The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-12
A SOCIAL MIGRATION.
The Moving of the Prosperous to 1.-THE
Other Side of Town.

The Philistlne.
With the season of the social migra ton
back TO town there is a migration going
on within the city walls that is just as In
teresting, If not more so. 1t Is the mlSra-
ton from one part of the town TO an
other, the exodus over certain dead line
that marks the rich from the poor. When
a business man attains certain income, a
Spectator strikes 1t rich, manufactur-
son of earth is struck by lightning ana
receives legacy, straightway he moves MS
household to the other side of town.
And for this mans family, when they, go.
the scenes that knew them once know them
no more forever. They do not say goodbye
theirs; the neighbors with whom they used
to chat over the gate read of them in the
society events column, but they never see
iy to them is Dead the jolly butcher is for
gotten-all are gone-faded and swallowed
up in the misty past, that past SO full OF
work, and struggle, and dihculty, that past
of youth and hope; and the end for which
they toiled and longed has come: st. Peters
golden gates have opened; they have moved
Men who have incomes of four thousand
dollars or more, in Buffalo, make hot haste
to live on Delaware avenue; in Pittsburg II
l. the East End; Ec Tnelnnau m w hi
cago. Hyde Park; IN Boston. Commonwealth
avenue; in New York. Up Town; in Phila-
delphia. Below the Rails Rails And in these nsss
pitiful. wondrous pitiful for the man
who goes can never return of his
own free WILL and to be forced tbe, back by
than disgrace that comes through crime.
When rich man, say in Albany, Syracuse
or Toledo loses his money and his family
Of earth shed tears for the glory that is
gone. We tell how he has to give up all-he
gave up his horses, his billiard tables, his
solid plate; he discharged his gardener his
coachman his butler. He is now keeping
books for twenty dollars a week and his
wife is doing her own work; and we relate
how his children are now compelled to at
tend the public school.
The women of the exodus tell me that the
reason they moved to Commonwealth ave-
feet in the old home the water was bad,
the air full of smoke. or the neighbors chill
dren rude. And in various instances these
worthy mothers, following the example of
their husbands, unloaded the responsibility
on the children. When Mayme came home
from Wellesley she could not stand it here
or when George got back from Harvard
he found the society so awfully dull" And
right here let us note this prevalent fact:
The first effect of college life is often a de-
sire to separate from the old companions-a
drawing away from the plain and simple; a
separation from the mass and a making of
cliques; an uniting for life's commonplace
duties and the forming of a condition that
makes riches 4 necessity and their loss q
calamity.
That much of our so-called culture has
been bought at the price of manhood 10 one
"a
tiers go far enough IN any one direction the
pendulum swings back and they cure them
selves; and now, behold the college settle
ment! That the men and women of wealth
and culture who are deliberately making
their homes among the poor are as one to
ten thousand. compared with the Sudden
rich" who are making frantic efforts to get
away from all smirching contact with plain
people, there is no doubt but the claim
that money gives the right to monopolize
the beautiful things of earth and the gentle
qualities of heart no longer goes unchal-
lenged. The culture that is kept close smells
to high heaven; only running water is pure.
a pleasing fact that although the men Of
the social exodus lay the blame all on wom-
an, yet the credit of the return move must
be given to her. Hull House is primarily
woman's work The number Of earnest
women, highly cultured in the best sense,
who are deeply interested in social ques-
tons, is most encouraging. And when that
strong and gentle woman. Charlotte Perkins
Stetson, deliberately casts her lot with the
lowly ard tells us that poor people often
have a deal more culture and true charity
than we who consider ourselves rich she
voices truth that should be passed down
the line
Have your beautiful things OF course
why not? Encourage the workers I'm art
and use your money to decorate and beau
tify. but do not think that these things will
benefit YOU If you join the social exodus
and make hot haste to put distance be-
tween You and those who are less fortunate
Owners of art must build no spite fence.
Show the marbles that nil your inches and
the canvases that glorify your walls to
those who seldom see such sights; give
your education to those who need IL, your
culture TO those who have less and YOU
double your treasure by giving it away.