The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-11-12

OMMoDOR ELBRIDGE T. GERRY.
larly rated at $50, 600, 600 and pays
over 500, 900 taxes yearly on his real
estate.
His favorite diversion is in his famous
steam yacht, which cost over $500, 900,
and he got his title by being elected
commodore of the New York Yacht club.
He is a devout Episcopalian and a law
yer, but does not work at it much and
devOtes most of his activities to the So
ciety For the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children, OF which he has been presi-
dent since 1879. He began this work as
counsel for the Aid society in 1870 and
was chief founder of the new society in
1874.
He was born in New York city on
Christmas day, 1887, and few men of
his age are so vigorous. Since he took
charge of it the society has taken over
$1,000 children out of the slums or
away from cruel parents and guardians
and furnished them with good homes,
has prosecuted about 900 men and
women for ~mistreating children and
convicted many. Little tots who could
scarcely toddle ON their emaciated legs
were taken from the streets, where their
worthless parents had driven them TO
Reg, peddle or sell newspapers, and
thousands of these are now healthy,
happy and well to do young men and
women But he has had great trouble
with his agents, as every man must who
undertakes any reform in the slums of
New York. Again and again he has
found that they were bribed OF badly
influenced in other ways. Then there
would be an explosion, a general recon
struction and a new start.
So far the general public was with
him, but when he sought to prevent
children from appearing ON the stage
there was a great difference Of opinion.
He succeeded in securing the passage of
a law prohibiting children from singing
or dancing in public unless with the
approval of the society. This made him
a veritable censor Of the stage, and a
great fight there has been about it. Many
a child which was to sing a song or do
a little dance in public had to first go
through a rehearsal where the commo-
dore was ali the audience, and in many
cases he has put a veto on the perform
ance. The mayor has often opposed him,
and the police have been %unfriendly. but
his veto is final. In 1888 he caused
Mayor Hewitt to revoke the license of
Josef Hoffman, the ~11-year-old pianist,
~ IN defense OF his action made sweep
ing charges against the drama generally.
He said that a law legalizing child
acting would be a law for the d~estruc-
ton of morals and incidentally added
that New York city contained {, 900 sa-
looms and 25, 900 women of dissolute
>hVes. Then there was a storm. Good
Judges think, however, that he proved
his case. When, however, he followed
th1s with a broadside to the effect that
the American people are de~teriorating
n that the public schools in cities are
largely the cause Of ii, he once more had
the good people to contend with. He
stood mp s~trenuously for his view, but
explained that the trouble was that the
schools were controlled by a political
machine, and that the only remedy was
20 go back to the time honored custom
OF teaching religion in them.
The commodore is of the central
nucleus OF the inner ring Of the -Four
Hundred, which is said to contain but
10 families, the Lyingstons at the head.
The i've requisites are descent from a
famous colonial or Revolutionary fami.
u, inherited wealth. culture, intellect
nc an unbroken family record for hon
esty, patriotism and morality. The Ger.
re have had this record for 1874 years
and the Lvingstons for $40 years I'M
America and 100 years before that In
Scotland, and a the commodore mar
RED . Livingston bis beautiful daneh-
tsr and only child ID properly ranked a.
: princess royal Of the Four Hundred,
4 A--~Aw