New-York tribune., 1902-02-19
.GLORIFIED GANG" SYSTEM
BOYS OF THE STREET FORM CLUBS TO
THEIR LIKING-GIRL VENDERS
No LONGER SEN
40 LONGER SEEN.

youthful Street Vendors was the topic under
discussion the monthly conference of the Char
ity Organization Society YESTERDAY E F. Jenkins.
Of the Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty 10
Children. gave . general view Of present condi-
Iions OF child pedlers. bootblacks and newsboys;
Charles Brace, president Of the Childrens Aid So
ciety. made plea for the boys who feel big
enough 10 spend their money and Francis
H. Tabor told Of the amusements provided by the
Bows Club. at Avenue A and Tenth-st.
M jenkins said that much has been done dur
ing the last twenty-five years 10 improve the
oirion OF the youthful members OF the community.
The oldtime familiar cry that became 4 nuisance.
Please, mister, give shine" is seldom heard
now. because boorblacking has become an i'm
por-srt industry. Bootblack stands placed in
prominent positions such as street corners, ferries
and railway stations. the proprietor employing one
boys & weekly salaries, ranging from 81 20
10 S. and even more uaunifcent wages. Large shoe
stores too. have their brigade Of bootblacks who
receive Z stated wage for their services. Tony.
who owns stands in all parts of this city. and who
bezan MS career with a box, has. II is said.
Ynulated fortune, valued from $4,000 10 10000,
during his residence Of about fifteen years in this
country.
As direct result Of the efforts Of the Society for
the Prevention Of Cruelty 70 Children and the
United Hebrew Charities, child pedIers are seldom
seen nov, When one is discovered his case is
looked into without delay. Syrians about the
only girl venders left in the city They are en-
coUraged 70 pursue their trade by purchasers Of
their so-caued "CrientaI' wares who unaware
that there are ore or more factories IN NewJersey
engaged in the manufacture of Oriental goods.
Certain stores Washlngton-st- 1T out newly
arrived Syrtans with 0asketfuls Of goods and send
them through city and country The shopkeepers
trust these strangers. who. II IS said, always re-
turn and pay their debts. Proprietors Of such
stores have received warnings that girls under six
teen must not be allowed 70 peddle, and that if
encouragement Is given 70 them the offenders will
be brought INTO court
There are great numbers of newsboys, the ma
jority having homes and giving aid 70 their families
by their efforts The average newsboy is a bright
fellow. and PLAYS sf-ewd game with the public
As rule ne does not suffer for the necessities Of
life, being We'll clothed well fed and well housed
Unless this is 50. his case reported 70 the chill
dren's society. That organization has broken up
10 large degree the selling Of papers on the streets
by girls under sixteen years Of age Mr- Jenkins
believed that little can be done TO better the
condition OF the newsboy- he thought that many
more clubs should be established, many more places
provided where boys may spend their evenings away
from the periIs OF the street Little boys seldom
appear On the street, except in cases Of alarming
extras before the afternoon, but there IS no
doubt that the newsboy should attend school more
than he does
Mr Brace said that the question what part OF
his earnings a 10y shall spend in his own way is
az the bottom OF a great deal OF the evil Of the
CITY II boy is OF the steady sort he will for
E tine readily give up his mother all but twenty
five cents or so 4 sixteen or seventeen years,
however, II he IS not steady he begins to lie 10
his mother about the amount Of wages received,
and SPENDS TOO large portion on cigarettes, craps
and Bowery theatres. When the home complaints
become uubearshIe. the oeati4gs beratings and
scC-c-1g uncomfortable ne deserts the place and
drifts into the street Then the work Of the Chill
crer AID Society begins with him. ana the prob
lem arises how 70 keep him straight" During the
last year three hundred boys have been turned over
70 the probation officers Of the Children Aid
society by the Court Of Special Sessions. and only
i"O OF the number from the homes Of the
insLrltion- One Of the Two Vas boy with one
leg arrested for begging The other
found with stolen brass sign Superintendents
q The boys lodging houses OF the society urge
lnelr charges 10 save part OF their earnings and
not 70 20 TOO often 70 the Bowery theatres The
evils Of gambling also made clear to them
Large amounts saved annually by the boys in
TIE savings bank connected with each OF the four
locgIDg houses. \ certain kind of boy met in
I-e lodging houses spends all OF his money in
gambling and Bowery theatres and is 10
paying the small sum required for board and
lncgllg. This Is the kind Of boy that finds too
soon that money obtained honestly comes slowly.
finds close connection between the boy who re-
fuses 10 give his mother his money and the boy
burglar He believes that too often lack Of sym
pathy, seedlings and unkindness from the mother
are responsible for the condition Love is the
nottOm Of all helpful efforts for the boy
Ar. Tabor had learned from the thousand boys
VINO nightly visit the Boys Club House. that two
o0ys should never receive the same treatment He
Stands before him Anybody that is in any degree
successful IN working with boys. uss$ his own
methods, and they bound 10 be the best meth
C.3s tOr ms purpose The members Of the Boys
I-4uo are divided into various grades. the senior
ranking from fourteen years old upward and the
junior from fourteen downward. An effort IS
classes. The youngsters come in as they please,