New-York tribune., 1909-02-09
NO CHEERS FOR BINGHAM
HIS LIEUTENANTS DINE.
Silence Greets Complimentary Ref
erences to the Com missioner.

Commissioner Bingham and mis- deputies. Hanson
| and Bugher. were not present last night, when six
hundred members of the Police Lieutenants' Benev-
oent Association and their friends held their annual
dinner at the Waldorf. If the Commissioner has q
thin skin II is probably well that he was not pres
| ent, for whenever his name was mentioned It was
received with frost that settled on the wine
glasses and made diners turn up their coat col
| lars In not one of the speeches was the Com
| missioner mentioned by name, but several CrneS
when something said that might be taken as q
reference to him. though 1t was hardly compli-
fentary, the applause deafening.
A letter of regret from General Bingham was
read along with others, and. while each of them
cheered, there wasn't a ripple of applause
when the Commissioners was read. COMMISSIONS
Bingham at the dinner last year, and caused
much comment by announcing that criminal could
be hired for any deed within few blocks of the
Waldorf
Though General Bingham was not there, Deputy
Commissioner Baker, who is great favorite with
the rank and file Of the department. was.
1T Is moved and seconded that Commissioners
Baker be made honorary member of the asso-
citation" said Lieutenant Richard Enright the
| postmaster and there was volley of "ayes" that
shook the ceiling OF the ballroom Deputy Com
missioner Woods also attended the dinner.
The first speaker Archbishop Farley who told
of his admiration for the Police Department he
said that when visitors this country asked him
where were the soldiers so common in every large
European city he pointed the finest" as he
called them.
, ''The policeman's eve is better than his baton
he said. ''I do not believe YOU will find an equal
number Of Ia-abding self-respectng superior Off
GERS, all OF whom have risen from the ranks. any
where the world to equal those of the New YORK
Police Department
Letters of regret were then read by the toast
master from President Roosevelt, Governor Hughes
Andrew Carnegie, Mark Twain, former Police Com
missioner William McAdoo. Herman Ridder. Deputy
Commissioner Hanson, Martin W. Lltteton senator
McCarren and Commissioner Bingham Lieutenant
Enright then announced that all the heutenants
present were excused until O'Clock this morning.
after which he said:
table they are Knocked and Whacked against
one another, whiried and twisted; Pocketed and
ed first one way and then another, framed snd
who are pleased play their game for glory OF
gain. for applause or power -. .,,.
opinion still holds to some extent the idea that tin in
nes Out Of the goom stilI sIks the ghost of
years ago. which. like the ghost OF Ban9go. Will
TO be enough. There are courts in this land
condemn or acqUit Morality for the most part is
the verdict Of the police To be policeman IN IN
and practical psychology. To mix with the mob
to rub elbows ana Watcn me hsuIS & Sa0 1d sS5 Of
every race has tendency to enlarge the kno"l-
the world They explore this world at close range
they come near to the springs OF human ti actGr ION
waves of criminal life. They find that men are good
or bad, or charitable heartless, by reason of
something within and not by virtue of any name or
rank they may bear profession or trade they
In this great cosmopolitan city no man or set OF
poiices and their ideals the standard for all the
people. There must be left some room for others
extremists have the greatest confidence in their
Upn Unon the Dubio seTvants as raw material with
which they will reconstruct constitutions and
eogs: some will be ropes They are surprised to ind
baa Saat soe des Of their own f6at they refuse 10
work with other cogs, refuse TO turn with ottleTr
rs6d taorIes which can onIy be realized when the
gsu - eo, -. eT na,,e or No ,1iic servant en-
ters into the spirit and pride Of this great city
streets safe for all and at midnight; at the
first sign of riot and disorder they are again as
feeble hands :As we sow. SO shall we reap
community are sowing discord and disrespect for
public and institutions, for bench and bar dis
whiriwind Of riot and revolution: toward which the
great army OF the disconented IS Grittg II ma t
post We answer, yes The last policeman will
perish before riot and revolution will prevail in
New York.
Everett P. Wheeler. a member Of the city Civil
Service Commission for many years. praised the
Police Department for the work that It had done
ard said that New York the safest city I'm
the world Since the days of the draft riots when
the department to behaved admirably,
he said that the good work had been carried on.
Mr.. Wheeler said he did not believe the stories
that the police stood by each other 70 cover up
wrongdoing. CresweH Mclaughlin speaking
when Mayor Mcclellan arrived The band played
The Star Spangled Banner while the diners and
the hundreds of their wives and sweethears in the
galleries cheered- Mr.. McLaughlin's speech brought
much applause.
CHEERS FOR THE MAYOR.
As Mayor Mcclellan arose to speak there was
prolonged applause. The Mayor said he had been |
speaking at another dinner when he seized
by q committee of Ueutenants. It the first
time the history of the police that they had
ever abducted the Mayor. he said. He believed !
in organization among the city employees because |
It brought them closer together. Then he praised
the work OF the whole department, especially the |
Traffic Squad When he said that the efficiency |
and discipline of the department had increased in
the last few years through the efforts Of those I'm
power there wasn't sound. 1T is the finest |
police force IN the world" said the Mayor.
John Temple Graves, the next speaker, ap |
plauded many times. He said that he believed the
police force would be much better off II 1t were |
governed by a who had risen from the ranks. !
III n Il A