The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-24
HELP FOR THE LOVELY
THE RESULTS ACHIEVED BY BOOTHS
DARKEST ENGLAND' SCHEME.
Passing Of the Family Scrap-Book,
which Ii supplemented by the
Passing Of the Country Girl.

Correspondence Of the Sunday Journal.
NEW YORK, May 23.-I was much inter-
ested in reading General Booths bitter at
tack ON the American press. following his
sons secession from the parent branch of
the Salvation Army. had the pleasure of a
long talk with that wonderful old man at
his London headquarters a few years ago.
His tone in reference to American newspa-
pers was then quite different He told me
that American editors were the first to give
earnest and respectful consideration to the
great movement he was directing, and that
the attitude of our newspapers had great
deal to do with the fair nearing he was sub
sequently given by small portion OF the
English press. Even at the time ne spoke
bitterly concerning the attitude Of certain
English newspapers.
Ever since the publication Of the details
Of my Darkest England scheme" said he,
"a portion of the London press and some
persons prominent in the Christian and phi
lanthropic world. have attacked me and my
social work with such persistent unfairness,
willful Misrepresentation and open SANDER,
| which, think, can safely say no other
religious society and no other Christian lead
| err has been called on to suffer for the last
hundred years.
The Generals denunciation Of American
editors is mid in comparison with this. 1t
Is amazing to me-now that I look back
upon the workings OF this Darkest Eng
land" scheme, the marvellous amount Of good
It undoubtedly resulted in, and the great
executive abflity of this leader made appar-
ent during my inquiry into the operations
of the social side Of the Salvation Army
| that General Booth should have been SO
sanort-sghted as to let the American branch
come near slipping altogether from his grasp.
| In his dealings with the Salvationists this
| side of the Atlantic he cannot be accused Of
acting blindly or Of being ignorant
| of the temper of the American
| people generally. He had toured
this country pretty thoroughly and
| .professed to take the deepest interest In ev-
| erything concerning the American branch.
| A special foreign secretary" In London had
charge of its workings, and there could be
/ no lack OF advice On the exigences Of the
| situation here. The General is a man OF
| wonderful force of character, as shown by
| his 1ong-continued management of the
| army scattered all over the world. But the
breadth of his vision, great enough to grasp
| the details of his worldwide movement,
| could not dominate the insularity and ma
| tive bigotry of the typical Englishman.
| Hence the situation in the United States
i to-day.
This Darkest England" scheme is to me
the most remarkable phase of English later
| life. It won the attention and then the
respect and support of such churchmen as
Archdeason Farrar; Of statesmen. society
leaders, philanthropists and the thinking
public generally. It rescued thousands from
| - al bo ~
| housed the homeless and fed the starving
1t stationed officers at every Jail door. and
freed criminals were invited to its prison
gate homes" as they were called, where a
| chance Of beginning new careers and>th
opportunity of caring honest livelfhoods
were opened to them. 1t dotted London and
it's suburbs with rescue homes, lodging
houses. food depots, shelters and "eleva-
| tors" Its workings were entirely practical,
for food and lodging were only obtained at
the expenditure OF a certain amount of
manuel or skilled iabor-the highest kind Of
philanthropy. 1t built factories and gave
employment to hundreds, and the skill In
simple Industries thus obtained put many
on brighter and better road. / have
visited the "dossers'' in its Shelters" been
in It's homes and depots, and on its farm
colony near London. where wonders are ac-
complished; and. leaving it's religious as
pect altogether aside, l acquired a respect
for this Darkest England scheme that
only such close observation could inspire,
and learned to admire the man who gave it
birth. 1t has benefited the unfortunate
classes of England more than any move
ment Of the century, and solved for states
men some hard social problems. would
really like to see Darlington Booths sue
10, oh xt~t~
country, as it is said he intends doing,
though l should prefer to see it done by
Ballington Booth himself. The wonder is
that 1t has not been tried before Though
the self-respect of Americans made the split
in the army necessary, yet. I exceedingly
regret it, for look on General Booth not
wtthstanding his recent mistake. as one OF
the worlds greatest benefactors.
Time was when the family scrap-b book
was conspicuous and much priced orna-
ment on any well-regulated parlor table
That time is either no more, or is rapidly
passing away This passing of the old-fash-
toned scrap-book is one of the most inter
esting commentaries on our growing civili-
zation, as exempifed in the dissemination
of information and the wonderful develop
ment of the newspaper. When the compare
| lively tiny newspaper or family journal
made its visitation to the home only once a
week, tid-bits of interesting information
statistical paragraphs, recipes, fashion
notes or effusions from the inevi-
table and often misnamed poets
corner" were carefully culed and
religiously pasted, and the scrap-book be-
came a veritable encyclopedia by which
many arguments We're answered 1t was g
dirninutive affair at best. especially in the
more intelligent homes. for the excerpts
thought worth preservation in it were few
and far between. How different to-day with
the ponderous daily and Sunday newspaper
and the weight of general information
either original or fresh from the shears OF
that marvellous and very useful and intelli-
gent individual-the exchange editor--him.
self notable product of modern civilization
Now every good Sunday newspaper at least
is a great magazine in itself, and the literary
gems that besprinkle it are too mum
erous and time too valuable in this
busy age to think of clipping and
! preserving even an infinitesimal part OF
them. Besides, the newspaper is no longer
a weekly visitor only, But daily and some
, times hourly one. While the old weekly was
a valued friend and its arrival so great an
, | event that the whole family would await