The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-14
TIE NEenoEs OF VIEW EoRK.
Their Limitations ana HardshIps ana what
They Arc Doing for Themselves.

Their Limitations ana Hnrdships ana what
Thcy Are Doing for Themselves.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: Tho pcssim.
istic Wow expressed by Mr.. Paul Laurence
Dunbar in THE Sun Of tho dth inst. OF Tho
Negroes of the Tcndcrloin" opens up n new
source OF danger to the struggling Afro.Amcr-
lean not heretofore einphosizcd-the proposition
TO restrict the constant influx of Southern
negroes to the metropolis. Such ar%raignments
as Mr.. Dunbnr's are within themselves food for
serious reflection. II they do no more they Ger.
tninly prove one thing, that the weaknesses and
shortcomings of no race are more paradod and
discussed In the public prints than those of the
Afro.American. The conditions described by Mr..
Dunbar cannot fairly be confined to the Afro
American portion Of tho Tcnderloin. One does
not have to search long before finding out that
nil that he pictures can be duplicated all over
tho city, among every nationality forming a
part Of our population.
All through the section stretching from what
Is now Mulberry Bend Park, among Italians
and Sicilians, the characteristics of the Tender
loin are everywhere to be seen. Along tho
North River, beginning ut Thirty.ninth street.
going north, the Irish OF low tendencies isport
themselves with tho utmost abandonment to
every form of drunken hilarity. exceeding the
red, red record OF the Bowery" or the motto.
rious portions OF the Seventh and Ninth wards.
The neighborhood Of East Seventeen street. ex-
tending a mile north or south, from Third ave-
nue. to tho riyer-crowded with Germans, Hun:
Irish, with n sprinkling of Portuguese and Chi.
ncse-has long taxed the resources Of DIR. David
churches and dozens of other churches of less
means; md these peoples are not tainted with
of American slavery to fight against.
Why do not writers like Mr.. Dunbar make the
s sSn Ss effort r'iro to fh9w so to ne w 81 abd the bon s,FafTs ars.
working progressive black The stranger in
resented re" t"h by nth tho "TeDderioin f1asT ""o a class isP,
stesdily advancing in the homely virt 1%s
Tenderloin does not stand necessarily for
Afro;American vice, There is no degree Of bad.
essentially black. Degeneracy is degeneracy.
regardless Of the color OF the degeperate. The
bar is not in driving the unfort unates back into
worse condition, but in the awakening of the
such a condition as exists in the Tcnderloin inn
possible. Dotting the city in the wake OF the
East Broadway and Jefferson street established
by Hebrews for Hebrews, and supported re-
Is true OF the Italian mission on Blocker
street. .Deaconesses' homes, boys ,~brigadcs.
guilds, leagues. and other organized agencies
against wrong abound. but from these move
growing prejudice. governing the rental of real
estate. the cannot choose his
dwelling place; he must take what he can get.
Hence he is colonized in spots. the good and the
bad Unfortunately together. Through this
system he is not in touch with even the mass be-
Ing benefited BY organized effort. He is left to
his, own devices, or thrown upon others, equally
unfortunate. He is never importuned to lay
hold on the opportunities supposedly within HIS
reach: There is room for believing that he
would disdain the average invitation. for the
reason that he has not yet realized his abiect
need OF institutional training. He is born
w hen his crude service is Transferred tn traiuel
workers. he feels by habit that race or color has
someth,nE z, to do with that change; Those not
institution represents a phase of public charity.
and in misguided pride they stand aloof, They
this form of ignorance. They simply suffer and
deterioratc.. II proper effort were put forth for
reason to believe that the mass would swarm
the industrial institutions in this city with
boy and girl for Hampton and Tuskegee.
There is yet another factor In the solution of
seldom is even the skilled black man paid wages
sufficient for the care of a wife and the support
Of a home. The woman is expected to help him
public or mercantile service. She is not seen
save when driven to the Tendcrloin by i'll usage.
congenial or remunerativc work. As a domes.
tic she is not now in demand. She is charged
matter of department. These faults are NOT ma.
tive to. her. She is simply unframed. Doomed
70 the influences OF almost the worst phase of
New York tenement life. what else is there for
her TO do but sink TO the level OF her environ.
The A~fro-Americnn woman is more sensitive
about her childs feelings. than her own on tho
inslIy send her Children where they heyS are iiEeiy
10 be taught: among other things, that nature
made them interiors. Rather than this, she
rs indifferent about color and race as she is
herself. She never repulses white children when
they voluntarily seek the society of her little
ones. In this she unconsciouslv acts upon n
broad priaciple, to her credit, be i said. Up in
an Afro-American population of between 5000
and 5000. al, experiment is being. tried which
Afro.Amorican women. with no financial back.
ing, began a series OF mothers meetings for the
purpose OF creating sentiment in favor OF the
their children. could be trained in useful
branches of industrial and domestic work
livtngs, together with departments designed
to effect, an influence over the youth of the
neiEhborhood that would keep them from the
street. and the all too convenient places where
petty games. of change lure them into larger
and more vicious development. Sewing classes.
kindergarten studies. and many kinds OF
meetings we're vigorously supported at great
notice. About seven months ago the work be.
came Il part OF tho woman'sb branch OF the New
1aTTfhse M S9iI % Rose Mission Aoi aaG is iashe5 the %po dis 1s !
growing factor for good in n neiRhborhood re.
t tG ga IN UPTOWN police courts identically with
In the very heart OF the Tenderloin itself there
Is an institution OF great promise known as the
S',ss' .s'NoS "AA u AhiS Won y "ulll OI 1T.
Philips Protestant Episcopal Church. in charge
Or the Kew. llutchinsC {. Bishop, one OF the most
liberal and scholarly ministers OF the city, a
man not ostcntatiously but deeply Interested
in overcoming the weaknesses and hayward
nesses Of young men,. The building was erected
by s.. Philips Church at II cost OF 1913 900. and
Is lifted with all the. most approved con.
vcnienccs Of such Institutions. lis doors are
open to all In the neighhorhood. In time it's
edncationai effect must tell upon the pleasure.
loving Tenderloin, particularly II what Mr..
Dunbar says is true. that the highest ambition
OF the habitu6 Is tho pursuit OF pleasure. In
the guild rooms all moral games. FREQ from the
element of gain or cnriching chance, good
music ard pleasant, reading matter. with
periodical, lectures, debates. and ~recitals, arc 10
be enjoyed free of charge.
Instead of dccrying the awful state OF dcgra-
dalton effort should he directed toward Great
ing roactionary sentiment in favor OF the max.
ing OF this place the power II was designed and
qualified tn be. Lot orr best men and women
wake up to a full realization OF our moral re-
sponsihility in these matters and there will be
no need to advocate the closing Of tho city gates
to amy who may flock. hero IN search OF home.
Tn" city does not. need to throw back from her
| hnrlppG thn nnntin, -YNrar -.