The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-23
LAWS TO IMPROVE THE POLICE
ELIMINATING THE SICKENING
THUD WILL BE ONE ATTEMPT.
The sick enlng Thud, rs Mr. 4 Flu
cidatcs 90 h lmprOvers. Comes When
a Police COMMISSIONS Tries to Rise
Above the Power That Made Him.

In answer to a call issued by X. Fulton
Cutting, chairman Of the Citizens Union.
and George McAneny. chairman Of the
City Clubs committee on police. forty
gentlemen interested in improving the
police met yesterday afternoon at the
United Charities Building in East Twenty
second street. MIR. Cutting called the
meeting to order, and after expressing
regret that the call had met with no greater
response declared that it was not intended
as a criticism Of the present head Of the
department.
Isaac Seligman was chosen chairman.
Mr.. McAneny moved that the chair APP
point a committee OF thirty or more to
decide what should be ions and TO appoint
an executive committee TO frame bills to
do it, the bills to be presented to the next
Legislature. Mr.. McAneny's motion was
carried at the end of the session. but in the
meantime the reformers were asked to dis
cuss what should be done.
Arthur Woods, an instructor at Groton
School. who compiled the pamphlet, The
Police Problem in New York City recently
published by the bureau Of city betterment
Of the Citizens Union. told how he did il
and presented three suggestions, which by
common consent were maze the CnleI topics,
Mr.. Woods thought that what was most
needed was promotion for merit. increase
OF power to enable the Commissions to
reduce inspectors TO the rank OF captain
at will and a longer term for the head Of the
Police Department.
Most of the discussing was lone by former
Commissioner of Police william MoAdoo,
who paid the force many compliments
and then announced that II he could have
found twenty-five absolutely honest men
for his vice squad and had not been be
trayed" he could have closed every gam
bling place in the greater city. Mr.. McAdoo
remarked in parentheses that wen with
the material he had he left only twenty-five
gambling places open when he retired
n that these were protected by the highest
power in the land, injunctions granted
by the courts.
He was convinced that all graft would
disappear as soon as the police force was
taken out of politics.
AT present" said MIR. McAdoo, "a Com
missioner going TO Mulberry street to i'm
molate himself on the altar OF duty is asked
TO rise above the power that made him
II he does, the law Of gravitation will assert
itself and he falls with a sickening thud. ="
IMayor Mcclellan appointed MIR. McAdoO.l
MIR. Meade advocated a detective bureau
shaped somewhat on the lines OF Scotland
Yard, larger prizes of promotion and pay,
and a long or lifetime tenure of Office for
the head of the department.
Prominent among those present at the
meeting were four of the old committee
of nine who tried their hand at police
reforming last spring. They were Mr..
Seligman, II. De Forest Baldwin, George
McAneny and William Church Osborn.
Others who attended the meeting were
the Rev. John p. Peters. Marcus NJ. Marks
of the National Civic Federation, Col. c.
II. Jones, Charles Loring Brace and the
Rev. Thomas II. Slicer.
Mr.. Seligman said that he would appoint
the committee of thirty within the next
two weeks.