Year: 1870

system would destroy the community, and II the
Dill was passed by this Legis azure and went into
encct tnere would De system as bad az that or
1901. ne thought his dusy 10 occupy the attention
oI the House for q few moments, In order to simply
present Tor consideration the history OF the present
police system. and he asked. should that efficient
| system be now destr0yed9 When the act was op-
posed III 1897 by the then Mayor WOOD although the
n reinstated every policeman In MS oice aud con-
| unued hiin those policemen were ADVISED not 10
take the position under the new department.
THREE HUNDRED ARMED POLICEMEN


were concentrated to shield the civic authority and
10 was not uniil the Seventh regiment surrounded
the city Hall tnat the Mayor finally yielded, ana per-
TO test the constitutionay OF the law, The conser-
vators were armed TO resist the service OF the civil
not have Terminated easily mad 1t for the
enlclency or the present SYSTEM The present
system system simply took the department away from
dependent footing. 1t was that system that
mad worked so weil that was now sought to be
turned. He could say in such large cosmopolitan
city as New York 1t was impossible that every po-
lceman should faithfully discharge MS duty. He
ness, that tue dlscipline OF the Police Department.
ana the general conduct OF its members were en-
titled the praise OF citizen OF the State and
county Of New York. He dld not speak OF tins in
any partisan sense, but the present system was
NOW SOUGHT 10 BIZ OVERTURNED,
as II by wand, and TO restore 1t to all the bad
features or the Old SYSTEM He would say, In con-
cluslon, standing there as the representative OF
district or New York, tnat he had been In receipt OF
several letters, not only fr0m republicans, but some
Leading democrats, asking IN earnest terms could





| might be stopped lie would mention that the
editor OF police newspaper, q man who had been
d h Buy 5 anp os
characteristic features OF parrsansnIp aud de-
nounced the act gene, ally as calculated 10 suDvert
law aud order.


A VIGOROUS ASSAULT.


Mr. KlfRNAN rose 70 reply. He said he came from
New YORK as the representative OF the Eleventh dis
trict lie desired 10 advance to the House the rea-
sons why the present system should be suovcrted
and another substituted IN It's stead IN accordance
with the wishes ana desires of the citizens OF New
YORK. The bull before the House relating to the
Metropolitan Police SYSTEM together with tue two
other bills which had been referred TO the Commit
tee on the Whoe were the JOINT result Caucus OF
Senator'S and Assembyinen representing the
city and county OF New York. wien the exception
or Mr. white. The Dill was acceptable to the
great majority Of the representatives IRON that part
Of the state, and II IL were Tor no other reason it
should receive the unanimous sanction OF the
House. But there were other ana higher reasons
why it should become a law. In the first place.
1t was In conformity with the letter spirit or the
control OF lhe present Metropolitan Police Commits
sion bill. La the next place, It was reflex OF


THE POPULAR SENTIMENT


which now prevailed IN the city, and he thought
that no man IN this House would oppose the passage
le9e. The representatives rom New YORK aid not
ask any rights TO winch they were not entitled lie
SPECIAL enactments, but they asked the House
TO pronounce its absolute condemnation OF
tnat unconstitutional system cI special legls-
city OF New York, and they asked tins not
from democrats alone but they asked 1t from those
honest and intelligent minded men of THAT repre-
sentative body which had hitherto fought against
secondary legislation. Tney asked 1t or those far
seeing, deep-thlnkng men, the minority who ba-
lieved that tnat system OF special legislation


BARRIER TO THE CONSTITUTION


ana opposed to the rights Of the people OF this
Mr. Wnltel had stated that the entire party which
he represented was III favor of The present conf
begged to take issue with him, and to tell him mat
he was acquainted with the leading men opposed TO
nm IN p9'.les u s;s ss.ss:s'os, anu Was


- THE DARLING WISH


OF their hearts that this Legislature should wipe ont
by itself the COMMISSION as 1t existed upon the
statute books in years past. He did not desire TO
speak OF The interests of the republican parry for he
believed us representatives present would scarcely
give him credit for sincerity II ne assumed SUCH
wish OF the representatives or the party to when
he belonged mai the bill should be passed
He had taken occasion 20 consult the matter little
Now the plain consequences OF this special taxation
was that thc democratlc party had been increasing
its vote, while tlat OF the republican mad been de-
croasng, with the exception OF the few corrupt
men controlling the organization In New York. the
democratic vote mad been largely on the increase.
The last majorilies, as given by the democratic
party In 1887 were forty thousand In 1853 the
majority was thirty seven tnousand in 1859 the ma
jorlty was seventy thousand. He WISHED to ask to
what might be ascrlbcd the large increase In the
democratic vote. He answered most empnaucally
H. was the system OF special legislation by which
the city Of New York had been governed. But the
American mind
COULD NOT BE SHAKEN.


No restraint could be imposed upon any Amer.
can citizen that he would not fling back. The pr-
curtailed. nor their rights invaded that would not
he met with corresponding reaction, and so 1t had
had been made to pass oppressive laws, when the
individual rights Of the community were IN
vaded the reaction. would accordingly set IN
and tue more loudly would they protest
against such action. And 80 1t had ever been, and
SO 1t would ever be. In the city OF New York. Now.
what were the provisions Of the bill which proposed
to abolish an unconstitutional measure and invest
the power which had been allotted TO The Metro
potan Police Commission In the Mayor and Board
head OF the city OF New York; the Board of Alder
men constituted the immediate representatives OF
tue people, and were elected TO districts every Two
years.


BODY WITHOUT HEAD.


II there be any evil IN connection with the city gov
eminent OF New YOrKwnich should be deprecated
more than any other 1t was q system whicn for
wan. ., tSed * "a accoantanty to .ne people every
own axis Without central power to control ITS ac-
ton. The Police Department was no exception
the bin now Introduced wps ID
to take and pass that power into the hands OF the
Mayor and make him the central head whicn would
direct, control and manage the machinery not only
OF the Police Department, but OF every other depart
ment In connection with the city government, ana
all respectable OF both parties VINO have spoken
and written upon tins subject had declared
In favor OF the principle and the PROPOSE
the State wnen he was Mayor or the city OF
New York wrote to the Common Council tnaI he





responsibility Of power was great evil in the city
government. And It was because tnat great truth
was now recognized, because 1t was desirable to act
no to that great principle that this bill was now
introduced. He asked that IN che name OF the en-
tire delegation from New York-in the name OF the
constitution or this Statc-n the name OF
justice-he asked that the House approve
OF It's passage lie, with others, asked 1t OF tnelr
democratic tlenos, because 1t was hoped trey would
stand as faithfully by them 1.-THE young democracy
now as IN the past New York had stood by them.
They asked 1t from those men who nj the last
n IN fn 0tlnn nnf oil htnsr
to the interest OF the city OF New YORK. He hoped
that by their action now those


PLEDGES WOULD BIZ REDEEMED
by voting for the passage OF the bill.
He fancied that their republican friends could not
very well put themselves record against the mea-
sure and for the reason that few days ago blll
was prepared having reference to The election
OF Police commissioners for the city of Oswcgo.
bill was introduced by his friend Mr.. Little
john, and the entire OF the New York delegation
had no hesitation In voting for It's passage Last
year bill similar In It's character was introduced
by Mr. sumner. OF Onondaga county, asking that
the Police Commissioners or syracuse should be
elected by the people. The New YORK delegation