The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-09-20

was lOunu taxing gra1t from the gam
bers. Perhaps l should not say that
unqualfedly. because the case has not
been tried But II is 70 charged. OF
course It was painful thing to the
Commissioner to be deceived in that
way by one Immediately under him.
But the same might happen to any
Commissioner. the same as defalcations
Of bank officers and trusted employees
are constantly happening.
Expected Cases of Graft.
1T was painful to me. although 7
fully expected that some cases OF graft
would develop. / knew very we'll that
could not at once destroy the deep
seated graft of forty years standing. 1t
is a matter which requires systematic
work and patience. The event was fol-
lowed by all sorts of false accusations
against the whole force.
at Is now known that Becker was
probably the head and front OF the
grating with which he was connected.
instead OF being the underlng or tool
of any one else. | think that the re-
spectacle people of the city have all
along kept their heads about the mat
ter and not given way to clamor
They know the Mayors job is hard
enc and also the Commissioner At
all events. conscious of what / had done,
and tried TO do. 10 reform the police
force. felt that | was entitled 10 the
good will and assistance OF every in
telligent and honest person in the city.
without any regard to party prejudice,
for YOU know that | have entirely dis
regarded that in the government of the
city. But many people have attacked
me in the most uncharitable and vicious
manner. like Rabbi Wise. for instance.
But they have moved me less than you
may suppose. and you are well ac-
'quainted with me.
"ln the midst OF the din and fury
kept saying 10 myself each day: Now
You must be patient. 4 bad thing has
happened But you must take 1t as an
incentive to work harder than ever to
accomplish what You have set out to
do. Bend TO Gods will of you and be
content And that Is what the Police
Commissioner is doing. lie is a younger
man. and probably felt the abuse and
falsehood more keenly than / did. In the
midst of all the nagGing and noise we
have made a most careful investigation,
into. not through the newSpap pers, how
ever, and | think We have our bear
ings. We are going right on. If We have
not received the help and good will
which We felt eve were entitled to- we
do not complain of IT, To do away with
the possibility of these gamblers and
the scoundrels who are allied with them
corrupting police officials here and
there is a hard thing. But l think we
will DO II. We have already taken most
of the graft out of the department. and
by patience and persistence 1t can all
be taken out.
"Tenth-We have entirely eradicated
from the department all graft in ap-
pointments and promotions For many
years they had been paid for. We re-
sorted to the simple eXpedicnt Of ap-
pointing and promoting from the eli
giblc list in numerical order. Under
that system 1t is impossible to sell ap-
pointments or promotions.
Unfortunate Women.
eleventh. come now TO mourn
ful subject. namely, that Of unfortunate
women. They were in the world at the
beginning of history. yes. at that bor-
der line where fable scarcely ceases and
history hardly begins, and they arc here
Yet, They will continue To be here
until by the aid of moral teaching the
hearts and propensltics Of men shall
be subdued and made better. These
women are what men made them. one
OF the chief causes of their rcsorting
to such n manner of life is that very
often they are paid wages which do not
enable them to live. They nrc driven
to It, Yet some of those who treat
them in this way come forward peri
odiCally to proclaim the loudcst and the
most cruelty against them. II It were
possible under the law to lock all OF
| these women up. which II Is not, and
we had places for their detention, which
we have not. an equal number would
promptly take their places. We have
to deal with them as best We can.
The tendency is for such women "a
congregate In one or a few localities
To prevent this tendency and scatter
| them all over the city would be the
worst thing that could happen. BY
their example they would scandalize
other women and girls all over the city
and cause them to go astray. Dealing
with them Is n routine. l have never
made any change In that routine. In
new policy in respect OF them. l did
| only one thing in respect OF changing
| the method Of enforcing the law with
regard to them. Before became Mayor
1t had for years been the custom to
send policemen to drink wine and eat
with such women, and take them to the
rooms OF the houses In which they
lived. This was to get evidence.
II issued orders that no policeman
should be assigned to any such de.
grading service. To subject policemen
to such temptation and degradation
was an outrage. In past years l have
gone over the literature Of the sub.
ject of prostitution, beginning with S.
Augustine, and ending In our owr
times with Lecky in his History OF
European Morals" and the chapter OF
Lilly in his First Principles In Poll,
| tics" ! wish that every man in New
York who thinks he would like to in
terfere with this subject should frs
read Lecky's great fifth chapter
cannot forbear quoting this one pas
sage from him:
"'tnder these circumstances ther,
has arisen in society a figure which !!
| certainly the most mournful, and II
some respects the most awful, upor
which the eye Of the moralist can dwell
II Herself the supreme type o
vice, she Is ultimately the most efH