The Washington herald., 1912-12-22

| only duty of the police Is to protect the
lives and property of citizens. Next
| they should be compelled TO walk In
| sobriety-being hired to maintain order
| they should be orderly themselves. We
| have let it be understood that no police
man in Philadelphia will be permitted to
drink while on duty. 1 signed the papers
this morning dismissing eleven patrol
men for having been intoxicated at their
posts and in their uniforms.
Heretofore we have had a politica
police force. The same Is true OF Other
cities. Policemen have coerced men tC
vote a certain way on election day. This
was especially so with ignorant foreign
ers. ! suppose there are 100000 natives
of Eastern Europe living in this city
They were afraid at home of the police
and the military. The feeling was in
their hearts when they came to America
And policemen in Philadelphia, and per-
haps elsewhere, have gone to the houses
of such people, raped on the doors with
their batons and ordered the men how
and where to vote. They have even
clubs in hand. and personally seen that
their instructions were obeyed.
How the Police Learn to Graft.
"Such wGs the case here in the old
days. It is not the case at present, how
ever. l have ordered that all the en-
pioyes of the city cease their activities
in politics. They may vote as every citi-
zen should, and may attend political
meetings, but they cannot electioneer,
nor are they required to contribute to
campaign funds. The compulsory giving
of money TO political parties leads logi-
cally to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS will be
Offset by tricks of various kinds, and
some policemen will learn to demand and
accept brihes. Our police were COM
PEELED to purchase their uniforms at a
high price Of favored contractors. We
say: Here is a sample of the cloth. Buy
II where you please. Have it made up
by your own tailor A policeman should
be a self-respecting man. He cannot be
4 he is required by those above him in
authority to become a worker in ward
politics"
what is the first governmental need
of American cities?"
81 think my answer to that will be
found in what 1 have already said. I
would separate local matters from ma
tional questions. citizen may properly
vote his party ticket at national elections
| because he believes it represents his
principles. but he ought absolutely to be
Independent when he casts his ballot at
city election"
Are professional politicians any worse
than they used to be?'
They are neither worse nor better.
Human nature doesn't change much
from one generation to another. Public
| opinion now keeps the propenslties of the
Political boss in greater check than for
merly. Were it not for the fear of being
found out and published. conditions in all
oCr cities would be as bad as ever"
You have made some inquiries regard
| ing the dear cost of living?"
Yes: but we are not ready TO state
| our conclusions / can say. however,
that we are thinking about establishing
municipal markets in all parts of the
Philadelphia. and renting stalls therein
to farmers, butchers, and huCksters. We
| have taken the matter up with the man.
ayers of our rapid transit company, and
| they are willing TO help bring in the
| food from the country and to distribute
| it about the city. The freightage would
be carried at night-say from O'Clock
to o'clock in the morning.
People Once Carried Baskets.
Tomatoes last summer sold for s1.25
basket in Philadelphia. The grower in
Jersey, not far away, sold them for IS
cents a basket Railroads and middle
men got the difference. We want to
cheaper the cost of transportation and
to bring the producer and consumer
closer together. The heads OF families,
sometimes the husband, but more often
| the wife, used to do their own market
| ing. They carried baskets and were
personally acquainted with the dealers.
But the city grew away from the mar
ket houses, and the telephone came in
to bridge the distances.
THE telephone is a convenience, but 1t
has added to the cost of living. Mrs.
Blankenburg, for example, telephones for
-shad-the dealer says shad are selling
at 20 cents. He sends II to the house
| at delivery cost TO himself Of 10 cents.
That expense, OF course, has been added
| to the price. He can't have two prices,
and so the man or woman who buys a
shad and carries It home also pays 70
cents, and thus helps to maintain the
dealers horse and wagon.
Then the American people are notori-
ously extravagant. We say that we do
not produce as much food, person for
person. as we did in the past; that con-
sumption is forging ahead Of produc-
tion. That may be SO. I'll take the word
and figures of the statisticians and let
1t go at that 1t is my opinion, however,
that what we throw away would ma
terially cut down our apparent consump-
ton. and therefore tend practically at
least to increase our food supuIy.
Enough food is wasted in the United
States to feed Japan. have crossed
the Atlantic Ocean forty-two times and
the Pacific Ocean five times. / have
Travelled around the world. ann made
three journeys to the Orient. 1 learned
- see things and to get information
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