The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-27

| Not long ago, on a New York excur-
sion steamer. several hundred people
! had their day of pleasure spoiled by
! the riotous conduct of a crowd of hood
| lums. who insulted women, bullied men,
and behaved generally as their law
| less instincts babe them. Half a dozen
were arrested after the boat reached the
wharf, were charged with disorderly
conduct and sentenced to five days in
Jail.
1t seems a pity that more severe
measures could not have been taken
against these young savages. They had
not the excuse of sudden temptation
for their behavior. All the circum
stances indicate that they went on
board the steamer with the deliberate
purpose of making themselves unpleas-
ant Their :dea of having a good time
was to make all their fellow-tra
afraid of them. 1t is the same idea of
a good time which, when illustrated by
men of uncivilized races, we call an evil
dence of savagery.
If these young men had gone into a
fashionable restaurant or Travelled in a
drawing room car, and behaved in the
manner in which they did, they would
have suffered rather more severely. The
chances are that they would have been
roughly handld before they finished
their riotous doings, and that the pen
atty of their transgression of the law
would have been made as severe as in
fuence in high places could make it.
But If there is any class of people which
deserves to have its holidays kept free
from such disagreeable occurrences it
is the working class. The women and
children who went on that excursion
have few holidays and scant pleasure
1t is outrageous that their rare seasons
of amusement should be spoiled by the
invasion of young ruffians, who do not
know how to behave decently in civil
lied society. When such man insults
woman of delicate breeding and re-
fined associations her friends and rela-
tives feel like putting a bullet through
him. The daughter of a workingman
is az likely to resent such an insult as
the richer woman, although, owing to
the circumstances of her life, she can
not always protect herself in the same
way. If the insult comes from her en-
ployer or overseer, she must often en-
dure it and say nothing. If it comes |
from an unknown man, she can some |
times resent it effectively and some |
times not; but the fact that nobody is
shot or imprisoned on account of the |
incident does not prove that the girl |
is not wounded and Inundated beyond |
and women of the opposite type in all |
classes of life. 1t is supposed to be the |
business of the law to protect those who
have not the money or the power to
protect themselves
The existence of hOodiums like those
who made themselves conspicuous on
this particular steamer is more mat
ter of public sentiment than anything
else. If there is enough feeling in the
ment, and to sustain the strong hand
Of the law in its dealings. with them, |
heir obstreperous conduct can usually
be checked IT, on the contrary they |
ire led to suppose that nobody is going
70 interfere with their doings, they will I
30 on terrorizirg the community. That
IS the nature Of such animals. They
ire usually towards. They shrink from
stern treatment. but take delight in
bullying those who can offer no resist
snce If the law does not handle them
he decent men of the land are reduced
o the necessity of going about with
pistols in their pockets and defending
themselves and their families from i'm
position. The larrikin of Australia, the
looligan of London, the hoodlum of
San Francisco. and the tough of the
3owery are all of much the same spe-
les, and the medicine which will cure
me will be good for ALL