The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-05
Now York.

Mr.. HowELI.s having wondered chow any
one could love New York" the Mugwump
Evening Post Is impressed by the originality
and the high significance Of the remark.
Nothing" it says. lis more discouraging
to the advocates Of a better city govern
ment than the almost complete absence Of
anything like pride in this city on the part
OF those Of its Inhabitants who ought to
feel the greatest interest in it's welfare"
Mr.. HowEuLs has lately come to New
York after having lived for many years In
the provincial atmosphere surrounding Bos-
ton. and. therefore. the morbid sentimental
ity OF his observation IL pardonable. He
has been confined to a coop. and the liberty
OF New York socms strange to him. He has
been accustomed to people who are occu-
pied with petty local and parochal inter-
ests. stirred by neighborhood vanities, and
made timid by village criticism and sur
vigilance. An imprisoned bird eventually
grows fond Of it's cage. and does not know
what to do with itself outside OF 1t.
In Boston q man becomes 80 much accus-
toned to the restraints Of provincial curl
oslty that 1t gets to be a sort OF moral
necessity to him. He does not know what
1t Is to DO free. and he imagines that he
loves his bonds. when really they have
sim ply prevented the normal development
OF his emotions and destroyed the natural
ness and spontaneity OF his feelings.
. Not long ago Il Boston physician OF en-
fnenre wondered how the New York
doctors could dare to go to their clubs dur
Ing the day. If he were seen entering
the Somerset Club in Boston in broad day
ILL Ia 10
disastrously. That is an illustration show
ing the life OF imprisonment which has
been Mr.. HowELLss. Poor man. he has
only just escaped from it. and the healthy
expansion for his emotions which he gets
In New York is novel to him. He has not
yet got over feeling the need Of his Bos-
ton keepers.
But gradually he will learn to enjoy his
freedom and to require it, No man who has
left Boston to live in New York long enough
to get of his prison pallor. has ever been
known to return willingly to live in the
Puritan capital. Whether you call 1t love
for New York or hatred of Boston. the re-
suit Is the same. So. generally. after a
man has once lived in New York. existence
In any other city OF the Union Is unspeak-
ably dull and confined for him. All other
urban life is fat. petty. and favorless.
II that does not indicate that its citizens
love New York 1t at least Is n good and
SUFFICIENT substitute for such affection. II
they do not gush over the material town
. after the manner OF provincials who are
sgitated by every petty parochial, vanity.
snd terrified by every piece OF tittle-tattle
Gossip. they Ike the freedom. the inde-
pencence. tne Indifference to trihes, and
the broad and large interests OF q great CAPT.
tai and cosmopolitan population too biz
and too powerful for small local jealousies
and yanities.
Tho Mugwump Evening Post Is essen,
TALLY provincial In New York. 1t would be
much better suited to the narrow bounda
ries OF Boston. material, moral, and
Intellectual. Mugwumpery generally IL
provinoialism. 1t can sec only the little
It cannot comprehend the large and thu
broad 1t has the jealousy and the hypoc
risy Of the narrow life OF narrow and pro
yincial souls. 1t Is always posturing fo
admiration. and Is always artificial ant
self-conscious. always before the looking
glass. When 1t goes to the temple to pray
II thanks COP 1t Is not as other men are
that Is. oblivious to Its superior grace ant
virtue. The absence OF anything lik
pride In this city," which Is 30 discoursg
ing to the Mugwump Evening Post. is reall!
nothing except the absence OF pride II
.Mugwumpery. The people OF New Yorl
d.tsst the NuRwumD sham. for they ar