The Press., 1894-05-24
w. C. T. U. DEPARTMENT
eff Christ Came to Chicago"

eff Christ Came to Chicago"
 The Woman's Signal of recent date con- tains review by it's editor, Lady Henry Somerset, of MT. Stead's new book, "If Christ came to Chicago" Lady Henry shows in her review 8 deeper study of American society, the causes of vice and pauperism and the agencies at work for the alleviation of the misery that exists not only in Chicago but other cities of our country. She says: -. 'The picture he draws is a dark one, but he does not, think, sufficiently em- phasize the reason of the shadow cast over the shores of Michigan. In his pre- face he states briefly that the polyglot city can not be regar ded as fair sample of American life, but he fails to impress the English reader with the intricacy of the problem Chicago is called to solve, namely, the fact that hitherto it has been the police station of Europe; the goal of paupers, castaways and criminals, more than ninety per cent. of it's population be- ing either foreign or the children of for eigners. The beneficent intention of the | early founders of the republic has become | the bane of it's municipalities. The con- stitution was based on the liberty of the law-abiding American citizen; it has be- come the opportunity of the ignorant bar barian to smite the hand held out to bless the boast of the Fourth of July orator, that America is 'an asylum for the op- pressed of the world, is now the most ap- palling danger of generous people. Eff teen per cent. of the whole population of the United States is foreign, while fifty per cent. of the inmates of it's gaols and poor-houses are likewise foreigners. The saloons, houses of ill fame and pawnshops depicted on the map at the beginning of this volume are largely kept by foreign CTS. The Irish and German saloon keep CT are the typical figures of their class" ,, | She calls attention to the fact that many of the so-called "tramps" did not belong to the genus of the ordinary tramp" but were wage-workers thrown out of employ ment by the commercial failures, for whom the city was called to provide without op- portunity for preparation. .. "
 The description of Brant Smiths ideal Jones, "If you want to do any good in this town, begin crusade against the sa- looms. You will do no good at all if you go against all the saloons, but you should distinguish between the decent and the indecent saloons" is thus answered:
 "This is no new gospel; it has long preached, and doubtless will be to the end. 1t was the great argument advanced by the nti-abolitionists-ke the good CD masters, and restrict the traffic within certain prescribed limits. It is served up | in hy thoca u hy, .tafopd thu iolo fl an of the public house; but it appears to me that no one can read this chapter without feeling that in all probability this very | oasis of cleanliness and light for thus MT. Stead describes Brant's saloon, has done more to ruin Chicago, to demoralize it's citizens and debase it's politics, than the indecent saloons summed by all who still retain the vestiges of self respect !; for here is planned the political prostitu- tion of the voter, bought up at so many dollars apiece that men may be continued in power under whose leadership the reign of misrule which the author deplores may steadily strengthen and extend its malign sway"
 Of the scenes in Harrison street police station, the central cesspool" of it's city's moral sewers, she says. -,t..
 "There is, however, a fact briefly touch- ed on by MT. Stead which feel should be emphasized for English readers. One policeman and one police matron,' he says, 'are in commando In America such an institution as police-station is thrown open to public inspection, and can be vis- tied by any citizen who desires to know the workings of that local government to pay for which he is taxed. In London the great police stations can not under any circumstances be entered, applications made to the home secretary and other au- thorities being at once refused. The wo- men are there brought in mad or stupid with drink, and are attended by men only. Police matrons in America are the direct outcome of the work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, who in Chi cago paid the first matron from their own society's funds, until the benefits arising from woman waiting on women were SC fully recognized that the city employed them, and the pressure brought to bear
 by white ribbon women has resulted ir laws requiring their services in many oi the states. ."-NationGl ". 0. T. U. But letin. ..nT