The Morris County chronicle., 1903-10-30

Everyone who went to hear Jacob
A. Riis at the meeting of the Friday
Evening Club last FRIDAY night.
heard a.true story of Tony, alias the
4 boy of the street, in New York CITY.
(which was told in vivid and pleas
ring manner, and by man Of courage,
probity and convictions. No clearer
picture was ever drawn of the hard
ships of child life in New York, than
by Mr.. Riis, and no more pathetic
tale ever told.
Mr.. Riis was introduced to the
members of the club by Professor
Charlton T. Lewis as thorough
American. The speaker started out
by introducing Tony as boy throw
ing stones and mud at the stained
glass windows in DIR. Rainsfords
Church in New York. Why Tony
wanted to throw stones at that
church Mr. Riis said he made up his
mind to find out, and to do it he
went to Tony's home, which was in
the tenement houses. There was the
story, and there it was he said he
learned why Tony's hand was against
society. 1t was no home, there were
no windows in it to let in Gods sun
shine. no privacy, and no interest
taken in Tony's welfare.
81 want to tell you something
said Mr.. Riis, maybe | ought not to
say it here, but then | have to say it
anyhow, that when a great many
people sit in their church pews on
Sunday and dream of the mansion
in the skies" for them they forget
their brothers in the pigstyes in
New York, but when that time
comes for them to go to their eternal
home they may be surprised to find
in those mansions they had dreamed
of those whom they had neglected,
their brothers of the pigstyes. ?
The point was plain to the audience,
and their silence was evidence that
the thought went home to their
hearts. In the jail Mr. Riis said he
went and found Tony there. Under
Tammany rule the poor little fellow
was thrown in big cell with three
or four hundred other boys, many
incarcerated for different miss1 1emear.
ors, and some on general principles
The speaker said he inquired Of the
superintendent if the boys were not
classified according to the nature Of
the crime committed.
"Oh yes, the superintendent said
1--WE classify them. Boys of three
feet in one room, four feet in another
and III Vp fanf in arnt bar
The subject of iails brought to the
mind of the speaker the police OF
New York, and he told story of the
civil service examination of the
policeman when President Roosevelt
was police commissioner. One cues.
tion asked, he said, was to name five
Of the thirteen original States. One
man answered England, Ireland
Scotland,' Germany and Whales = An
other question was to write short
story about Abraham Lincoln, and a
man answered that she was murdered
by Ballington Booth" One of the
most laughable answers was to the
question, "who is in charge of New
York when the mayor is away, +" anG
the answer given was the ''tire de.
partment. Mr.. Riis said he wished
it had been so while Tammany was
in power because they could have
washed the city.
At the close of the meeting Mr.
Frank Waller read a letter from Mr.
Robert ID. Foote concerning the
money to be raised to improve the
Lyceum.
AS has been told in the Chronicle
certain improvements have beer
suggested by the Friday Evening
Club, which will cost 50, 500. Mr.
Foote consented to help raise the
amount, but according to his letter
little interest has been taken in tn,
matter. He says there is feeling
that the Lyceum trustees ought tt
make the improvements; whereas ac
cording to the trustees they have n,
money to do this, and can just NEE
expenses with what they now have
Mr.. Foote calls attention to the fac
that the Lyceum was built by publi
subscription
1t seems to be up to the public, S,
to speak, whether the improvement
are to be made or not.
THE NEW CAPE MAY.