New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-31

about its past history and present condition.! The
magnate of Fifty -seventh-st., Fifth-ave. whose
grandfather maybe, was magnate of Greenwich
when it was one of the most purely American
villages in the Empire State would doubtless tell
you, if you asked him. that the region in question
is now almost entirely given to business and
stun" population. 1t has indeed fallen from
its former high estate, but not wholly. Sand
wiched between business houses and shabby
tenements. may yet be found old houses that
preserve something Of their ancient, prim eharac-
ter, and which occupied by families who, in
lineage, culture and intelligence. are the equals
OF many who are supposed to be social leaders to-
day. You may come across blocks Of such houses,
here and there. which would be a revelation to
these who know nothing about lower New-York.
They are what is left of Old Greenwich and to
the student of social life in New-lork. they are
unspeakably more interesting than some of the
architectural mOnstrosties uptown that we are
called upon to admire. In few of his charming
stories. Mr. Bunner has shown how much there
is of human interest in this region of New-iork,
especially in that part of it where the feur-de-lis
Of France has been strangely transplanted in
the native American soil If writer's would make
an intelligent effort to learn something about
New-York, we would not hear much about New
The same thing might be said of the East Side
below Fourteenth-st Not long ago the writer
heard fashionable uptown preacher refer elo-
quenty to that region the :" sums Doubtless
there are slums, some of the worst in the world,
in this part of tho city, but the missionaries and
philantbropsts who know most about these slunD
will tell you also about the thousands of cleanly
and intelligent people who live in this region.
As on the West Side. there are quiet blocks to be
found here and there, below Eighth-st,
and east of the Bowery, in which there are hand
some houses luXuriously furnished. which are
the abodes of refined and intelligent people. They
are people who keep themselves informed Of what
is going in the world, who read the latest
books and magazines, and can discuss with you
the newest things in the world OF music and the
drama Sums forsooth! Never was greater
libel uttered. Unfortunately for these people.
there slums all about them as there are also
congested masses of ignorant and unclean for
eigners. But that is not their fault. And in
stead of depriving them of their good name. We
should hold them in greater honor because they
are what they are in the midst of so much that
is vile.
Nor must we run away with the idea that the
lower East Side foreign population is all ignorant
and dirty; for it is not. There is a German
quarter, not SO snowy or so Americanized, as the
uptown German quarter, in which live people
whom it would be both an honor and a pleasure
for any to know, decent, supplemented, warm
hearted folk, with all the quaint characteristics
and hOmely virtues of the fatherland. They are
not very wealthy, as Americans estimate wealth.,
but most OF them in comfortable circumstances,
and live quite well a. the average citizen OF
Hamburg, or Hanover; or Berlin. Ana yet. OF
all this the provincial New-Yorker is blissfully ig
norant. He thinks of the East Side Gcrilan Us
he is caricatured the stage-a thlck-witted ana
outandish-looking fellow, speaking Darnarous
argon and only happy when drinking unlimited
quantities of lager beer. II the aforesaid provln-
cial New-lOrker were told that many OF these
East Side Germans intelligent and rational men
and women. that they are well educat Il, that
they have studied many of the great problems OF
life and death. and that. 10 say the least. they
are no less intelligent and well-equlppcd for the
duties of life than he is himself. the chances are
he would be vastly surprised They live III what
he has been in the habit Of regarding as the
Sums: and that one great fact has seemed TO
him an all-sutiicent reason for not trying 10 KNOW
People talk about the value of foreign travel
in broadening the mind and correcting Una. ,on a.
of provncialism which used to be more common II,
this country than il is now What they say Is an
very true but no one seems 10 realize mat rgnt
her, in New-Yorll man may travel among many
foreign peoples, and by so doing may acquire that
COSMOPOLITAN outlook which should distinguish the
modern man of the world. There are. for IN
stance certain localities in the East Side when
are as Hebrew any modern community can
be- Hebrew papers are exposed for sale on inc
news-stands. Hebrew shops with Hebrew Signs
abound. Hebrew restaurants announce tne prices
for coffee and cakes what not in the most APP
proved modern Hebrew Hebrew playhouse
presents Hebrew dramas in the Hebrew tongue
EVERYWHERE around you are the evidences or
Semitic lif. and as you behold the strange
manners and customs of these people. in no respect
modified by American civilization. 1t Is hard 10
believe that YOU are in Naw-iOrk at all, and not
in some foreign ghetto. which, maybe you VIII
spend good deal of time and money some day
The same thing is largely true of many other
notionalites and races 70 he found IN newborn.
about which the self-sufcient New-lork provincial
is frankly and contemptuously Ignorant !heIe
are indeed. frequent general references To tnese
aien reoples as being in some way menace -
our civilization. Their shortcomings especially
the fact that they do not AZ once become AngIo-
SAXON Americans, arc often dwelt on by eloquent
preachers and speakers But while New-l orkers
arc ouick 10 discern the duty of the alen 10
New.York they do not always realize the duy OF
the Ncw-Yorker to the alien within ms gateS'
They take no pains to get into sympathy witl nun.
IN understand his point OF view, or 10 lelp MN
"a a truer appreciation of his duty and obligation
Dan bless he is at fault in segreg1fing hlnsel IN
alien colony; and IN perpctua'Ing inc ,,'.,,
the other hand, New-iorlSers are also az faut when
they help continue this state OF affairs by keep
inc aoof from the foreigner by refusing Ia learn
hrn0 him into right relations with our civic life.
Most of rs fail to realize that Newl ork to-day ~
not snug little community of English ana Dutch
people homogeneous in Thought and habit. Dnt
great polygot Metropolis. in which no element or
Character and no strain of blood. however humble.
can be safely ignored. Newly 0rkers are justly
proud of the intelligent interest they take IN every
corner of the globe, where men i've ana thlnR ana
act Is il not high time for them to pay some ar
tenfion TO their own city, of whose present eondi-
ton and future destiny many of them are 50
wofully ignorant?