New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-28
Only Beginning Of Great Task.

Rockefeller and he assumed office to-
gether. Ii was before Judge OSullivsn.
4 special grand jury was about 10 be
sworn TO investigate the white slave traf-
fic when he met Mr. Rockefeller, who had
come 10 court 10 ask to be excused from
service. Judge O'Sulivan refused and
made Mr. Rockefeller foreman OF that
jury.
Judge O'Sulliyan never rendered a
greater service 10 the city. the state and
the nation-and he rendered good
many" >aid Mr. Whitman. than when
lac appointed as foreman Of that jury your
and my honored friend
That grand jury's report was most
valuable contribution to the literature on
that subject the District Attorney said,
but with it Mr. Rockefeller's work did not
cease and he has been al work since 10
devise some means 10 cope with the evil.
Mr.. Whitman said he would not speak
about crime There was little good, II
any. N telling narrowing details OF crime
All crime was sordid, disagreeable. un-
wholesome and vile. ard there was moth
ing romantic about 1t.
I'VE III lliio Wy diN '''
proving" he said II believe that con-
ditions in New York are getting better
from decade TO decade. II is said that
New York is better than other great
cities OF approximately its size. | know
little about other great cities; 1t may be
true that conditions here are better.
Plenty Of Criminal Laws.
But after all this is no answer to the
inquiry why conditions are as We find
them. IL is our concern that New York
shall be as good as we can make it. |
don't believe i'm the demand for more
laws. We have laws enough. | some
times think we have too many. | venture
10 say that we would have enough stat
utcs-at least those dealing with crime
If our Legislature adjourned for quarter
Of a century"
The principal trouble was the lack OF
onfol cement. the District Attorney went
OH. and this was largely due TO the lack
of interest on the part OF the voters.
The vote in 1907. when judges were
elected was lil,0o less than the Presi-
dcptial vote of 1905. Yet. he said, the
election of judges in 1871 was of as vital
inheritance. or more so, than that OF
a President i'm 1903.
"Ir ANYTHING is responsible for condl-
;ions- due perhaps as they are TO those
charged with the enforcement OF the law
il is primarily the fact that lll,oo voters
did not care II is up To us to see that
,,o, Who arc sincerely devoted to the
rrorositiou that the laws should be en-
forced do their duty as voters. The en-
forcemcnt of laws depends on the people
themselves. You get as good govern
ment as YOU ask for
Mr.. Rockefeller said he could not de-
scribe Mr.. Whtman's work because 1t
would take him until dawn Judge Whit
man was Jealous OF him, he said, because
M. had five children. while Mr. Whitman
had only one.
lie thinks his one is worth my five"
n. said. but | don't concede that"
The strong words spoken by Mr.. Whit
man Mir. Rockefeller went on. came with
"A particular force, as they were uttered
by n man Who was doing tho things he
urged others to do. Any man could criti-
else bur he vino coupled with his criti-
cism an earnest effort TO help was the
citizen needed.
Or simon FleXncr. of the Rockefeller
Institute had told earlier i'll the evening
q tho aims Of experimental medicine.
pr Flexncr was a houcfactor, not only
of this city AMI country. hut OF all lands.
Mr.. Rockefeller said.
pr Thomas Darlington. former Health
Commissioner. gave talk on public
health.
About -four hundred members OF the
bible class aud their guests were present.