Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-24
copyright by Edgar W. Nye.l

copyright By Edgar W. Nye.l
Thorndyke Smiley, of Sandy Mush
Township, N. c., writes: "Wc'liu 1t be
too much trouble for you to tell ice with
regard TO the expense of living IN New
York for a man in moderate circum-
stances and who is willing 10 economize?
| believe that if folks in New York only
thought so they could save good deal
more money than they do. Why do
folks kick so with regard TO cost of liv-
ing in New York? get $50 month
here, but am offered $40 to go to New
York Oughtn't to go in order TO ad-
vance, and also to make so much more
money?
"Will you also tell me what yOu know
regarding the new ballot and all about
its history. if not too much trouble? We
all read your stuff at our house and re-
gard il as almost unavoidable"
New York is about the only American
city know of. Thorndyke, that does not
invite immigration The reason is ap-
parent For several centuries New York
has been engaged by the United States
government to do a general focusing
business for all the diSaffected foreign
population of the earth. and as an entire
pot, If you know what that is, Thorn
dyke, and cache e hoodlum for Europe.
Finally, it got TO where the diseased
pauper. both titled and otherwise, who
desired either 10 marry rich or go into
politics, constituted the bulk of the i'm
migration. Foreign dynasties informed
rs that we must accept such as they
could gather from the ranks and whose
terms either in the bastile or the pest
house had not yet expired. as they had
run ont Of ''ticket-of-leave men" and
other suitable timber for colonization.
The result is that with the influx of am
bilious young blood from the interior to
hold level this ever restless and ever
Towing current of poorly deodorized
aliens, together with the natural growth
of the city, there has been no organized
effort to make of it boom town.
Our growth, therefore. may truth
fully say, has been steady and healthful,
and any unoccupied or unimproved
property south of the postoffice that you
can get hold of is almost sure TO be val
liable if you hold it long enough.
The expense of living in New York
varies according TO the station you pur-
pose occupying but generally runs up
from $500 to $500 per annum over what
you get.
II you expect to create a social revul-
sion you viii find that it will run con-
siderably into money. If you desire
simply to dodge the city ordinance re-
garding dress, eat the heritage that
grows along the bobolink environed, rock
ribbed. granite canyon of Broadway, and
laundry your clothes and your family in
the stone horse trough on Mail street,
which has been dumbly appealing to
God and man for ages to come and put
q drop of water on its parched tongue,
then You can make it pay to move to
New York for an advance of $40 per
month, but otherwise not.
In the first place, you do not want to
be too far from your work, so you try
TO get place down town. There is
nothing there. unless you sleepin II crate
and associate with those who have been
already blackballed in perdition.
So you go further out, further out,
with your salary in one hand and your
sinking heart in the other, till at last
you find where you may be permitted to
abide, but you must get up by candle
light and eat your morning fried mush
before the gray dawn in order to catch
your ferry or your train so that you may
make the shop, or the store, or the office
in time. Then you must pay per year
$50 TO 800 TO the ferries and cars for
your daily ride, while you stand up and
gayly hop from the waving corn of one
fat passenger after another. contributing
at least five good working months in the
year TO getting to and from your work.
or course do not wish TO discourage
You, for you may be kind of set on COM
ing, and if you are all could say in a
conservative way would not keep you
away. The general custom among a
certain class is TO go to New York, go
through the $ls which is brought to the
city, and then return to speak disrespect-
fully around the sand uncovered and
amber speckled stove of the home cod
fish emporium for years after, but if you
have your ideas properly pulled and