New-York tribune., 1901-10-27
ou THE VICE WAS THEREl
oN THE FESTIVE OCCASION WHEN
AR SHEPARD AND MIR. PEABODY
VISITED THE EAST SIDE 1T
HAD SUNK AWAY

r,ward NJ Shepard at his Brooklyn head
'r+srs was asked about his Friday night
Cut IN which he referred TO the good in
~.,ons of his associates on the ticket, and was
80 II he was ready to make public indorse-
g. of Mt Unger for District Attorney and
.,.vo- Van Wyck for the Supreme Court He
.rrned his stereotyped answer:
sTCben I have anything to say on that sub
shall make it in a public speech"
zvben viii you make such a speech? Will
an ever make such a speech?"
when I reach the subject 1 shall speak of
T."
.soo YOU really expect 10 make Mr. Cnger and
u- Croker better in your efforts TO reform the
city government!
.In my very feeble way hope to make all the
rorls better, and that will include those gentle
-, should very much like to improve Mr.
cantor"
While Mr.. Shepard was talking delegates
,-om three Hungarian societies from Manhat-
-, we're ushered into the room. They We're
r,ward Gallauner. of the Hungarian Downtown
namocratic Association, who supported Low at
=. last election; Morris I. Cuckor. of the Hun
r.4an Democratic League, and John Nimsgern.
= tbe Hungarian Political Union. They told
n their respective organizations to his can
disacy, as a protest against Justice Jerome's
statement that the lower East Side was not a
st place Of residence for any decent woman.
rbev wanted Mr.. Shepard to come and speak
- a Joint mass meeting, TO be held in Cooper
rpon next Thursday. Mr.. Shepard said he
,ould if he could, and then made this formal
rsnlv to the formal address OF Mr.. Nimsgern,
who led the delegation. Mr.. Shepard said in
part:
Tappreciate the generous way in which you
have treated me. No support in this campaign
is SO gratifying TO the support Of inde-
nendent citizens, who mean TO have no man
slected unless he means TO serve the city faith
fully and 10 be his own sole master. have
myself thought il a shame, aye, a burning
shame that whole sections OF greater New
York should be indicted the world over, as the
tusionists are doing.
There is much, very much TO reform and TO
make better but do not think that the best
way TO do il is TO paint the picture perfectly
and impossibly black I condemn the public
treatment of the entire East Side as a place
where good and honest and decent people can
not live. The great masses Of the plain people
there as elsewhere believe in the highest stand
ard of morality. I believe they require the
same standard Of public morality in their elected
servants I have myself often and often walked
through the East Side, without seeing single
violation Of order and decency.
George Foster Peabody. who was with Mr..
Shepard. went on speaking as Mr.. Shepard
stopped.
'Air Shepard and t. he said (NIr. Peabody is
the financial secretary OF the Committee Of FIJI
teen) walked through the East Side and
around Chinatown last New Years Eve. We
saw nothing to offend public decency. did not
hear one obscene or objectionable remark, ana
am quite sure did not come across five per-
sons under the influence of liquor"
Then Mr.. Peabody, the report Of your Com
rnittee of Fifteen as to the conditions on the
East Side are at variance with the facts as
you found them"
"Oh the vice is there" replied Mr.. Peabody
after little hesitation, but this was festive
occasion. New Years Eve. The great masses
of the people had turned out then, and the
vicious, overwhelmed by their presence. had
skunk away"