New-York tribune., 1909-05-03
JEROME WISHES TO
ACCOUNT TO PUBLIC
PEOPLES INSTITUTE TO
EXAMINE HIN.
UW 4Hs1Cer IN Questions Abous
His administration - WiRs
Cooper Union audience.


speaking to an audience. some half dozen
members Of which seemed bent on preventing
his being heard. District Attorney Jerome asked
the Peoples Institute last night 10 allow him =
future opportunity to go before it and explain
the work of his Office and answer criticisms and
questions. He won his right u speak by per-
ssting. and he won his audience at the ssma
time, for the Interruptions ceased before he had
been speaking three minutes The applause that
punctuated his remarks became as enthusiasts
as the Interruptions had been.
His request for hearing 70 render accouns
Of his Official life was granted by = standing
vote when he had finished only the half dozen
who had tried to interrupt him voting IN ths
negative. and tsere was not a hiss in the Wild
applause that greeted the result Of the vote.
The District Attorney was introduced by
Charles Sprague Smith. who said that a man
who had been greatly criticised in his pubH3
career wished TO speak TO the people When
Mr.. Jerome arose there were wild yeIls OF
Question: Put him out-he's no good~'
Ladies and gentlemen yelled Mr. jerome.
"Order-we will have order yelled Mr.
Smith
Question Question Tell him to SIC
down." yelled the interrupters. while braVny po-
Hcemen elbowed themselves threateninsly tow
ard the offenders.
DISTURBERS THRUST INTO STREET
AS fast as a policeman reached a disturber
the disturber would subside, but another would
take up the cry Two offenders were finally
dragged. protesting. TO the doors and thrust
into the street Then only did the District At
torney get d chance 70 make himself heard
When he vas half through. however. another
disturber arose and shouted something unin-
telligibIe. The District Attorney faced him di-
rectly and shouted:
You want fair pIay-then give it to uA4
and the offender sat down
Mr. Jerome said:
have come here tonight to ask favor.
led 70 do II for this reason It seemed 70
me that the public officers in this city. and gen
orally in this country, we're not sufficiently N
touch with nor did they feel sufficient respons1-
bility 70 the persons who elected them. or whP
had the power OF election at Ieast. II seemed
to me that a public servant from time TO time
sbouId account TO the public for his Stewardship.
not account in written report. where he coult
give the thing the color he wanted not in news
paper interviews. where he could say what ~
wanted and refrain from saying what he want
ed but face to face with the people who have
the right to vote
Now vas not elected by a political party
and did on the ticket OF a politicaf
psrfv I cannot 20 to a political party TO ae-
count for my administration have got L,
hnd some way Of accounting TO the people |
an, not astzirS anv fsvOrs from anybody. but II
have done wrong should receive TAR SncA
7 should be understood, and ought 70 De ave
70 stand here as I do II you viii give me thsl
permission I am willing to have each and eyeTy
man or woman in this audience come mere am
ask me to answer any question Nnlcn conc.sTu cIS
the administration Of my Office. and VIII slahu
here and answer II
100000 CASES IN SEVEN YEARS.
For seven years you have intrusted to me ths
great powers and responsibilities Of the ofics
Of the District Attorney Of this county. In ths~
period more than one hundred thousand cr1rll-
nal cases have gone through my Office As u
many OF them. in the nature OF things coul3
have no knowledge. As to others OF them ns'i
full knowledge. I am not trying 70 aToi1 re-
sponsib Utilities for my acts nor The acts OF Ms
chosen assistants But do not condemn tne acJ9
and conduct of any public officer on mere rlirnor
Bring him up before you and examine ni'n "
he win come / viii come
II he can satisfy you that he did right, FoI
should approve him. and II ne cannot ~dtiS.-
Won that he did right. then, II yOu nud lI IS OH,
an honest r1fsts ke OF Judgment. YOU still slo-lt1
approve him None Of YOU gentlemen I've yo1r
own life without making mistake OF IuuS
nent Do you know anybody wno oosS No.
make mistakes in Judgment The onlT Jne'i
that know that are infall1ble are IN q sI4ss
ward And when they were walking ao@u' W
streets the only men that we're intailtbis tne'
were in the graveyards. ~
Now what I propose 70 10 IS tlls--U -
yoIIr permission to do ito come before yoil a
a later meeting this year to state brleny WAT
the powers and duties Of my once are as coh
csj,,s -ba1, To state very briefly how I havs
C5v;,i-+s-.5 +hAr7 and then answer each and
every question that eyerybody may pir 70 NJ
7 sh0uId prefer TO have the questions IN EFl1lnS
tbrae davs before the meetlng-nor tnat van
10 refuse 70 answer any questions, oul DeCsus
don't want to make any HllsStaIsIlsn % ~ -
Ty-bsn 7 have answered such d1esrons -
have bAen put TO in vrit1ng WIZ tH7..
answer anv and every question OF any hatG
s15 Lind n Vhatsoever, If we stay here All hlSh.s
concerning the operations OF my 5 olnce ~ :.
have been the incumbent But II Won doh So
- s+fsFactorv and accurate information N FsgaII
To facts when you ask q question py "vfu e
mouth IN won't be my fault can only guar
sntee accuracy Of fact II you VIII give ne tn5
Questions in advance, 50 shall know Wnat 5Ct
want -
fore an audience like this and answer questions
mt To him Public officers should be made u
fssI that they ought 70 come personally face -
fsce With the people and allow the people ~
ask them in a conversational way. Why did You
do such and such thing The gentlemen
Who don't like me are the gentlemen 1 want 90
come and hear me Tt is not my friends want
10 convince. il is those who are my enemies
Nv friends don't ask to convince but my
enemies. -
when a man tells YOU he doesn't care about
the approbatiOns Of his fellow men ne IS foot
and p liar He IS a liar because he tells YOU
sonnet hing that is not true and he - a toot
5e,.a,Iss 6a thinks that YOU believe t. would
rather have your appreciation than disapproo--
ton bttt 7 come here not for YOUR appfODaJicn
,r Instrumentation. that IT IS IN a sense hn-
ma teriaI whether get IT thlnh SEE an op
portunity for public service think see an
1DDortunitv for making it dthcuit for other
,,bIic Of7rers to evade meeting the people race
10 face and answering their questions, and you
,sad not be afraid of hurting my feelings. on
an mt the questions Just as directly ana HaIy
ss von pjesse 1 viii answer them to the best
Of my ability
-oozr crpzTUcrsuATP SNTpPEP