OCR Text |
Show ATTACKS THE "SYSTEM." The first order of Police Commissioner Arthur "Woods of IsTew York, who assumed as-sumed office Wednesday, was directed against the "system." In times past if a policeman wished to call tho commissioner's com-missioner's attention to some violation of the law ho had observed on hi beat, bo was compelled lo submit his application appli-cation foT an interview to tho captain, who would pas3 it along to tho Inspector, In-spector, nnd it was only after tha request re-quest had passed through tho hands of tho chief inspector that it would come beforo tho commiseioner. Under such circumstances there was no 'chanco of "putting tho commissioner commis-sioner wiso" to neglect of duty upon the part of the officers of the department, depart-ment, for tho requost of the policeman for an interview wonld never get past the captain and inspectors, and even if it did tho policeman makinjr it would probably oon Iofo hia place on the force. Commissioner Woods has cut out the red tnpo bo far as requests for inter views are concerned, and rcfu-es to I hedged about by official inferior?; who have reason to fear thai, ho may loam too much regarding the inner workings of the New York polico department. The commissioner Is making a good start, but ho is fightlnc against almost overwhelming odds, and many a good man before him has given up in despair after an honest and energetic endeavor to beat tho "systoni" in voguo in New York. If he fails it will bo no moro than others have done, and ho will havo tho satisfaction of knowing that he tried to do his duty, |