The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1890-07-02
FAST AND SLOW CITIES CONTRASTED.

A short time ago a New York paper
devoted to the drygoeds trade published
a communication comparing the business
methods of New York, Philadelphia and
Baltimore, to the disadvantage of Balti-
more, of course, aud in less degree to
that of Philadelphia also. In the view of
the writer of the communication in ques-
Baltimore is a slow place because it lacks
certain of the sensational features which
characterize New York. The latter is the
largest city in America, and its size nee
essarily draws to it vast volume of bus
mess of all kinds, but in spite Of these adj
vantages Baltimore is in many ways its
superior. Takeit for instance as a business
centre. Every Southern visitor to New
York knows by sad experience that he
cannot purchase goods from the retail
stores on Broadway and the other large
business streets as cheaply as he can in
Baltimore. He knows, too, that he can
not stop at a first-class hotel and have the
same money as in Baltimore. He knows
moreover, that he cannot 90 to a reputa-
bic place Of amusement in New York
without paying two or three times as
much for the same class of seats as he
would have to do in this city. He can
not travel in q private conveyance for less
than double the amount he pays in Bal
timore, and even the fare on the elevated
roads is twice that charged for similar
transportation in other cities, except for
two or three hours in the early morning
and in the evening. If he attempt to
take a street car he takes his life in his
hand at the same time, for he runs a con-
siderable risk of being run over by the
desperate or laundering Jehus, or being
blown up by a steam pipe or gas explO-
sion, conveniences of this sort being pro-
vided every square or soprObably to keep
down the increasing population. If he
escapes these dangers to his person he is
likely to find himself minus his pocket
book, for New York is great place for
pickpockets, both of high and low de-
gree, and though they often boast very
genteel names, they are found even in
the most respectable quarters of Wall
street and Broadway. Socially of course
New York cannot be compared with Bal
timore. Mr.. McAlister has been greatly
ridiculed for his phrase apOut the 400, but
there was too much truth in his remark
to make it pleasant to good many Of the
GOthamites. Money is the sole test of
standing there, and as good many of
New Yorks milliOnaires could not show a
very clean bill of health for their money
bags its society, outside Of some exclusive
circles, is rather mixed, to put it mildly.
This worship of gold and the generally
loud tone and fiashy character of bust
ness and social life accompanied by 9TH
er features that Baltimore we are glad to
say, has not yet learned to tolerate. One
cannot buy a newspaper there without
being assailed with sensational headlines
and grotesque and often indecent illustra-
tiOns, which illustrate as fOrcibly as
as anything else the perverted taste
Of those who encourage such publications
The Sunday papers especially are fire.
quently offensive, and even immoral in
their effect In their so-called society
columns they print alleged portraits Of
aspiring society bellies" cheek by jowl
with the divinities of the dance saloons
and the celebrities of an even lower social
order. Such association, enen in a news
paper, it might be imagined would be re-
pulsive and shocking to the friends and re-
laives Of these society bellies, and doubt
less they are to all discriminating and
thoughtful people, but the general tend
ency in New York to nOtoriety and low
tastes has demoralized many weak-head-
ed parents, who are induced TO connive
at what must seem to old-fashioned peo-
pie an immodest and unmaidenly ex.
hibition, to say the least. The introduce
ton of this sort of illustrated society
journalism in Baltimore can only excite
disgust for those who seek to cultivate
such demoralizing and corrupting tastes
and Of pity for the families who are the
victims of it. But all branches of bust
ness in New York suffer more or les,
from the stigma Of base motive, as one
meets everywhere the hard faces anC
hard manners Of metropolitan bushes.
life. The theory that Cuisines is bust
ness" is carried to an axtent that renden
it ridiculous rs well as dangerous. Every
swindling device, every cheeky imposi
ton is condoned on that ground. Their,
seems to be no humanity, no warmth, nj
fellowship, except among the thieves
who use the higher qualities Of human
nature as mask for their villanies. Tn,
great mass of the working people-clerli
shop girls, ballet girls, laborers-are hus
tied to their work rs 50 many beasts o
burden. They may be hired by the drov,
OF bought ike slaves and sold again, o.
kicked outin the world without compunc
J ton. The base and the refined are all Of