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ng resolutely by them。 Thus； in 1891； under Harrison； on being urged to retain General Corse； the excellent Democratic Postmaster of Boston； he replied to his friend Curtis Guild that Corse ought to be continued as a matter of principle and not because Cleveland； several years before； had retained Pearson； the Republican Postmaster of New York； as an exception。
At the end of six years； Roosevelt felt that he had worked on the Commission long enough to let the American people understand how necessary it was to maintain and extend the Merit System in the Civil Service。 A sudden access of virtue had just cast out the Tammany Ring in New York City and set up Mr。 Strong； a Reformer； as Mayor。 He wished to secure Roosevelt's help and Roosevelt was eager to give it。 The Mayor offered him the headship of the Street Cleaning Department； but this he declined； not because he thought the place beneath him； but because he lacked the necessary scientific qualifications； and Mayor Strong； was lucky in finding for it the best man in the country； Colonel George E。 Waring。 Accordingly； the Mayor ap pointed Roosevelt President of the Board of Police Commissioners； and he accepted。
The Police System in New York City in 1895； when Roosevelt took control； was a monstrosity which； in almost every respect； did exactly the opposite from what the Police System is organized to do。 Moral values had been so perverted that it took a strong man to hold fast to the rudimentary distinctions between Good and Evil。 The Police existed； in theory； to protect the lives and property of respectable citizens； to catch law…breakers and hand them over to the courts for punishment； to hunt down gamblers； swindlers； and all the other various criminals and purveyors of vice。 In reality； the Police under Tammany abetted crime and protected the vicious。 This they did； not because they had any special hostility to Virtuethey probably knew too little about it to form a dispassionate opinion any waybut because Vice paid better。 They held the cynical view that human nature will always breed a great many persons having a propensity to licentious or violent habits； that laws were made to check and punish these persons； and that they might go their pernicious ways unmolested if the Police took no notice of them。 So the Police established a system of immunity which anybody could enjoy by paying the price。 Notorious gambling…hells 〃ran wide open〃 after handing the required sum to the high police official who extorted it。 Hundreds of houses of ill…fame carried on their hideous traffic undisturbed； so long as the Police Captain of the district received his weekly bribe。 Gangs of roughs； toughs； and gunmen pursued their piratical business without thinking of the law； for they shared their spoils with the supposed officers of the law。 And there were more degenerate miscreants still； who connived with the Police and went unscathed。 As if the vast sums collected from these willing bribers were not enough； the Police added a system of blackmail to be levied on those who were not deliberately vicious； but who sought convenience。 If you walked downtown you found the sidewalk in front of certain stores almost barricaded by packing…boxes； whereas next door the way might be clear。 This simply meant that the firm which wished to use the sidewalk for its private advantage paid the policeman on that beat； and he looked the other way。 As there was an ordinance against almost every conceivable thing； so the Police had a price for making every ordinance a dead letter。 Was this a cosmic joke； a nightmare of cynicism； a delusion？ No； New York was classed in the reference books as a Christian city； and this was its Christianity。
Roosevelt knew the seamless bond which connected the crime and vice of the city with corrupt politics。 The party Bosses； Republicans and Democrats alike； were the final profiters from police blackmail and bribery。 As he held his mandate from a Reform Administration； he might expect to be aided by it on the political side； at least； he did not fear that the heads of the other departments would secretly work to block his purification of the Police。 A swift examination showed him that the New York Police Department actually protected the criminals and promoted every kind of iniquity which it existed to put down。 It was as if in a hospital which should cure the sick； the doctors； instead of curing disease； should make the sick worse and should make the well sick。 How was Roosevelt； equally valiant and honest； to conquer this Hydra？ He took the straight way dictated by common sense。 First of all； he gained the confidence and respect of his men。 He said afterwards； that even at its worst； when he went into office； the majority of the Police wanted to do right； that their instincts were loyal； and this meant much； because they were tempted on all sides by vicious wrongdoers； they had constantly before them the example of superiors who took bribes and they received neither recognition nor praise for their own worthy deeds。
The Force came very soon to understand that under Roosevelt every man would get a 〃square deal。〃 〃Pulls〃 had no efficacy。 The Chief Commissioner personally kept track of as many men as he could。 When he saw in the papers one morning that Patrolman X had saved a woman from drowning； he looked him up； found that the man had been twenty…two years in the service； had saved twenty five lives； and had never been noticed； much less thanked； by the Commission。 More than this； he had to buy his own uniform； and as this was often rendered unfit for further use when he rescued persons from drowning； or from a burning house； his heroism cost him much in dollars and cents。 By Roosevelt's orders the Department henceforth paid for new uniforms in such cases； and it awarded medals。 By recognizing the good； and by weeding out as fast as possible the bad members of the Force； Roosevelt thus organized the best body of Police which New York City had ever seen。 There were； of course； some black sheep among them whom he could not reach； but he changed the fashion； so that it was no longer a point of excellence to be a black sheep。
Roosevelt rigorously enforced the laws； without regard to his personal opinion。 It happened that at that time the good people of New York insisted that liquor saloons should do no business on Sundays。 This prohibition had long been on the statute book； but it had been generally evaded because the saloon keepers had paid the Bosses； who controlled the Police Department； to let them keep openusually by a side dooron Sundays。 Indeed； the statute was evidently passed by the Bosses in order to widen their opportunity for blackmail； but in this they overreached themselves。 For the liquor…sellers at last revolted； and they held conferences with the BossesDavid B。 Hill was then the Democratic State Boss and Richard Croker the Tammany Boss … and they published in the Wine and Spirit Gazette； their organ； this statement： 〃An agreement was made between the leaders of Tammany Hall and the liquor…dealers； according to which the monthly blackmail paid to the force should be discontinued in return for political support。〃 Croker and his pals； taking it as a matter of