New-York tribune., 1921-10-31
Cochran Starts
.Hylan Cohorts
CIleeringTweed
Tammany Unlimbers Its Big
OratoricaI Gun at Man
haitian Opera House and
Results Arc Surprising
Mayor Termed Il Model
His Good Works Perfect;
ALI Due to Murphy's Or.
ganization, Eulogist Says

Cochran last night in the defense Of
Mayor Hylan. The famous 1ammany
orator spoke at the Manhattan Opera
House at the first Sunday meeting Of
the campaign. He did moro than de-
fend Hylan. lie defended Tammany
Hall, even to Boss Tweed, and so po-
tent was the charm of his words or so
true the sympathy Of his audience that
they interrupted him with tumultuous
applause at mention Of Tweeds name.
Cochran worked his way UP TO Tweed
toward the end of a glowing tribute to
Tammany Hall as the source Of all that
was goo6 and beautiful in the city. He
had got as far as to say even Tweed's
peculation had this desirable lo'---- when
he had to pause before the storm of APP
plausc. When he had obtained silence
again he explained that although the
Tweed expenditures Of city money wrrc
cXtravagant they we're directed toward
"highly desirable purposes
Purpose No Mean Ono
The purpose Of Mr.. Cochran himself
was no mean one. It was his inten~
tion. he said to show that New York
under the Hyian administration had
tho best government 1t over had and
WAS the best governed city in the
world
"My purpose" he said, "is not TO
urge Mayor Hylan's reelection, be-
cause the closest scrutiny Of his ad-
ministration has failed TO disclose
even the shadow of wrong. I am here
to advocate it OF the broader ground
that this is the best governed city in
crned now than at any time in its
whole history.
This, ] am aware. is q statement
that may prove startling even among
those who are ready to vote for Mayor
1Iylan, so thoroughly has hostile
press, controlled by corporate and
FINANCIAL interests, beclouded public
knowledge of the conditions under
which we arc living"
Efficiency in municipal governncn cnt,
said Mr.. Cochran. could be gauged by
seven teats The maintenance Of order
aud protection Of life and property, the
quantity and quality Of its water sup
ply, the preservation of public health,
the efficiency of transit facilities, the
adequacy of its measures to encourage
and stimulate commerce by construction
OF docks and terminals, "the capacity
OF It's schools in number and equipment"
and tho rate of taxation.
Puts City First in All
"Now. it is fact capable of demon
stration beyond question" he continued,
that in all these respects New Yorl,
the world. To demonstrate it beyond
any possibility of doubt is not difficult.
Il is the task which | have set for my
self tonight"
Mr.. Cockrsn first took up the test Of
protection of property and life. The
efficiency of the Fire Department, he
said, was proved by the fire insurance
rate of go cents hundred dollars, the
lowest in the country, and by the fact
that New York had suffered from no
conhagrations.
But even more extraordinary than
the record Of the Fire Department for
efficiency" said Mr.. Cochran, dis that
of the Police Department. Here in
sober truth we are face to face with
what may be described in terms of
strictest, accuracy as phenomenon of
civilization. 1t is so extraordinary
that to persons who have not actually
studied it and become familiar with it
by personal examination it strains the
bounds of verisimiitude.
Let me try family to describe it.
Here is the greatest city in the world,
not merely the iarges' but
the most complex population that can be
found on the face Of the earth. and
therefore presenting the utmost Difficult
ties in maintaining peace and order. yet
that most difficult task is performed
with an efficiency which has no parallel
anywhere by a force Of about 1900
men,
No foreign city, said Mr.. Cochran,
thought for moment of relying upon
the police to maintain order Except un-
der conditions which are strictly nor
NAL" If there were election crowds in
the streets or festival crowds, he said.
soldiers invariably were called in, yet
New York had not seen soldiers doing
police duty since 1858
There we're great crowds in the
streets here. he continued, when the
soldiers were coming back from France.
but the police alone maintained order
under those trying circumstances.
Friends of Everybody
Here the policeman is the friend of
everybody IN the neighborhood, he
said. 1When The housewife meets =
whether it affects the supply of food
for the family or control OF any mem
berthe contidant she seeks is always
the officer OH post.
"No"nere is the extraordinary benev-
oleat character OF the New York police
man displayed so strikingly as in his
treatment Of the poor. The outcast the
forlorn, those Wretchcd beings. drift
wood in the tide Of municipal lie,
homeless, hopeless, outlawed. not
through crime but through misfortune.
who in other countries are objects Of
contempt and often Of injury by uni
formed officers OF the law. to the New
York police are objects Of benevolencc
to a degree that few OF US appreciate.
Acts of violence by police officers
are by no means unknown. but this,
think, can be said without any fear Of
offending Against truth, seldom, i.
ever, has { policeman been known to
strike or do any violence whatever
to helpless tramp when Il uniformed
man uses his club improperly it is al
most invariably on some one who can
put up some Kind fight in his own
defense.
And this explains why they have
oeen able to achieve another result in
3olice administration which is so com
,letely without parallel in all the
world that we can hardly believe It. /
'efer to the mar.a Gus. almost unbe-
levablc success of the New York
police in banishing commercialize
ice from the city which they guard"
Calls Transit Issue Simple
O. the water supply test of munic-
sI