The Caucasian., 1910-08-11
MAYOR GAYNOR
Greater Reformef than Any Reformer
Elected Mayor of New York.

his duties WIFI the local dSSOCidllOII, Was
greatly shocked at the attack on Mayor
Gaynor, for whom he has a high ad-
miration, because he says he is the most
practical mayor New York has had in
many years.
Mr.. Hirsch was engaged in settlement
work ON the East Side in New York,
and aside from his general observations
of the mayors practical work enabled
to see the actual results in his own line
of work
Mayor Gaynor recognized settlement
work as powerful agenty for good" 4"
said Mr.. Hirsch, and appointed Chas.
B. Stover, the founder of the original
settlement university in the lower East
Side, as commissioner of parks. Mr..
Stover lived in the ghetto district for
many years, got close to the people
here, and did much to improve their
condition. He has devoted much of his
time to the establishment of neighbor-
hood parks, those little breathing places
which mean so much to those who are
crowded like sheep in the heart of a
densely populated city like New York.
Mayor Gaynor took a great interest in
this work, and has helped Mr. Stover
in every way that he could.
Mayor Gaynor reformed many things
in the conduct of the police courts. He
was behind the measure known as the
new magistrate bill, which provided for
a chief magistrate for the police courts,
and created a court for domestic rela-
tions. This latter institution is God
send to those unfortunate families which
have to air the personal tribulations be-
fore magistrate. Formely they ap-
peared at any OF the regular police
| courts, and were obliged to mingle with
criminals of the worst type. A chief
justice was created for the court of spe-
cial sessions, and two justices were add
ed to that court to facilitate the prompt
trial of cases sent that court by the po-
hcec ourts. He has broken the right
hand power of police graft through
abolishing the plain clothes men in the
districts. These men were practically
nothing more or less than the collect
ors of graft All detective work is now
assigned to the newly established cen
trail office. He has done away with
much of the cruelty of the police in
making arrests by abolishing the club
The methods of the police in handling
persons who fell under their displeasure
was often very severe, and there have
been cases where suspected crooks have
been very roughly handled when arrest
ed, and then finished after their pedi-
grees were taken.
Recently he attended session of
the night court, coming in quietly and
taking a seat behind the magistrate He
listesed to the trial Of several cases, but
was not observed by the police who
were testifying. He saw many of the
accused discharged for lack of evidence,
and one young man, who had been bad
" beaten by the police, was discharged
because there was nothing against him.
The result of that nights visit to the
court was number of charges of neg
lect of duty and brutality.
He also inaugurated the identified
ton card system, by which any citizen
or resident of New York, by filing his
name and address and the Endorsement
of two citizens, is given an identification
card signed by the mayor, which will
save him from arrest for any misde-
meanor he may be charged with. The
policeman on being shown the card will
take his name and address and notify
him when to be il court This system
breaks Up the straw bond business.
There is no branch of the govern
ment of the great city Of New York
that Mayor Gaynor does not know
something about He inquiries into ev-I
erything, and whenever he can make
improvements he does it. He noticed
one day that the driver of the snow
wagons did not get down and shovel
snow with the rest of the men, He
thought the city was being deprived of
the services of a man 10 whom it paid
a salary, and brought about a change
that made the driver earn his money
like the rest. All Investigations of ac-
counts are made through the public ac-
eotultant's office, and not left to the
heads of departments, so it can be seen
that this guarantees a. thorough and a
fair investigation. He has appointed
specialists to handle the several depart
mehts under him. No better man than
Mr. Slower could have been named for
commissioner of parks. Ernest Led
derle, the commissioner of sanitation, is
an expert Of national reputation. Com
missioner of Tenement Houses Murphy
is the best man who ever filled that of
fee in New York And so on down the
line Mavor Gaynor has done constr,ic-