The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-13
DEFIANCE OF LAW
MUST BE STOPPED
Mayor Jones Says Police Must
Deal with Mobs in a Sum-
mary Manner.
DRASTIC TREATMENT
FOR PARK ROWDIES
Police Have Backing of Admins.
tration and Courts in Doing
Their Duty.

Three times WITHIN ten Gays PoAiGo
officers of Minneapolis have been at
arrests. This open defiance Of the law
has stirred Mayor D. P. Jones, who TO-
day gave The Journal the FOL
Any mayor who permits the law
less element in a city, to get the upper
hand of the police is neglectlng MS
duty. / intend to do everything IN
my power to protect the police IN en-,
forcement of the law. The first and
most Important duty Of an officer is
to preserve order. The interference
with an officer in making an arrest, by
a reckless, lawless crowd, is, in my
opinion, as criminal as burglary or
robbery. The first principle of law is
good order The first duty Of a police
man is to quell disturbances Of the
peace. Every officer of the Minneap-
to perform his duty in this regard.
II don't want any officer to use
brutal means, but when he starts to
make an arrest he must never quit till
he does it, even il the entire police
force has to be called out to back him
up. There has been too much lawless-
ness of late. It must be checked, and
the sooner it is checked the better it
will suit me. 7, for one, don't propose
" SUduu ny duQ lCU tuC lCOhAOoo eR14Sl
lawless disturb the peace of this town.
Court Will Back Police.
''I have reason to believe the mu-
nicipal court of Minneapolis has two
very competent judges who. will in
every way sustain the police in doing
their duty. These judges will do their
part in backing. up the police. The
vast majority of the people , are law law;
lawless element must be subservient
to the will of the MAJORITY H..
II don It think these last three cases
of assaults on police officers are trace.
able to any special malicious intent
but such things must be severely pun
ished in the future if they occur. In
that lanentable Elliot park affair
evidently of the opinion that the pris
oner was being mistreated; but if they
had understood the full circumstances
and had known of what the prisoner
was guilty, they would every one have
aided the officer.
"And let me here say one word about
this park business.
Warning to Insolent ''Mashers.
expect to go to the city parks with
the express intent of insulting young
women and girls, steps will be taker
to see that such young men get warn
reception and the limit of the law il
the way of sentences. [ want it I'M
derstood that the parks are to be KEEP
sacred for the use of women and chill
dren and the public generally, VIII
should have protection. Indecent con
duct Of young men and rowdyism il
the parks must cease, and I know tn
court stands ready to give the limi
of the law in these cases.
"The police, think, have checke
the work of women solicitors on tn
streets. Now the male solicitor, eve
ready to insult women, must take a bac
seat. He is the most contemplate O
all men, and I have less patience wit
him than with a highway robber.
LAS to the police force, believe tn
bulk of the officers are willing to d
their duty. But as fast as any ar
found who are not, they will be give
their walking papers and the city wi
get men who will. There are still, how
ever a number of patrolmen who's
overlook obvious duties on their beat
and these are counted as easy marks
by the lawless. Officers who are di
missed are not always bad or corrup
but sometimes simply inefficient an
have failed to see what was require
OF them; have allowed people to get tt
upper hand of them; trying to be GOO
fellows instead of sternly attending
their official duties without fear
favor
No Politics in Department.
Gin regard to appointments on II
police force, would say that any of
Ger who gets an appointment duri1
my term will do so without polite
pull and will be given free hand to
his duty. He will be responsible on
to the mayor and chief of police. The
are to be no favorites played, and a
plicants are never asked what are the
politics.. nor is their political backil
figure on escaping dismissal from t
Force during this administration wi
the expectation that he can get soil
with the next. He must make his tit
clear now or he will be relieved fro
duty before he has chance to come
with any next administration.
"I have no desire, in this connectic
to extend criticism to the police
partment as a whole. Recently
police have. been doing remarkab
well; have improved on the past, a.
the Improvement has been favorah
commented upon. The force is now
hopeful condition.
emo good, efficient, alert, hone
patrolman need fear dismissal duri
my administration, if he will but t
the mark and do his whole duty