New-York tribune., 1909-07-03
THE RESPONSE.

Police Commissioner Baker takes pains to in
form the public that he is not friend Of Sena-
tor McCarren. But what earthly difference does
it make whose friend Mr.. Baker is! He has
carried out the orders which il Is generally
agreed would have reduced General Bingham to
a figurehead, and ii is certain that Baker is no
more important than Bingham would have been
i he had obeyed those orders. Mr.. Baker is
cipher He may represent the Akhoond of Swat
in the Police Department for all the public cares
Let him save his breath There is man higher
up' in the department, with headquarters at the
City Hall. Mr.. Baker is simply the man who
was ready to be the fgurehead that General
Bingham would not be. Some SubordnateS of
his are bigger men than he is, such Is the topsy
turvy system the Mayor has introduced. One of
them a Irot6ge of Murphy. has an office in the
City Hall. and reports only TO the Mayor. Other
subordinates have control Of the Rogues Gal
lery, and the Commissioner has no authority over
them in respect to that function. Autonomous
Brooklyn, too-will the fgurehead of the Police
Department have anything to say in that domain
where the new Deputy Commissioner may elect
whether he will consult the new Inspector Gen
eral at the City Hall, the Mayor himself or
Senator pat" McCarren?
Evidences multiply as 10 what the upheaval
in the department signifies. Inspector Russell,
who reduced by the Mayors orders to
CaDtaincy, committed the same offence GcneraI
Bingham did. He policeman who knew
10 politics. Such inSubOrdinaton to the real
masters Of the city had to be punished And the
public appreciates fully what has happened. 1t
is keeGy alive to the reaction toward Deveryism.
The response TO the betrayal of the citys inter
eStS has been immediate. clear and inciSive-
Almost every newspaper in the city including
those which have usually supported the Mayor
condemns him in mmistakabIe language. Such
unanmity in appraiSing n public officer or a
public act is remarkable. II indicates clearly that
the reputable people of this city of one mind
about the necessity of keeping the police out Of
politics and free from DeveryiSm. An issue
has been raised beside which. in the popular
mind, extravaganza, waste and lack of traction
facilities pale into fnsignifcance. In the most
dramatic way possible the Mayor has recalled to
the public what a return of Tammany to com
pete control of the city means. He has sharp
ened the weapons of the ant-Tammany cam
pagnerS. Shall New York have an honest
police force or shall the force be ruled by the
politicians who protect vice and crime? VIII
New York calmly see control Of its police made
part of the graft Of politics? That is the issue.
No doubt the Tammany politicians expect TO
use the police on Election Day, whatever the
Mayors views are but what Is their chance?
They have called attention openly to their plans.
The people are on the alert The officers
moved from the department Will be in touch
with what is being done. If it is true as re
ported. that the Mayor has declared his inten-
tion TO be factor in the coming city election
think it is likely that he has already realized
his intention-but in the reverse direction from
that on which he reckOned.