New-York tribune., 1901-02-18
TOPICS IN CHICAGO.
6UsIyEss MEN AND THE SCHOOL sYs-
TFM-MRs. NATIONS VIsIT-JUDGE
DUNE AND OTHERS IL THE
IROoUOIs CLUB THINK
THE CITY Is GOOD.

Chicago IN. Feb Il CSpecian.
sns the diversion accompanied by more or less
sdisrinct tremor ~ apprehension, oaused by the
Aasft OF Mrs Carrie Nation. the Kansas saloon
srnasher Chicago has given more than the
,,sual amount Of attention during the last week
NO topics of a serious nature. Principal among
these was the subject ~ practical business edu-
Sation as applied the public schools of the
city Leading business men have recently Sc
MERELY criticised the public school system Of
s-hicago. for falling 10 provide the training
requisite for the ordinary demands Of business
life and the educational authorities are con
ducting an Investigation with view 10 cor
recting tho deficiencies. According 10 the tes-
simony offered by the heads Of the large mer-
rantile establishments. the average High School
graduate is IA prepared TO assume the duties OF
she ordinary Office boy while his qualhcauons
sor higher business responsibilities are aho-
gether lacking ON the other hand, the adNo-
rates OF the present system of public school edu-
ration assert that p business career is mot the
rhier end of life. and allege that the captains
pf industry are seeking 10 use the public school
system for the building up Of an army Of office
h0ys and bOokkeepers, ~ only 10 do their bid
ding IN a subservient capacity. The broader
education they assert. prepares the young man
and woman for careers Of Independence. and
snakes them competitors Of the very men who
eeek 10 lessen their avenues of advancement.
ghe critics of the present system have made no
answer 10 this argument.
Librarian Frederick II. Hid Of the Chicago
Public Library has taken the Fiction Committee
pf the Boston Public Library TO task for eN-
rluding popular works OF fiction from the
shelves of that institution The committee, he
SAYS, has gone to the extreme in condemninS
hooks that are really harmless and which the
,,,utlic has stamped as among the most readable
additions TO modern literature However, ne
.sys 'one could not expect any better criticism
.rorn Boston where IL is customary 10 send new
s,oops received at the library TO members OF the
.Sarious women's clubs for their individual COM
.snents I doubt not these comments are largely
shcpendent on the quality OF the dinner enjoyed
nv their authors" Librarian HID thinks that
shey are far too particular about the books they
fead in Boston
"Is Chicago really bade" was the question
,.rhich pubhc officials ana members of the lro-
spuois Club put TO each other al club banquet
on "Wednesday evening. While they were lean
sne back In their chairs. throwing post prsndial
bouquets at the Windy City, Mrs Nation was
,naking the rounds Of the ''levee' district.
which disclosed to her enough scenes OF wicked
'5less 20 paralyze the strong right arm 81 the
sradicator of sin. Still, the prominent citizens
1nslSted that Chicago vas not DAD AIlcie NSic'
they said. few il any hOldups i'm dark streets;
porch climbers rarely made rich hauls; there
were few tramps in Chicago. and those few were
willing 10 work. The police force Was a small
shut highly efficient body OF men, and had the
.Nicious element completely under control ON
one point they agreed-that the only lawless
elements in Chicago are the Safest. merchants
and the newspapers. Judge Dunno, who was
one Of the speakers, made a comparison OF Chi
cago with Eastern and foreign cities. IL was
not wicked enough To mention with Paris, he
said. There is no open gambling IN Chicago as
in Eastern cities and a game cannot be found
lere--unless one looks for H. Il have lived in
Chicago for thirty-seven wears" said Judge
dunno. 4 have never been held up; I have
- never been robbed. But J haSs noticed that
N rhoaeos character is usually painted black a
Few months before a Mayoralty election" Per-
y haps the approach of a municipal election had
something TO do with the conditions Mrs.
Nation found them. II is apparent at least,
that Mayor Hauison's edict against the base
ment resorts and all night saloons is no longer
operative. "A campaign il on and the money Is
needed" is the all-suficient reason which the
prOprietors give for the resumption Of their
business.
Chicago's power in the Legislature is likely TO
he seriously crippled by the adoption OF an
amendment 20 the constitution which is 10 he
amendment which limits Cook County in the
General Assembly 10 one-third Of the total rep
resentation. viii probably he passed al the next
general election without the slightest trouble
Country members OF the Legislature are strong
fly opposed TO the constant domination Of Chi
rcsso in legislation and state politics and hence
s1he amendment.