Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-11
BURNS STUNNING.
What The English Labor Leader Saw
After he Lift the Banquet.
CHINATOWN AND THE BOWERY.
shocked Ivy Many Things He saw, But
Very Aerccshiy Surprised
by Others.
New York Herald)

,hc Greater part Of a night with Mr..
Rurns last week. and came 20 the con-
cluslon that he IS not only the most re-
,oarkahlc man In London. but one OF the
most remarkable men in the world.
Nlany-sidodness is his chief and most
ro,icNahle characteristic. and he has the
advantage. which he keenly enjoys and
appreciates. Of viewing the commonest
scenes and incidents from several differ
en-, points OF view
To begin with. John Burns is n labor
leader. and beyond doubt the greatest
leader Of labor alive to-day. He tho
roughly understands the present needs and
requirements OF the most ordinary and
ignorant laborer. as well as the aims and
aspirations Of the most radical Socialist.
Then he is a member Of Parliament.
lie never forgots. however. that he IS
mo-; legislatinG for the working-class
alone. but for the whole nation.
As "a London-County Councillor the mu-
y,cipal reformer side Of the man is seen.
Tn tina, capacity he has succeeded. In
the six years during which ne has held
Office in purifying Londons municipal
Improved the condition of her municipal
employees.
THE BANQUET BORED HIM.
Eut. above all. John Burns is man
wish a heart IN his body. lie understands
r. motives and aims of men of every
class. and his sympath;es are always
k,cnly affected by suffering in any shape.
Nothing Is more distdst,ful 10 him than
the nittery which has been heap5l upon
him Iy labor leaders since his arrival
here and he has replied 10y telling them
es.te sharply what he thought of their
Internal felds and chickering's in this c0un-
ify.
The banquet rendered 10 him in Claren-
don Hall was a bore 10 him. and as the
weary hours drsgged on until long after
u might he became more ana more i'm
patient. ana TUNED 20 samuel Gompers.
WI, sat beside him. and said: "Gompers
Us ahou; time this dime was over
Mr G0mpers agreed with HIM. for they
hli arranged TO spend the greater part
ol The niEAt ia visiting IT, lowest slums
Of New York and seeing the darker side
o. New World civilization.
Finally. when the speech-maklng was
t-t commenced, Mr. Burns said: We'll
Tn on" and slipped quietly away. The
labor .adcrs dil not realize that he had
made enemies Of some who hid prepared
elaborate speeches fol ham 10 hear.
met him on Thirteenth street, outside
Clarendon Hall and accompanied by his
friend. J. Williams Benns, NJ. +" we
started on our stunning tour
We decided 10 first pay 4 visit to po-
loo headquarters. and on the way down
stopped 80 q low concert han at No. 5iz
Rlwery. which Is chiefly frequented by
sailors AMI the sirens who prey upon
them.
The Englishmen were surprised that
the place was 50 orderly.
In London" Mr.. Burns said, places
Of q similar character are much inferior
T. this" on. thirg which struck him
as peculiar was that II was possible Tor
him to obtain Notwithstanding drinks
I'VE could not get ginger ole IN a simi-
lar place in London" ne said.
lie was also impressed by the iact tha'
The women frequenters or the pas "eie
perfectly orderly and made no attempt 70
aocOst US.
From there we walked down the Bowery
nd turned across Houston street, toward
Police HEADQUARTERS in Mulberry street.
On the corner OF Houston and Elizabeth
.treet a policeman was standing in the
shadow OF a doorway fondling vagrant
rat. This caught Mr.. Burns's attention
at once.
BY GEORGE" he said. That's the first
humane thing I've seen New YORK
bobby do. ! take of my hat to you,
sir" He suited the action 10 the word,
AMI tha policeman stared in open-mouthed
aMazemcnt.
HEADQUARTERS NEWS BUREAU.
We visited the Herald bureau at po-
d.. headquarters, and the English re-
~ucr was astonished at the perfect
r4,ys-aathering OF the Herald. He asked
many questions, ana his comment was:
Wen fancy II Scotland Yard were con-
s,antly watched by a staff of trained
Journalists. 1t might be better for Scot
lana Yard"
A reporter was engaged when we en-
tired In telephonlng 10 the main office an
account Of a suicide which had just
come IN. The details were meagre, and
he concluded by saying:
That is all | can give you tonight.
/ don't think the man is Of much ac-
count"
Not Of much account commented
John Burns. poor follow! And OF such
is the Kingdom Of Heaven"
When the reporter explained that he
spoke not from a humanitarian stand
point but from the point OF view Of news
his apologies and explanations that he
ln1erstood perfectly what was meant.
Just after his arrival Mr.. Burns had
c4li-l upon Inspector Williams. and the
Inspector had given him his card. with
The Information that its presentation at
llcr headquarters at any time would
insure him any courtesy he desired. Ac-
corl'ngly, when II was suggested that
q police guide might be OF use In visiting
NJ Chinese quarter. the sergeant at the
desk telephoned down to the Elizabeth
Street Station that we were coming. and
on our arrival we found guide await
i.s as.
Mr. Burns expressed n wish TO walk
DOWN through Elizabeth street. and on
t5- way down his artistic and architec-
tural side came uppermost.
New York is a bundle of architectural
irreconcilabilities. he said. Now look
az that" pointing to a tall factory-buiid-
Ing next door TO a twO-story brick dwell
ias-house and next 10 IL a miserable
ciapldated wooden shanty: "such state
az arairs IS impossible in any city IN
Europe"
He stood still In amazement when we
came 20 the new Bowery Savings-Bank
lIilling OF the corner OF Grand ana
Elizabeth streets The electric light gave
~ a peculiarly beautiful effect. and coming
olt ~ the general squalor II was most
Impressive Turning 10 his companion
BE- aid: Imagine coming upon sight
TX. that in Whitechapel. Benn.
We picked up our police guide az the
Enzabeth-Street station and started Tor
Chinatown. Immediately the search Tor
Information began again. d,
can you tell me. my lad" he asked
the policeman. chow many arrests are
made every night in the cityT
The policeman could not. but volunteer
81 the information that In his precinct
there were from thirty to fifty nightly.
but then We DO "a good deal OF WORK
here" be added.
what are the charges mostlyg' was
III next question.
"Oh. almost every crime on the calen-
dsr"
COULDN'T FIND AN OPIUM-DEN.
Both Mr.. Burns and Mr.. Benn were
anxious TO see an opium-den, but our
guide s.outly maintained that there was
not one In Chinatown. "Our captain Is
very strict man" he said.
W. did. however. show us the Chinesc
Smoking Opluns in their own apartments,