"POLICE GRAFT."

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 83, 9 April 1910, Page 13

"POLICE GRAFT."

♦ NEW YORK MAYOR'S ACTION. According to statements published in New York ou 16th February by tho Tribune, and other leading newspapers, Mayor Gaynor will endeavour to abolish tho systum prevalent iv New York and other American cities under which liquor dealers and tomo other persons pay nionoy to the police "for protection." In thin aenso "protection" means freedom to infringo the law by serving drink on Sundays, and, further, it means that in cubo of troublo the police will bo with and not against the offenders. In some of our biu; citiei. the "liquor graft," as it is callud, i* the biggost porquiftite of the police force, und in collected over tho bur by police representatives, just an regularly ns tho giis bill. It is estimatod by tho Now York Amurican that tho policc-graftcra will lose £100,000 a year directly tho levy upon tho ealoous ccuscs, and the complaint from mpcrintfiidcnt> down to tho humblest bobbies will bo loud. In return for an agreement ktipulatiag that pubhe-house proprietors will refrain from corrupting tho polico by" paying "aMtetsmcnU," u« thoy are called, tho New York American understand* that Sunday opening wiJI bo permitted, providod "that a semblance of decency v kept up," which means that tho front doors of uiloons must bo locked, tho cuttoinor* entering by tho rear. It alto means that no drink it to bo tcrved with, out food, which may menu a property sandwich, a hard bitcuit, or un antiquated sausage, all of which arc religiously pnm clcd by tho barman, but never eaten. Mr. Gavnor, tho now Mayor of New York, i« trying to make tho city as clean nnd respectable as London, but it in au uphill taik in tho fact of old customs, which die hafd. If it « iiiecetjfu!, Mr. Guynon attempt to abolish "police graft" in tho American metropolis will doubtlei* bo iinitatoj in the province.