The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-09
DIsAGREEABLE TRUTHS.
IA q

FTo1n the N. ] Tribune.
The Scientific american calls attention to
some striking deficiencies in the makeup of
our city. 1t says:-
'There is, perhaps, no large CITY I'm the cvilizad
part OF the world in which such utter scientific dest
tuition prevails as in New York. Ho Yever much the
citizens may hunger and thirst after scientific know
ledge we have ho public place ia the city where
their wants may be supplied. There is no museun
OF natural history, no collection OF mineral1gg ana
geology, 80 accumulation OF models OF machinery
no geological garden, no technological collection
for the free use OF the people,"
True as the above is, it seems to us less
remarkable and far less deplorable than a
kindred deficiency. Our boys, for the most
part, are not learning trades, nor qualifying
themselves for \any practical, produ ,ti ye
career. We believe more of our youth are
tending bars and billard-rooms than are
learning mechanical trades. Quite a number
are trying to be clerks and book-keepers-
least twice as many as can ever find steady
employment in those pursuits; but the men
who dig our cellars, lay our brick, do our car
penter work, finish and furnish our houses.
were nearly all born in Europe, and are regn
larly recruited from that continent. 1t seems
to us that fewer Americans by birth are work
ing as mechanics in our city than there were
twenty or thirty years ago, and that far fe yer
OF our boys are serving an apprenticeship.
But the gravest aspect of our social condi-
ton is the multiplicity and rapid increase of
youth who have no regular pursuit, or at
least, follow none. They hang about qroo-
shops and billiard rooms, drinking and smok-
ing, and avowing their purpose to become
polllclans. Some of them have been set To
work at trades, but have thrown down the
troweI, the adze, the jack k-plane, and delibe-
rately addicted themselves for life to what
they consider politics. They are always ready
for horse-race, game of ball, target ex-
cursion; but they do not average an honest
day S work each per month. OF course, thew
are always needy, and envious of those who
are not; and they seldom achieve new suit
of clothes save on the eve of a contested
election. In short, they are bad lot of
loafeys
Though they expect to live out of the
public, not one of these fellows ever sns
pected that it might be necessary for him to
seem honest moral, and decent in order to
succeed in his chosen career. On the con-
trary, they are universally libertines. gam
blers, and tipplers or only fail to be for lack
of means. They glory in target excursions:
they swell Democratic professions: they bepin
to vote at sixteen or seventeen years of age:
and are veteran repeaters by the time they
are twenty. If there be any vice with which
one of them is not already familiar, be sure
that he is intent on its early requirement.
1t was from such a crew that Catiline mus
tered the forces with which he advanced to
sack and devastate Rome.
What shall be done to transform these
young reprobates into honest, virtuous,
useful, respected citizens? What must be
our future if our future Tweeds are to be
backed by thrice the number of these en-
bryo ruthans that atlict us to- day?