The Cairo bulletin., 1909-11-26

'ected at the committee meeting
Wednesday night. Mr.. Williams ex-
pressed himself feelingly about this,
declaring that it was the most brutal
exhibition of the kind he had ever
seen or heard of in connection with
an investigation purporting to have
been instituted to ascertain the truth
concerning mater of important pub
lie concern. Il do not propose to be
a party to inviting citizens before the
committee to make their complaints.
and have them brow beaten and gross
lily insulted," said the alderman. Mr..
kluge is an Old citizen here and
came before the committee on my in
yifation and assurance that he would
be treated right. He came to tell his
little story in a simple and | believe
truthful way. and he had a right to
respectful hearing. So far as | am
to come before the committee TO ties.
tify."
But little can be, or need be added
"A w
Mr. Klrge is an old man, has lived
nearly all his life in Cairo. has been
identified with the city's commercial
and official life-and his record is
clean as q citizen, as business man
and as an official of the city, serving
a number OF wears as a member of
the city council.
Mr. Kluge told his story simply and
the point in that story, which should
have had significance for the commit
tee. was that Chief Egan had procured
bond for the negro dive keeper
who Mr.. Kluge had himself brought.
into court, after complaints to the po-
lice had been of no avail. The force
Of this point was recognized by the
CHIEF and his friends and the purpose
Of the riot created by them was to
break its effect upon the committee.
The counter charge against the wit
ness was contepy3tible under the cir
cunstances.
II Il understood, however, that the
mayor, in his call for the inyestiga.
ton by the committee. has purposely
limited the inquiry to the charge that
money graft exists, in the police depart
ment, and he refuses to permit the
committee to hear or to consider any
charges Of corruption in other di
rections. The mayors purpose in do
ing this can be satisfactorily explain
ell only unon presumption that is
not creditable to him and must weak.
en-, II not destroy, any confidence the
friends Of good government may have
had in his expressed purpose to clean
up the town. The mayor must know
and the chief must know. that the
charges Of money graft and of general
corruption in the police department
are not confined to the editorial col
umns of the Bulletin. but Tiaye been
heard for years at the street corners
and IN the public houses Of the city;
and when they attempt TO block
full inquiry by means that are
foul. placing all blame for whatever
wrongs may exist in the department
upon the patrolmen, and themselves.
self-adorned with self-manufactured
haloes taking refuge in the thread
bare phrase Il don't know" they pre-
sent a spectacle that is not pleasant
TO contemplate.
The Bulletin has not the least doubt
that the maiorty-the large majority
of the committee earnestly and
honestly desire to make a full and fair
investigation. but it repeats what it
has said before, that the committee
will be so hampered by its lack of
power and by the determined resis-
lance Of the mayor and chief of police
that such an investigation is out of
the question and a verdict that viii
amount to anything more than a
white wash" will he out Of the ques-
ton.
AS TO BUSINESS INTERESTS