The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-11-17

and yet the bu1zing Of one ahout our
faces il often 80 irritating that We do
not wait for the small boy % do our
swearing IL j. not strangn. Therefore.
that the newspaper paragrapher l. com
-tantly heaping his -o-callrd Wittlci~m
ON the head of the police. not strange
I that We naad and enjoy them. We feel
when We laugh AT those joke- ~ though
we were in some way getting even with
the policeman for the annOyanccs be- has
caused us
IL not strange either that We mag
Nifty their occasional mistakes oriailures.
II is part OF rcp2rtcrs stock 90 trade
To note that no policeman was around
at time and place when and where hl~
presence would have been helpful, To- call
attention 10 the fact that some reporter
has unrarthed "A crime which the police
have failed % discover. or has pointed
ont criminal whom the police were IN
able 10 detect
THE roRrGNERS' ATTITUDE
Back Of all this. too. l. the fact that in
our cities arc multitudcs foreigners who
have come To our shores with little orno
conception oi what liberty means. coming
with an inb0rn and inherited hostility to
government Of all kinds. fancy ing that
here is the freedom which means license IN
all things, aud TO them the policeman l.
the symbol OF despOtism. Tie represents
government, and they rejoice ot every
discomfort which attends his actions.
The truth OF it i there are only two
classes that really admire and love the
policeman; the ladies who find him 50
helpful in crossing the streets when
crowded with vehicles, and the small
bows. whose ideal Of life is the big police
man with his brass buttOned coat and
constantly displayed club. To them
there il no greater person on earth than
the policeman. He is bigger man than
General Grant
HONOR TO THE POLcEMNN.
But Notwithstanding all this abuse, he
isyour best friend. All honor to the police
man. Stunned by criminals, who dread
to hear the echo OF his fOotsteOs, ,ridiculed
by sOciety. hecause he is not ubiquitous
and omniscient, he If the visible arm OF
that municipal force, which nOtonly pro
tects US, but throws around us those
restraints which are essential To th'
general well-being and the public peace.
As you 20 home late in the evening
how comforting it is to see the policeman
standing at the street corner What "A
feeling OF safety in his presence, aud a.
YOU retire to your couch, the coDcious
ness that he is patrOlling the streets
gives sweet and composing sense oi
security.
Through the long night hours his foot
steps are heard on the pavement He
searches the recesses Of city life To So
that all the provisions established by the
municipality for public health safety,
and morals are observed. When an
angry crowd gathers To do violence he is
there to preserve the peace
He was the hero and sufferer at Hay
market square, and OF late in this city he
stood beside the hesrse in which the pale
and sacred clay OF your dear ones was
borne to it, final resting place, and bade
defiance to those human devils, who,
because of a thrilling difference in "A
matter OF wages. sought to light the
fires OF violence in the quiet darkness Ot
sorrow, and play the dances OF hell
around the cOilned dead.
Without him the city government
would be a failure. To denounce him
because of his inability to do all things
is poor compensation for the fidelity with
which he does most When We come To
build statues in honor OF our faithful and
efficient public servants. we should find
in every city statue OF q policeman.
Yours very truly.
W. f.. Owens.