The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-01-19
Is 1T PRAOTIOABLE9
Galice Greek, January 3, 1877.
Communicated

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Communicated
There is an enterprise on foot among
some of our philanthropic citizens to
start a restaurant or lunch-house in this |
city with the avowed object of affording
young men who are homeless and in a
measure strangers among US, place |
where they may not only obtain good
wholesome food at low rate, but where
they may enjoy the society of the best
men and women of the place, thus
meeting a want that is alleged to be the
most potent cause of so many being al
lured into places of questionable char
acter, of which the city of Portland is
unfortunately so full. This seems
laudable undertaking, but is it practical
BILE, and will it promote the desired OBJ
jects?
Without wishing to discourage any eff
fort that is intended to benefit any class
Of our citizens, must say that greatly
fear the friends of this movement are
destined to be sadly disappointed as to
the results. As to its practicability, 1
do not doubt but the first named object
might be successfully carried out, for 1
neither question the ability or generos-
ity of the people of Portland, but as for
providing the 'pure social influences"
with which they propose to surround
their tables-that is where they must
surely fail.
: How many of our wives and daugh-
ters are ready to volunteer to present
} themselves day after day and evening
; after evening at this proposed lunch
house to mingle on a social level with
: they know not whom? Just think of
the idea of asking and expecting pure
7 and intelligent ladies to make busi-
ness of entertaining the class of men
! who have been in the habit of spending
e their evenings in the questionable so,
e ciety of our city whisky shops-or (ii
: there are any in worse places. Even
, granting that there are those of oul
, lady citizens who would, with the hope
of benefiting that class, be willing tC
e immediate themselves periodically, my
L word for it the sacrifice would not bt
4 appreciated. No. The truth is, mel
: grown up men who voluntarily con
o sort with rough society of either sex
= would be as much out of place in the so
n ciety of the pure and virtuous as Beel
q zebub would in heaven 1 do not NEAR
+ to be understood, of course, that these
G homeless strangers above referred tt
&c are of this CLASSIFY no means. For
U know by personal acquaintance with {
n number that they will compare favor
a ably for intelligence and correct habit
}, with the young men of any other class
: But refer to those whom these enthu
10 siastic philanthropists are wont to be
10 come so eloquent over-6ecauSe the,
n have been drawn into evil places from
/ want of any other shelter But he is
,, poor physician who points out you
N malady yet prescribes no remedy. LIE
,e US then drop this chimercal scheme O
n "Holly Tree Inn," or lunch-house, an
10 continue our temperance meetings, us
10 ing every endeavor to induce those VIII
p may be benefited thereby to attend reg
ir ularly, and, if any of them are withou
~ means to procure the necessaries of life
70 send them to one of those already es
p tablished eating houses where there
al no liquor sold until they may get some
no thing to do, and provide funds to NEE
III the cost. This will be found cheaper b
90 far than the establishing of a restaul
= ant on our own "hook." But as to th
r social problem involved, it is more diff
= cult to solve. We all incline to assC
l., ciate with those whose moral and int
~ lectual tastes are similar to our OWL
90 And it is idle to expect the deprave
to enjoy the society of the pure of eithe
80 sex. But there is a much needed wor
- that is practicable-the gathering t.
~ gether of the youth of our city, and til
- incubation of habits and principles
of temperance and morality, and with th,
od a love for the society of the intelliger
~ and virtuous.
80 There are scores of little boys perau
No. bulating the streets of our city to-ds
m over whom their parents seem to exc
90 else no restraint whatever, who, unle
~ speedily brought under the influence
m proper preeepts, will soon join the
90 numbers with the already fearfully lor
ho list of those who nightly frequent tt
,s- low dens in our midst. Far better the
~ would it be to set earnestly to work
,t this direction instead of attempting IL
M accomplishment of a work that mu
,Iv certainly fail. RETsoF.
Portland, January Is, 1877.
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