Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-05

WHAT TIE SALVATION ARMY DISCOVERED IN ITS
sLuxMrSo ExPkprrroSs-pR PARKHrRsr AND
TIE GRAND yuRY-oosrLY RUe aKSs FROM TIE
oRIrST-THr CENSUS OF NEW YORK.
Special Corssp0naenoe Of The Evening star.
Nrw YORK, March 5. 1891.
II SEE THAT A RESOLUTION HAS BEEN
vestigation relative to what is known As the
slums Of cities, combining such investigations TO
cities containing 20o, 900 inhabitants or more
as shown BY the eleventh census" and appro-
pristing e20o, 600 for this purpose. I don't
know a. there would be that rush 10 get on
this committee which is seen in the case Of
certain Investigations that are supposed TO
involve an agreeable vacation junketing trip
the committee, IL they did their work
honestly, would not have picnic. No doubt
they would be able 10 make picturesque re-
port. but just what good they could do it is
difficult to say. Probably they would call be-
fore them - important witnesses the officers
and the rank and file of the Salvation Army
The work OF this army in the slums OF New
York and surrounding cities is something re-
markable. They have seemed TO get at the core
OF the difficulty better than any other of the
benevolent agencies that have undertaken the
Job. Only this week there was quite a notable
meeting at the West End PRESBYTERIAN Church
at which Q platoon OF these indomitable war
riors occupied the platform and described their
methods in dealing with the very dregs Of the
population. The narratives revealed a spirit OF
devotion worthy Of the highest praise. There
has been less disposition of late 10 make fun Of
these enthusiasts. because the results Of their
hard work are too evident TO admit of ridicule
nARRowINa AND oRoTEsoUE.
Some Of the stories told at the Monday meet
ing we're narrowing and others were grotesaue
to the point Of the comic. One of the cap
tains" told OF q visit she made TO q tenement
house. where in two dark rooms, so dark that a
light was necessary to make the misery visible.
she found a woman and brood OF eight small
children, three of them concealed under a pile
Of potato bagging. The visitor learned that
these three little ones were waiting their turn
for their clothes. The family, not having but
three suits OF clothes, had to 90 out in sec
tons and the three under the bagging were
killing time as best they might until their three
sisters brought home the family suits from
school on their backs. This woman had immured
herself for sixteen years in this black hole. from
errors in earlier life which had made her
ashamed to 60 abroad, and here she had lived
wath this increasing family. hermit OF the
tenements, for half q generation. IL would be
family living in more exaggerated misery than
this reality OF life in New York city.
DIR. PARKHURsr GETS A REBUKE.
DR.. Psrkhurst has got himself into rather an
awkward fix by his bold language against the
city government, as the grand jury has admin
istered very severe rebuke to him. We have.
however, to hear his rejoinder. which will no
doubt be Q very forclble document The
grand jury has done some very good work
lately, which makes their criticism all the more
caustic. DIR. Parkhurst evidently relied on
moral rather than strictly legal evidence for
the charges which he made, q very easy mis-
take to make by those who are wrought up 10
q fierce reforming zeal. l notice that some of
the organs Of Tammany are now clsmoring for
his blood in the shape of a suit for SANDER but
1t Is entirely unlikely that the politicians will
risk such a conflict All they ask is to be let
alone by reformers, whether lay or clerical.
may add in this connection that the latest
news from Albany is that the liquor dealers
license law will be reported without substan-
tai modincauons and that il will be pushed
through the assembly containing the feature Of
Sunday sales and other obnoxious character
istics, in the face Of the indignant and united
protests OF the Catholic clergy, the Protestant
clergy and other large and influential bodies
OF citizens, all Of which is q curious commen-
tary on the power of public opinion. How
ever, 1t Is . long lane that knows no turning
and We can still hope for some change that
shall bring our rulers to what our forefathers
called "a decent respect for the opinions OF
mankind"
THE TRIBUTE OF PAoASIsM.
was calling on . friend at a well-known i'm
porting house this week. and in the course Of
conversation he said: Would you like to see
something uncommon in rugsf" / of course
said yes, whereupon he got bunch of KEYS
from their custodian and took me into a special
room about the size Of an ordinary drawing
room, In which were several piles Of rugs,
while others were displayed about the walls
1T may interest you to know" he said, that
In this little room Is S100, 900 worth Of rugs,
and yet the real treasures are kept oven more
closely. He then went to a substantial cup
board and unlocking it drew forth a folded
silk rug, which he threw open with a flourish
1t would need a Ruskin and a Turner COM
oined to do justice to the sight which met the
eye. Inc rug was nearly square, being about
hve by seven feet and its richness was daz-
cling. The price, was informed, was &. 500 IL
contained 5000 900 stitches and was about 500
years old. How it got to the New
York market the dealer was not at all
disposed to say, and this leads me to
remark that In these choice eastern rugs there
is often hidden chapter of romance, which,
II put to literary uses, might furnish more
than one novel like Wilkie Collins ..Noon-
stone" to the library Of thrill" These price
less rugs all have their history; whether they
carry with them into exile something of that
P~"SA W eASss ahu curse, WHICH Is supposed TO
90 with some of these oriental gems that have
been torn from their holy hooks in the east to
be made traffic Of by the infidels, will not I'M
dertake to say. Possibly this superb rug
would be as uncomfortable possession as that
compiscent fallen Idol which caused such
distress In the wild narrative of Anstey.
SEARCHING THE ORIENT.
The great houses have their experienced
travellers, who penetrate into the very recesses
Of Persia, India. Thibet and the other hooks
and corners Of the far east, and fear that they
are not restrained from spoliation through any
respect for heather divinities or for the pro-
prieties OF pagan palaces Their first COM
mandment B the hard-headed American com
mand to get there" and they feel no more
remorse In snatchlng one Of these sacred treas
ures from some venerable temple or scarcely
less sacred harem than boy does TO pull from
particularly deep hole the coy monarch of the
brook which has long defed the piscatorial
genius OF a whole county. The price of the
example referred to. 81, 500, is Of course more
hnt - O.