New-York tribune., 1908-06-06
FRIENDS OF THE WICKED.

IF the Californian who is telling correspond
ents how he plans TO spend S1o,ooo,oSo lnherl-
tance actually has all the money he is talking
about there may be some interesting develop
ments in the under world ere long. Rut even
if his fortune is as unsubstantial as Fittshurg
press dispatch his ideas about philanthropy are
worth consideration. As the story runs. Mr.
Averill wants to 60 on A prolonged charlty
spree which he describes follows:
will make no effort to help good persons, for
the churches and the philanthropists care for
them now. I want to help the bad ones, for no
one looks after them but the devil and the police
courts. I purpose opening headquarters IN New
York or Chicago If a man has $500 and needs
800 or $500. or even 81 600, to make success.
purpose 10 give it to him.
If Mr. AverilI has got the goods" we adj
wise him TO head, not for either of Americas
largest two cities but rather for Cleveland,
Ohio, where he will find in the person of Fred
erick Koeher Chief of Police, a man with
similarly broad views and, if current history is
being truthfully written, with knack OF max
ing his theories succeed.
Mr. Koehler believes in being kind to the
wicked. He cannot give every dsreputable
citizen $1,000. but he does order bis patrolilen
to treat all arrested persons like gentlemen, TO
forgive and to aid them up to the limit OF human
kindness His idea is that most offenders are
ONLY momentarily wicked. and then by force Of
circumstances or through ignorance; and at
the convention of the International Association
of Chiefs of Police the other day he cited sta
tistics TO prove this theory and the good re-
suits attending its practice. There are enough
grains Of truth i'll Mr.. Koehler'S speculation to
make a fair test of the rule of mercy interest
lug. Nobody doubts that poverty, bad luck,
sickness, brutal police laws ill suited TO their
purpose and large pharsaical element are con-
stantly driving men and women into evil ways
Contrary 10 the California philanthropists be-
lief, the best efforts of intelligent organized
charity to-day are toward the prevention of
these causes of criminality The devil and the
police courts are not the only ones looking out
for sinners The trouble is, though, that other
interested parties have q much difficult
task than the devils is. For man may trans
gress the law through any one of a dozen in
fiuences: and hence. TO protect him against un-
fair temptation. all these influences must be
simultaneously checked. Poverty may make a
man thief in the healthiest town, a rough
policeman may make him a thug in the most
prosperous community, and the most kindly
courts and the best Of opportunities may not be
enough to deliver first Offender from a black
career if citizens suspect him.
On this account the philanthropist looking
for quick returns is urged to invest his millions
in the wicked citizens of Oho's metropolis
For since the advent of Mr. Koehier Cleveland
seems to have overcome at least one more Grim
inaliZing influence than any other large Amer
lean town. Good courts, we'll endowed and
wisely managed charities, employment bureaus
and other aids to right living may now he found
in almost every city: but where save in Cleve-
land can police force be found without mem
bers addicted to clubbing intoxicated persons
to dealing roughly with inofensive crowds TO
prosecuting petty offenders and worst of ALL
TO perjury for the sake of shielding colleague
or securing conviction? If Mr.. Averll spent
his fortune in New York or Chicago its possible
good effects would he largely neutralzed but
in Cleveland the results of his experiment
would at least be visible. And this, after all
is the chief thing just now; for everybody is
wondering how much mere kindness can do in
emptHing jas. If Cleveland is willing to he
experimental upon, everybody else is willing to
watch MesSrs. KOehler and Averill operate