The record-union., 1897-11-24
Y. N. |. Entertainment.
BENEFIT OF THE CHRISTIAN
BROTHERS COLLEGE.
Musical and Literary Exercises,
Lecture by Hon. J. D. Phelan,
and Dancing.

! The lecture, entertainment and dance
| given at the Old Pavilion last night, un-
| DER the auspices of the Young Men S
institute, for the benefit of the Christian
BrotheTS College, drew out one of the
largest crowds seen at any similar event
| TINS season. 1t was a success in every
particular. and the object-the assist
ance OF the college-was fully attained.
Judge j. w. Hughes was presented as
Chairman, and he returned thanks to
! the committee for the honor. He felt,
| he said. that the audience would be
pleased and benefited by the entertain
Tnent, the object of which was excel
| lent. None present would hesitate to
contribute to the brotherhood for the
| benefit Of the college, to allow them to
| increase their facilities and further
their good work.
| An. excellent programme was render
ed, which consisted of vocal solo by
Mrs. j. H. Coppersmith, a recitation by
E. p. Carragher, a vocal solo by w. w.
| Longbottom, double brass quartet by
the Institute Band, and a solo by
Charles Brier Most of the numbers
were encored, and all of the selections
| fully appreciated by the audience.
/
.'Brutus Over the Dead Lucretia." 1t
was a difficult piece, but the young gen
| tleman acquitted himself with great
credit. In response to hearty and per-
sistent recall, he recited What Finigan
Said to Flanagan" which provoked
rounds of laughter and applause.
The feature of the evening was the
| lecture on Dangers to Society" by San
Francisco's Mayor, Hon. James d. Phe-
| Ian.
| Mayor Phelan said he was unaccuS-
| toned to the lecture platform. and,
| Judging from the appearance of his au-
| dience, it was unaccustomed to being
lectured. He felt that a serious sub
| ject was hardly in order, but having
prepared an address on rather serious
lines, he doubted the advisability OF
declining to deliver it.
The speaker defined society as the
outgrowth of civilization, and said II
should stand for equal rights and equal
protection to ALL Some one had SAID
that virtue resides in the country,
where, uncontaminated by the touch OF
greed and gain found in the city, IL
fiourished and gained strength under
! the protection of heaven. 1t is plalh,
he said, that it is contact With evils that
contaminates, and it is held that great
cities foster evils. That might be true,
| but the fact remained that the cltleS
have, in the ratio of three to ona, ap-
sorbed the country. Society is the sun
of the individuals composing it, but II
| is also more-it has rights OF It's own,
and must maintain them.
| In the course of his address, Mayor
Phelan touched up political caterers IN
! q lively manner Venality, he SAID, Is
the vein of political existence, and for II
society has not yet discovered an anti
dote. Official life affords schools for
corruption which rankle and tester In
the ranks of social life. Politics take
an Individual fresh from nature-Verlt-
ob1a raw material-and turns him out a
saIable commodity.
| The remedy for all this, the speaker
said did not lay with courts OF law
| hut with society itself. Social ostra-
| cism should await corrupt actions in
nublic life. Self-protection is society
own law, and is the more eHectiVe
when applied. because it is not down
| on statute books. In Birmingham
| England, official corruption IS tapooo
| by society, and as consequence
slip is rare, instead of the rule. AT
| Alderman of that city recently tooh
advantage of his official knowledge anc
purchased a tramway site that he sup
posed the city would buy His actor
was not a crime against the law, ou'
society cast him out-ostracised him
and after all another site was chosen
for the tramway. There is, the lectur-
er said, no punishment for official dere-
liction so speedy as social ostrac1sln
and society owes it to itself to enforce
| it.
Mayor Phelan cited the society in tbs
United States army as one which en-
forces it's right by socially ostracisine
offenders against common decency
| Honor among army officers is para
mount to all else, and that honor is
sedulously guarded. There is, he said
.'honor among thieves" but very little
between thieves and the public. Gam
! bling debts are paid because (probably
they cannot be collected under the law
and are debts of honor, and If such g
code were carried into daily life every
body would be better for it.
The paragon of animals, the lecturer
SAID, Is rlafl-at IedSt, man says So
but between the highest and the lowes'
specimens of man the distance is not
great and between the lowest specl-
men of man and the inferior animals
the distance is less. with the advantage
often on the side of the monkey. Com
munities of men, he said may fall away
from civilization and by lack of moral
force fall into his original condition
| but strict observance of proper laws
| by society might serve to advance man
| kind.
There is no reason, the speaker said
why a higher standard of conduct
should not be demanded by society
and no reason why men should not be
as good as the Government, and as
strong as the law.
| In the attainment of these high ideals
of society nothing, the lecturer said is
| so conclusive as proper organization
and that the Young Mems Institute is
moving in the right direction is a fact
| worthy of great praise.
At the conclusion of Mayor Phelan's
lecture. dancing was indulged in until
late hour.
SOUTHERN ROUTE.