New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-27
SUPERVISING" THE AUTHORITIES.

How wonderfully sensitive Tammany has De-
come about the dignity Of office and the linpro
nriety of private assistance in the performances
of public dutyl Commissioner McAdoo, VINO
few months ago was assuring volunteer a9eh-
cies for the enforcement of law that he would
be glad to have their support, now takes hlgh
ground In defence of exclusive official preroga-
five. saving that he cannot grant special ponce
mowers TO outside agencies to supervise those
.,yhom the people have charged with the exeeu-
.tion of the laws" He sagely observes that IL
the constituted authorities fail in the perform
ance of their duties they are liable TO PUNISH
ment and removal from office and accordingly
he takes good care that private persons shall not
have power to supervise" them and De apie 10
prove that they are not doing their duty.
DR.. Parkhurst somewhat hastily assumes that
Commissioner McAdoo meant TO interfere with
his supervision CO police activity and to deprive
him of his special policemen, and he INDUCES IN
some tart revelations Of police inef1ciency dis
covered by this private supervision which Mr..
McAdoo dIsIikes But Dr. Parkhurst might
have saved his nerves. Mr.. McAdoo was not
cunning for him his special policemen lie
was merely giving an excuse for refusing TO let
some men and women doing rescue work in GER
tain East Side dives and lodging houses have
the police badge which would frequently protect
them from insult and danger. He did it in be-
half of Mr. Heating, the Commissioner of Ii
censes who finds the supervision OF the Society
for Household Research exceedingly annoying.
It is altogether too jealous, and interferes, as
Mr. Cleveland once said of the silver tongued
Grady with his personal comfort" Without
the aid of special police powers this society has
bv its complaints and evidence forced Commits
sioaer Heating to do almost everything that ne
has done. He would have no peace at all If 1t
had any more power to put cases ''up to" him.
It seems odd that Mr.. McAdoo should draw
the line SO strictly right at this point He is not
going TO revoke the special police powers of the
agents of private societies already possessing
them. There are many people in town who
have been sworn in as special policemen.
corporation which wants its property guarded
better than the constituted officials will do it
gets q special policeman appointed. This So
ciety wanted the protection Of the police badge
for some of its agents whose work Of rescue and
research took them into unpleasant places. 1t is
trying to prevent ignorant immigrant girls from
being sent to immoral resorts, and 1t is having
a hard time under the License Commissioners
Interpretation of the law, for when It has forced
him to revoke the license of an employment
agent for acting procurer he will then give
a license to the mans wife and permit the pro-
curer to carry on business IN the guise Of an en-
ploye. Clipping the wings of so pestiferous an
organization and teaching it not to "supersede''
the constituted authorities or disturb their
pose is an achievement in which the Police
Commissioner must take pride.