Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-10-23
Who lives next door, whether he lives

who lives next door, whether he live
or dies.
Many thousands come into Ney
York to work from the small towns
some as far away as fifty miles, goin,
to and fro each day. They have n,
interest in the home life of the gres
city. 1t is> scramble, and tn
strongest win. If there is any sigh
in New York that resembles men
ager:e more than any other it is tn,
Manhattan side of Brooklyn Bridg,
during "rush hours" 1t is the mos
densely travelled spot on earth
Thousands of men and women figh
for seats on the trolleys or even for {
standing place on the foot boards
No quarter is given, and there is al
ways crowd of sight-seers on tn,
elevated road above the trolley track,
Stocking down into the pit at the
animals"
But ! would do an injustice to the
great city if / did not record thai
many of its churches bind their mem
hers as strongly ss in any city. The
church here is, indeed, the creates,
key to the true social life. But fo,
the church and the Y. M. G. A., 8
young man would have few close
friends. Business scqaaintances are
rarely social ones. so-n
What l have written about friendly
churches does not apply to all In
many buildings erected to Him who
had not where to lay HIS head only
q few pews or the galleries are free.
The visitor who desires to avail him.
self of this lavish liberality, may
stand inside the door until it is seen
how many of the regular members
will attend the performance. Then,
perhaps, if there are any seats left,
the visitor will be given seat by his
royal Highness, the usher. 1t is said
that Oh one occasion q man here who
never went to church was finally
persuaded by his wife to do so. The
church was one of the salaried- sing
ing, olosed-pewed variety. They
walked in past the usher, down one
isle and up the other, but though
there were plenty of empty seats. the
pews were closed and no seat could
be had unless they waited to see if
any of the stockholders would stay
home. In their embarrassment and
indignation they passed out into the
vestibule and the man asked the
usher the name of the church. "This
is the Church of the Redeemerr.
swell, l suppose he isn't home to-
day, replied the man.
If any city Of tie country shows q
need of curtailing immigration it is
New York. Foreigners of every class
are dumped here by hundreds of
thousands every year, and the tide is
still swelling. Most of them remain
In this city. 1t is all very good to
talk Of our land being one of freedom
and refuge to which the oppressed
OF every CLINE may flee. but too many
of the wrong kind are fleeing to our
shore. We cannot assimilate them.
They remain an undigested element.
They are q menace to American life
and institutions. Already it is with
extreme difficulty that the respectable
citizens of New York can prevent
laws being enacted that will permit
open saloons all day Sunday.
! 1t is surprising to most Southern
people to know that New York state
has about one hundred thousand
colored people. Most of them are in
New York city and they occupy q
peculiar position. ig si
. Unfortunately. perhaps, for my
peace of mind, l have never lost my
Southern sentiment. 1t ia true that
my life in the North hae made me
more liberal toward Northern people.
l can understand how people born
and educated in the North should
hold Northern views. The same
people would have held Southern
views had they been born and
educated in the South. 1t ia un-
doubtedly q fact that many Northern
people are prejadiced, and misunder-
stand tie Southern attitude, but il
is also true, I think, that many
Southern people inisunderstand and
lack charity to the Northern view.
1t would be q great blessing il both
sides could hold more liberal views.
The standard of education 10 the
North is high Il wish it were gener-
ally as high in the South). and the
people here are fond Of reading and
argning. In debates in the literary
society to which l belong. when ]
have been selected to defend the
Democratic and Southern side OF
political and race questions, have
been surprised to find my colleagues,
though Northern young men, would
argue more strongly and logically