-
! satisfactory under all Administrations ana to
secure the application of an adequate relileu1
will command the active and conunulhg sup
port of all the representative cltlzens VINO Id
united in calling a meeting at the Chamoer OF
Commerce for next Monday, and that they will
! Obtain the cooperation of much larger num-
her. They are all men of character, ability ana
influence. and capable when acting together OF
exerting an immense force. We are glad 10 De
told that in giving their names TO the move
ment they have given full assurances that they
are In earnest mean business ana lntehd 10
perseyere.
Commissioner McAdoo who recently chided
his fellow citizens for pointing out defects in
his department which he has been conspicuous
Iv endeavoring TO mitigate ever since, cannot
saw that personal or political motives have IN
snired this undertaking. There are as many
Democrats as Republicans among the slgners
of the CALL and ii is perfectly obvious that none
of them are Influenced by partisan consldera-
tions in the slightest degree. They bring no
Indictment against the present Commissioners or
any of his predecessors. They say, in fact that
1.-The evils and imperfections through which,
'traditionally the efficiency Of the force has sut-
''fered have proved so persistent and have ap-
]
they must be recognized as very largely inner
cent in the system itself" While the meeting
is called TO discuss the problem and is not eN-
pected to solve it, they do not hesitate to assert
that 1.-The limitations Of tenure and of power at
"taching to the commfSsiOnership and the re-
''strictions placed upon the free employment of
disciplinary measures are great emDarrass-
ment and that has been the prevailing opinion.
But it must be acknowledged that the recent de-
cision of the Court of Appeals reversing the Ap-
peIlate Division in the case of Garvey seems to
! secure to the Commissioner more power to get
rid of unfaithful subordina+es than he has been
supposed to possess. and it may be necessary to
consider more carefully whether or not he al
ready has power enough.
On that and other questions expert testimony
1 is available. 1t seems TO us that IL would be
desirable at the outset TO ask Mr.. McAdoo and
several of his predecessors under the present
fridge and General Andrews, for example-to
/ say what in their opinion is the chief difficulty
/ which the head of the department has to con-
| front They are all honest men, and each OF
/ them must have made up his mind to the
main cause of his failure TO fulfil the hopes with
which he began his task. Possibly President
I Roosevelt whose police administration was ex-
ceedingly vigorous and unconventional, would
be willing TO respond to a request for his Opin-
/ ion. The deliberate views of such men, frankly
! expressed, would be more valuable than vol
ume of conjectures and, if they should be found
/ to agree on any one important point, it would
be pretty safe TO accept their judgment.
| One paragraph in the call for Mondays meet
ing is deserving of particular attention, namely:
Moreover, for their own sake. we'll for
the sake of the city. opportunity should be
J given the police, a body, 10 earn reputation
I for honesty and for concrete accomplishment in
/ dealing with crime such they already enjoy
! for physical courage.
/ We have no doubt that a majority of the po-
lice would gladly accept such an opportunity
that they are ashamed of the evil repute which
| has been fastened the force a whole
/ through the operation Of a system which they
/ do not dare to denOunce and are powerless to
| reform.