New-York tribune., 1911-02-22
MAYOR DISCUSSES POLICE
Sends Second InstaIment OF His
Annual Message to Aldermen.
THIRD STILL TO FOLLOW
Fewer Arrests, Less Graft and
More Individual Liberty
Now, He Asserts.

HOW, ElC klooCA so.
NTavor C,avnor dlscourseh on the police
IN the second iastalment of his annual
message 10 the Board OF Aldermen. pre-
sented TO that body ycsi >rday. II vas
largely a reiteration Of the Mayors views
on that subject. already familiar TO ire
public, ard a statement Of things he nad
done 10 reform tho police along those lines
As a rule the Mayer sends In but one
message q year to the Board ot Alder
men, and in his message u two weeks ago
on the subway question there was no inti-
nation that any more was 10 come. OPEN
ing yesterday however. the Mayor said;
This is a continuation or my communi-
cation 10 you Of February 7. and shall
conclude it ty letter which is still to
follow"
When the message was presented to tho
toard Alderman Walsh asked: is II for
the purpose Of recounting the works OF mo
administration that these lengthy COM
munications are sent TO us?''
President Mitchell smiled as he replied:
The president has never been so rash
as to attempt 10 explain the workings OK
the executive mind"
such finished literary shape, when We have
nothing 10 do with it?" went on Alderman
Walsh.
Alderman Bowling. leader ot the Tam
many majority. defended the document.
which was not read but was ordered spread
on the minutes
In his prelude the Mayor said: The adj
ministra. ion OF the police force has been
gradually changed during the year 1910 In
several respects. Ilegalities and abuses
had gradually grown up therein during
course of years. The fault was not with
the force, but With those who had ruled IT.
The arbitrary interferences with the right
of the individual had grown 10 be greater
here than anywhere eles in the civilized
world. and the other large cities OF this
country were gradually Initiating them"
The Mayor said he was nappy 10 say that
the number Of arrests In 1910 had de-
creased by some fifty thousand from the
record Of 1909. "I look upon this with
great satisfaction" ne said. and hope TO
see the number of Illegal arrests still fur
ther decreased this year The only reason
for the night court was 70 enatle the
multitudes OF innocent persons arrested
during the night to be heard by a msgis-
trate and discharged, instead of teing locked
up all night or compelled to hire pro-
fessicnal bondsman. When the police cease
to arrest without sufficient ,ause that court
will not be needed"
The abuse OF assaults committed by po-
llcemen, the Mayor reported, was much
bated. and he added that during the year
no speaker or peaceahle assemLlage had
been interfered with without an illegal
thing being spoken or done.
Il have particularly made the police au-
thortties understand the Mayor wrote,
that those who entertain views ~ gov
ernment or Of economic or social order
different from ours are not 10 be interfered
with or denied the right OF freedom OF
speech and Of assembly on that account
A propaganda by Intellectual persuasion
and peaceable means for changes In the
form OF government or social order Is law
ful and not 70 be meddled with, much less
oppressed by the police" Then followed
short dissertation on socialism, ending;
They may ct light in on us or We may let
light In on them. As John Stuart Mil saws,
that which seems the height OF absurdity
TO one generation often becomes the height
Of wisdom 20 the next
Speaking OF the authority OF the Police
Commissioner under the charter 70 appoint
special policemen the Mayor said For
public officers to be employed and paid as
such by private individuals and corpora
tions and made subject 10 rheir orders il
contrary 20 the first principles Of govern
ment So far as I know this Is the first
law that ever permitted sucn a thing. \
1Tzfra In, sha. ,tI n.
n, interest and under no sense OF duty ex-
cept 10 the public. These special police
men are no longer furnished.
The Mayor told Of his orders 70 the police
IN regard 70 the enforcement OF the excise
law In accordance with the idea OF the law
and not for the purpose of collecting black
mail as in past years. Then followed this
paragraph On outward order:
The chief duty OF a police force IS 20
, enforce ard preserve outward order ard
decency and the public Ieace. This has
been often impressed on me force during
the wear. Much has been done in driving
vicious people out of sight, and have no
hesitation in saying that this city is out
wardlv the most orderly. safe and inoffsn-
sive large city in the world. And yet We
had a considerable number Of people who
seemed bent on declaring otherwise and
sending out the worst notlon possible OF
our moral uncleanness ana wickedness
They seem TO have grown more charitable
and decent
Speaking about the abolishment OF tho
oldtime plaincIcthes men and the reorgani-
zation Of the secret Service Bureau under
the head of Deputy Commissioner Flynn
the Mayor said: The result seems 20 be
good but we are still watching the change
with interest"