The sun., 1908-05-10
A GOOD word FOR THE POLICE.
Their Conduct At the Catholic Parade
Praised by q Travelled Allen.

To THE EDITOR or The SUS-Sr: In a
letter signed r. S." which appears In THE
Sun Of May 9. notice that a very sweeping
statement is made concerning the New York
police force. Your correspondent says. With
out qualification or condition. New York
policemen are the best paid and the most nm
necessarily rude and violent OF any in the
world.
Apparently the criticism IL based on the
writer's own experiences and though ! do
not question what he personally vouches for,
yet II would be Of interest to know II men
as travelled as he is concur In his very un-
favorable estimate OF this large and important
body NJ public servants.
II Ia admittedly poor logic TO reason from
particulars to a universal conclusion, but
when the experience Of one individual is made
the ground for a damnng indictment Of this
kind think the experience Of another in
favor Of a different view may, without apOl-
oRy, he adduced
|, too, have travelled eNtensi yely through
Europe. and have lived for considerable time
in Italy and England. aud from my own OBJ
servation cannot say that the police Of his
city are behind their European brethren in
either civility or that general efficiency upon
which an intelligent civilian is at liberty TO
H.
am I interested In defending American in
stitutions. but like 10 see fair play "R. s."
refers to the rough handling Of women which
he witnessed AZ Nineteenth street and Fifth
avenue during the CaChoc parade but as a
setoh against this most willingly bear testi-
mony 10 the exceptionally able and courteous
direction Of the huge congestion which
was In position to observe from the corner
Of Forty third street and Fifth avenue. From
that spot I saw the whole procession pass on
saturday, and time and again the police were
called on to regulate the less ruly clements
necessarily TO be found IN 80 huge a crowd
Though was close and critical watcher Of
the men In blue ! must say have nothing hut
admiration for the good humored tact and
the masterful ability with which they pre-
served order and At the same time consulted
the comfort and safety of the citizens
| know that al least on one occasion a panic
and possibly a hideous catastrophe was
aVerted by their quick and Courageous action
In checking somc horses which very nearly
succeeded in getting from under control and
plum ginR into a group Of women and chill
dren, For actions like this there IL no word
of praise but lei police officer exhibit
little shortness Of temper and forthwith there
is deluge OF complaints hurled against the
whole body.
Surely the Use Of such Incorporate language
IA "overpaid hlackguards" applied by your
correspondent to deserving set ofnen whose
duty IA for the most part performed under
eNacting circumstances Ia an indication Of a
want Of that control OF temper which he 80
eloduently deplores as lacking in the police
Of his own city, They may be overpaid
have no knowledge Of what their pay Is: but
as a stranger ! may perhaps be permitted 10
protest against the word black guard. Ameri-
cans surely do not indorse such an epithet,
and while its use does not enforce the arRu-
ment Of "R. s." 1t will not appeal 10 your
readers as indicative Of the good taste OF a
writer who from the safe shelter Of anonym-
ity is so unspsring in his comments on a
body for whom Americans might endeavor
to secure that respect which ia 80 great an
aid TO executive administration, l.. |. c.
ASTORIA. May 8.