The Washington herald., 1907-05-15
Chicapn and Now York


natural pride in all things pertaining TO
the metropolis Of the West. has taken
upon its shoulders the task of replying
20 certain animadversions on that city
which have appeared in recent numbers
Of New York magazine. This is very
commendable, Of course, but We regret
our inability truthfully to say as much
regarding the methods which our con-
temporary is following. That is TO say.
the Record Herald seems to think it al
most unnecessary to defend Chicago
against the charges inferentally submit
ted by the Gotham magazine. and con-
tents itself with a tu quoque. New
York. not Chicago" declares the writer
Of a page article In a late issue Of the
Western newspaper. must now be reCog-
nized as the wickedest city in the Ameri-
can continent Chicago, whether she ever
rightfully deserved the title or not, must
at last hand over its old-time reputation
to this new champion in criminality.'
Then the writer proceeds to quote from
the New York World to prove his state
ments This plan is by no means original
since the last article in the New York
magazine which painted Chicago in such
undesirable colors was composed entirely
Of clippings from Chicago newspapers.
Such procedure does not strengthen the
case against New York, which already is
quite strong enough, and what is more
important. from the Chicago standpoint,
it does not explain or refute the stories
regarding the prevalence Of crime and
disorder in the latter city. True, the writer
devotes a considerable part Of his article
TO telling Of the progress that has been
made In the movement TO suppress GER
tain classes of Iawbreakers, and to make
the city better generally. and refers at
some length to the satisfactory conditions
which exist now. But that feature Of
his work is subordinated TO the effort to
demonstrate that New York is worse
than Chicago. There may be. something
10 be gained by such process. but We
doubt il.
The plain truth of the matter is that
for Chicago and New York to exchange
compliments of this sort is for the pot 20
call the kettle black. Both are unde-
niably bad. The main trouble in New
York has been that the criminal classes
have been paying the police force sew
eral times as much for protection as the
taxpayers, and the police, speaking gen
orally, have not failed to guard the goose
that laid the golden egg. The Bingham
police BILL according TO Col. Bingham
himself was prepared with a view to
giving the commissioner such powers as
would enable him TO prevent the grating
that has been so notorious in the past
The measure has been enacted into law,
and now we shall see what we shall see
II reforms come, the decent people of
New York will find that the whole coun-
try will rejoice with them.
SO far as Chicago is concerned, we are
quite willing TO accept the assertions Of
the Record-Herald writer that the sitUa-
ton there is much better than hereto
fore. There certainly was room for i'm
provement. Chicago has a much smaller
police force than New York, in proper
tion to its population, and perhaps it
labors under other disadvantages. But
that is no excuse for such lawless-
ness as the City's own press has de-
scribed in the past. The thing for the
newspapers and the people to do Is to
compel the new administration-they have
the power-to rid the police force Of
grafters and loafers, and TO enforce the
laws. Such a course, rather than saying
you're another TO New York. is what
is needed 10 make Chicago clean and safe,
morally.
In the meantime. let us of Washington
continue to give thanks that we have the
good fortune to live where we do.