Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-04
correspondence Of TIE EvEs1so srAn.


MISSIONS.
Correspondence Of The EvEaIso SrAA
New YORK, January 8.
This Is very moral town; if you don't be-
lieve it ask the Four Hundred. Some time ago
the McAllister decided to give party, whic h
was to vindicate his authority as the arbiter OF
fashion, so rudely defed by stuyvesant Fish
and his rebellous cohorts on the Washington
centennial committee. And an attractive fea-
ture In the general schedule of vindication was
7o2 quart bottles of champagne. The idea was
to open this chapter in the triumph at o'clock
in the morning.
But just here the McAIlister ran his fashion,
able bark against a cruel snag. The police,
although 1.-The finest" do not belong to the
Four Hundred. And these same guardians of
the peace have some very strict notions about
the enforcement of law. Hence the very same
question that narrowed the fashionables at the
Washington centennial popped up again to dis
may McAllister. The police held, as then. that
the sale and circulation Of intoxica ting drink
must stop at o'clock. The city attorney, how
ever, at the last moment came to the rescue of
the managers of the ball and decided that as it
was entirely private entertainment the fur
nishing of wines and liquors to the guests did
. W.
The moral effect of this stand by the police
must be great. The immediate result. one way
or the other, is comparatively Of no account
The essential thing is the public ban put upon
drinking even under the most select influences
and among 1.-The bupper circles" The ladies
and gentlemen are admonished that in their
frolics they are cutting close to the line of law
and reputable citizenship. The subtle distinc-
tions which they draw to separate their pleas
ure from exactly similar pleasures that are
under police ban may avail to protect them
outwardiy. but they cannot feel altogether easy
within. The temperance lecture is there, how
ever ingeniously it is refined away. The police
say to the Four Hundred, "Your 1872 bottles of
champagne at l o'clock in the morning is
lawless aud rowdy carouse, which it is our
duty under the law to stop"
l mention this as only one characteristic fea-
ture of the epoch Of public morality in which
New York now lives. By the common consent
OF all the FOUNDERS" gamblers, thieves, wan
tons and riff-raf the town never WAS 80 dull as
it is now. Fun" has vanished as utterly rs in
Florence under the brief reign Of Savonarola's
piagnOni The regulation which so worried the
Four Hundred is one Of many designed to
Danish wicked and unclean revelry and it has
been successful in extirpating those filthy pub
lie balls which at one time SO marked the win
ter's life. And it 10 but one of many, the effect
of all being that the brightest midnight red is
OF very subdued and stupid tone.
The police regulations have much to do with
this result and yet after all they are effective
only because OF public sentiment No doubt
Sodom aud Gomorrah had admirable codes of
municipal law, but the famous scarcity Of the
unco' righteous in those towns brought about
scandalOus laxity OF administration. Not so
here in this city. Morality, or at least respecta-
bility, is fashionable. Any gross violation of
decency, il found out, is social ruin-look at the
case OF Sheriff Flack and OF dozens Of others
that might be named 1t is safe to say that our
Anglophobia has not reached q point where
society would tolerate the indulgences of which
the cable gives US such appetizing glimpses. 1t
Ia not poor Fatima alone nowadays who gets
ducking in the Bosphorus if she goes wrong, but
II the men stray they catch it too.
This decency Of city department is partly due
to the brave and honest administration of
Superintendent Murray. He was soldier and
he is gentleman, a dignifed, intelligent clti-
zen and the teacher Of young ladies' class in
Sunday school. We heard good deal at one
time Of Sunday school politics and now we have
q Sunday school police. Undoubtedly to many
persons of a hilarious bent this means a very
tedious regime. But for one must testify to
its advantages.
THOMAS AT THE FRONT AGAIN.
Thursday was a great night, apart from the
McAllster vindication ball, for on that evening
Theodore Thomas swung his baton for the first
time in the superb new music hall, the Lenox
iyceum. In one sense here was vindication
again. For Thomas has been rather under a
cloud since the collapse of the American opera.
he had chance at the organization Of that
company such as come to few men In life
time. Pephaps II was through no fault of his
that the enterprise broke down sO miserably.
But taken in conjunction with previous failures
1t was held that this disaster proved screw
loose in the leaders character. He now has
another great chance, however and we shall
see how he improves it. The city is well dis
posed toward him still, though criticism has
succeeded to worship. II be wins backs his
first fame 1t will be by hard work and by merit
THE MEMOIRS OF GREAT GENIUS.
The literary world must get ready for great
book that is we'll under way and that in good
time will appear and be the sensation of its
season. This is the life Of Capt. Ericsson, as
compiled by his literary executor. Col. W. C..
Church. Enough is known Of this work to
stir the literary people to learn more. under
stand the magazines are after the matter, but
whatever the chosen vent the impression will
be vast. Col. Church has devoted much of his
time for year in delving among the thousands
OF letters and the masses of all descriptions Of
material which the great inventor in his sew
enty years OF alert intimacy with great men
and thoughts had accumulated. And this is
but q beginning. The work will involve years
yet of research on both sides Of the water, and
1t will be worth the labor. When the book APP
pears the world will see for the first time what
MlSuty Stulub ~ uelu IA tue
person Of John Ericsson.
CURIOUS MISSION QUARREL.
One of the most singular controversies We
have ever had in this city, and one that has al
ready led to serious results is that between Dr.
Morgan, a jealous Episcopal clergyman, who is
much interested in Christian missions on the
East side. and DIR. Mendes. the rabbi of the
Nineteenth Street synagogue The dispute in
wolves the fairness and the right of the Chris
tian evangelists to attract the small children Of
Jewish parents into chapsls and inculcate the
doctrines OF the Christian faith. Stroug Ian
guage has passed between the two sides aud
the controversy will not end there. One inter-
esting result already has been the diversion Of
S15O, 900 OF the fund of $500 900 which the He
brews of New York have Just raised for a gen.
eral mission house from this purpose and its
application to the work of building three at
tractIve opposition and Jewish chapels close
by DIR. Morgans chapel to counterfeit its infu-
ence.
In his letter DR.. Mendes makes a striking
point which might have q wider application
than he draws from it He says that the chill
the labors of the Christians are wasted, or, To
quote from the letter, If on the other hand
they become sincere Christians, can you, dear
sir, form any conception OF the sorrow and
discOrd. heart burnings and tears which you
and your stan occasion in the homes OF tht
little ones?" IL 10 not often that the other side
Of proselytism il presented so eloquently.
HENRY b. ELLIOT.
The National Rifles.
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