New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-10
DEALISG WIN 4HE H00D1UM


SAN FRANCIsCO'S GREAT SOCIAL PROBLEM
Characteristics OF TIE HOODLUM-CAUsEs THAT
LEAD TO Ills PRoDUCUON-WHY CHINESE LABOR
is TANOIWD-spREsr METHOD OF REFORM.
PROM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE !
SAN FRANCISCO Cal, June 1l.-rhc great prob
lem OF the day in san Francisco which is much
discussed by preachers and editors is What to be
done with the hoodum! Peculiar and indigenous
to this city, tie hoodlum has no counterpart else
where Climate, society and circumstances have
brought him forth, and he is a rare and unique
specimen of the elimination Of all the virtues. The
Slums of New-York produce some vianous crca-
lures, handled in the lap of dchauchcry and old in
vice before they reach their teens. But warped as
are their natures they still have some ambition,
which they probably owe TO the climate. The cold
winter stimulates them to activity, and they rise
above the dead level of Vagrancy. Here all the
conditions unite to form the accomplished
hummer" Given q very few dollars a month and
a man may enjoy most of the comforts of an animal
existence. The sun shines nearly every day; the
wind Is tempered; the air is devoid of shrcwish-
ness; food is abSur0ly cheap lodging may be found
along the waterfront; single suit suiices for the
year. Here are all the ncccssarcs for the hoodum
who is thrown on his own resources. But the
greater part Of the rising generation of rogues and
thieves have homes and parents. With that parcn-
tai laXity Of control which is one of the curses Of
the city, they have been allowed to run ut large in
the streets from their tcndcreSt years. They have
absorbed all the vices they despise the ploddng
ways of their parents but they are shrewd enough
to see the advantage Of place of shelter and an np-
portunity to wrcst money from weak and mdugcnt
mothers. They have enjoyed little learning in the
public schools, sufficient to enable them to rcvcl in
the delights of dme-noycls and police gazcttcs
They have had no training in any trade; they will
endure no restraint, aud work, if Ycnturel on nj ALL
Is only spasmodic and haphazard. Their marked
characteristics are lean, wizcned faces coarse fca-
lures, mcagrc, stuntcd forms, Il swaggcr caught
from the variety halls gross obsccnity, and the
cheap and nasty cigarette. The girls are counter
parts OF their masculine associates except that they
are more offensive, As they give the common hood
lum vices broader emphasis
This Is not pleasant and plable material for the
morallst and rciormer to tackle. How to keep these
young persons out of the prisons work houses IN
du>tual schools and Naglalcne asylums, is a diff
cult problem The solution found By many is in
manutactories and there is little question that il is
the one W ch viii ultimately prove successful.
But right here enters another diAcuIty-aud for
mId1blc one The era of high wages gave the work
ING classes of this city and State an exaggerated
idea Of the value of theiy services For years IN,
ordinary Irish servant girl obtained $40 per month
Tor her experiments in the art which Bsilut-Savarin
adorned. She has now been forced to reduce her
charges 10 so, but below this she will seldom de.
Il
81 per day on account of Chinese competition.
Boys AID girls in shops and manufacturing cstab-
lishmen'S get on an average twice as much "a. in
New-Iork. While the expenses OF iyinr here l,e
no HIGHER than in the large Eastern cities. the
majority Of unskilod lahOrcrs and all skilled work
men get much higher WAGES. The result is appa-
rent. The labor market here is illed with incofn-
pctent servants who dcmaud good wages and get
Them The supply Of good domestic servants never
comes mp to the demand; with ACCOMPLISHED
teachers of all the branches of a finished education
and the varied but strictly ornamental accomplish
ments which enter into the culture of the young
lady Of the period, the markct-to Use a commercial
TERMS always gluttcd.
The Chinese servant is said to have displaced the
llibernian domestic in this city This is PARTIALLY
true, for John will do more work than BRIDGET for
less money and his temper is not subject to so many
caprcious changes. lie doesn't need the tuition of
Mrs Maoncy to become an adept IN piifcring. but
he is modest tibet if ordinary precautions are
taken. lie would not he formidable AT the EAST
because hls scale of prices would be REGARDED As
very dear there ana would practically exclude him
from the market. If foreign servants here were
Willing TO accept reasonable o0mpcnsation they
also would have no bugbcar OF Chinese chcap
H"or. Bui so long as they pit their imcolnpctcncc
agJuist 1ohsoiIlau deNterliy and demand more for
aWkWardness than he asks for skill they are sure
TO go t. the wall The same thing hold, good in
lWnahuiaciuIes There are thousands OF shops in
NcW.lo YORK where boys and girls willing to work
i"i n, pti week. lIcic III would be well Mich IN
possible 10 get any number Of young people TO labor
on such terms. HE parents OF these chi lron ha,c
more Than the ordinary American prejudice against
framing the young in any mechanical pursuit
| lheX have labOrcd hard Themselves but tLn,,
13ndiy nope that by help Of little education fhrir
| chIdTch may escape manual labor The children
aNc klhulS 10 TINS dcluslOn; they cultivate tae tc
Tor gehtcel lilcness and soon blossom into the full
pIo"h hoQdlun Many manufacturers would will
ngly employ white boys and girls, but they declare
IHa III Is impossible TO secure Il sufficient number
In TINS extremity they hire Chinese who are paid
better wages than boys and girls III New York Who
do similar work N Wv
All sensible observers are convinced that fine first
slcp III any progress to remove the hoodum is TO
crush ont tins false idea Of the value of unsrd
iaDor. A lew years OF gradual reduction of values
~ tnc IeEei OF The prevailing rates in the East will
accomplish tins result; but some Organized effort
should be made TO foicstall the work and to estal-
llSh manufactures in this city. II has been demon
Slratcd that cotton of good STABLE NAV he Drawn In
tc large valleys of the San JOAQUIN in the Nussni
Slough country and in all the southern counties
WIN wool and silk these great branches of industry
may be bmlt up here, which would be strong con-
pcutors Tor any Eastern manufactures as the raw
materials would he produced almost at the focorv
doors. Everything is here except chcap Labor
Inc apathy OF the people in the last five wears to
thc opportunity OF building up manufactures il dine
mainly TO mining and stock speculation Both pmr
?ults gre now on the wanc and capital SITS are look
IIne ABOUT Tor secure Investments for their money
1T 0hiy needs man of RalstOn's organizing ablifv
anu influence TO give form to the prevailing tcn-
dency and set on a substantial foundation mnnuran
turing interests. which in twenty wears would do
Tor tins city what they have done for Philadelrhia
since the war. 'l
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CROPS ON LONG ISL1ND