Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-10
THE EVENING STAR.
Our Idle and Dangcrou. Cias..


Editor Stdr:-Recognizing In your names OF
contributors so many of our good old generous
contributors OF twenty-five years ago, when St.
Johns parish Of this city established a home
and gave from three to five thousand dollars a
year IN charity. could but think, and all these
years you've been giving and giving geper.
ousiy, ana the children OF those same families
are still coming year after year for
chanty, that something better might be
done. Circumstances owning the property
threw me about ten years ago not far from the
scene OF the .'Hirth murder" The business or
builder has compelled the employment OF m any
OF these poor, and from my knowledge OF "Hell's
Bottom" and the adjacent neighbornood. pro
hounce lt Ioul blot upon our nation ana peo-
pie tnat such people and such places exist In
our midst. Ii Is unworthy a civilized race oar
time, and place, as the capital OF the nation.
twenty years ago, when the thousands OF eman-
clpated slaves were let loose upon us the gov
efDment established Bureau to take charge
OF them; which died natural death. from gen
eIal debility. The colOred people throng1ng mere
hen had been slaves, reared under discipline
with The habit or work. This went great way
VII them, and for us. Their children mean the
majority, not exceptional cases. have grown up
IN the cutters and novels, idle. ignorant and
WOl Sc than useless: an unhealthy djscontnnt ed
n ass OF humanity. packed worse than hogs In
novels OF such filthy kind that should decent
household take one from them as domestic II
Is well established fact among housekeepers
nat you take their vermiu and all TO clean and
ciothe at your own expense, IL you wish them
Jdy. Twenty years ago drunkenness among
our colored women was an unheard of fault but
OF ms generation now In the field, from four
teen to twenty years DID, the daily consumption
OF whisky seems positive necessity to them.
thiS outgroWth OF the past fifteen years or idle
ness, hunger, dirt, and a total lack OF Discipline
Is going to make itself heard from; 1t cannot be
otherwise,
Within circle of five squares. Just around
ne home Of Bedford, Queenan q Co., some 30
houses were entered and robbed last winter at
night, losing all the way from $3.50 to $500 worth
40 not know of dimes worth being recovered
People dwell In terror of their lives under such
clrc9mstanGes, for In any OF these cases. what
would our lives been worth had We Weakened
anG attacked them? Now the negro race from
study OF Its general character are not people
prone TO murder or violence. l believe them a
wonderfully patient and forbearing people
compared with the emgrant class OF laborers Of
like calling they are far more honest. / have
generally failed to discover gratitude among
,nem, put they are not revengeful character
lstlc almost invariably found with poverty
Ignorance and Vice. Thrift and industry are en-
ureiy wanting: how could Ii be otherwise? A
people Who for a number OF generations had
round no benefits arising from Industry and
economy would in the course Of nature drop it
out OF their being.
And they have not only dropped out Industry
anO economy from their being but verify have
they Kicked the bottom out or Ii.
believe the great heed is 10 catch the coming
up generation and compel them to learn some
good, industrious means of procuring a living,
Tor their lives: not worse. The first great need
or our city Is good nursery. where the little
chlloIen or laooring people can be properly
cared FOR While their mothers are at work Ike
those In Berlin, for five cents day II the par
ent Is earning wages; for nothing il out OF en-
royment. Children reared in clean rooms with
clean clothes, good exercise in the pure air and
sunshine, do not naturally incline TO the states
pIlson.
The government might dc worse than spand
d lew thousand dollars Ia purchasing some OF
("here every grade OF clay can be found. from
common brick TO fine eaTthen ware, establish
some warehouses there and send these young
Migrants there for three years at a time till
good trade shall be the result.
Houses OF industry should be provided for
these Wretched girls who crowd in dens OF
nth and disease. to which they must all "go
home OF night" and they must 100 steal
enough from their employers to provide for Que
or more idle men with whom they live and
have children as fast as possible. Many or
these little waits are consigned Immediately TO
me sewer or other death; but OF those who sur
v1ve. What are we to expect of them?
CITIZEN