New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-30

for him Let us remember how large O class
among us he represents; how, to put it on no
higher ground, all the most dangerous elements
in society are cOmpacted into this class. Is it
not worth while to study its inevitable needs
To give its natural hunger wholesome food
The necessity of relaxation, and the craving
for excitement, are facts in human nature as
much As hunger or cold, and facts which, when
disregarded, are oftener fatal in their results
Older governments understand this better than
ours. and have made the amusements OF the
peope part of the machinery by which they
ruled them The Bonapartes owed their success
largely TO the skill with which they played
shOwmen to their most exactlng ana irascioie
of audiences humorng the French greatness
for excitement as it never had Deen BEFORE ny
theater under Government management, IN
cessant fctes and pagcants, and whcn these
failed. by wholesome spirit OF war. win
us. i'm our government, in our reforms, even III
our ordinary domestic life, this need OF amuse-
ment is almost totally ignored. The shadow
of tbe Puritan creed overhaDgs ius still. The
sole cognizance which many of our religious
teachers take of this natural requirement is to
forbid absolutely its indulgence while in fact
until it is understood, our principal social re-
forms must stand still. 1t is q significant fact
that the most drunken and unclaste nations
are those for whom are provided the fewest
private and public amuscments. Now Joe,
who is a native American, is not so easily
amused as his French or Irish cousin. lie is
not ready to fling himself into fast and furious
fun or fights once a week because it is a Saints
day still less would ne leave his work to
Al Goll n.rll1 " lrIt
at heart and gay, for no better reason than
that the sky is blue and the sun warm. Nor
does he much affect his Dutch neighbor5
beer garden, where he and his frau and
kinder take their Sundays quiet lager and
music. The American must work in his play,
must have game to win or story to COM
prehend, or cheapest and shortest road to ell
joyment-must drink.
What are we going to do for him, then
The question meets us at every turn. Is IL
worth while to give this dangerous fellow, for
whom changing is played out" anything else
than his rum 7 There are certain experiments
of cheap concerts, geological gardens, public
base ball and cricket grounds, free reading and
club rooms, free libraries, which shall be open
on Sundays, all of which have received earnest
CONSIDERATION III LoHuoh, anu ha'0 wv" $500
upon with the most wholesome results They
never commended themselves as strongly to
our reformers as now, when the closing OF the
grog shops, the principal means of recreation
for the labOring classes is apparently the
only chance of salvation for them. We con-
fess to an intense sympathy for Joe. We
work him all day with our horse, but at night
turn the brute into green, pleasant pasture.
and dismiss the man, uncared for, to his
dreary slums: we tie him up with laws, preach
damnation to him. shut out all innocent and
healthy amusements from his life, and finally
rob him of his whisky, by means of which he
fancies, for a moment, he is like other men.
What shall we give him. instead :