The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-23
1T READS LIKE A. STORY FROM
"A SUNDAY SCHOOL BOOK
President Roosevelt Tells Them All to BE Good
and Points Moral With Nicely Adorned Tale

ton with municipal misgovernment and
with the over crowding, misery, vice,
disease and poverty of great cities, vet
We would have taken long stride for
ward In the right direction toward their
solution.
"As an example of what can be done
and should be done. by the individual
citizen. / shall mention something
that recently occurred in this city of
Washington. 1t appears that last
spring Mr.. Downey started to build
new livery stable: his stable is next
door to a colored Baptist Church. Mr..
Downey is a white man and a Cath
Ollie, and these neighbors of his are col
ored men and Baptists, and their kin
ship of that broad humanity that
should underlie all our feelings toward
one another. (Applause.)
"Mr. Downey started to build his
stable. and naturally wanted to have
it as big a stable as possible and build
1t right up to the limits of his land.
That brought the wall close up against
the back of the colored Baptist Church,
cutting out the light and air. The
preacher called upon him and told him
that they would like to purchase a
strip six feet broad of the ground of
Mr.. Downey. upon which he was in
tending to build, as it would be a great
klCOINttuCllCE ~ AtAtAh ~ AOoC bAAN
light and air: that they were aware
that it was asking a good deal of him
to cramp the building out Of which he
intended to make his livelihood, but
that they hoped he would do 1t because
Of their need.
AFTER a good deal Of thought Mr..
Downey came to the conclusion that
he ought to grant the request, and SO
he notified them that he would change
his plans, make a somewhat smaller
building and sell them the six feet Of
land in the strip adjoining their
church. After little while the preach
err came around with the trustees Of
his church, and said that they very
much appreciated Mr.. Downeys cour-
tesy and were sorry they had bothered
him as they had, because, on look
ing into the affairs of the church, they
found that as they were already in
debt they did not feel warranted In
mourning any further financial obliga-
tions, and so they had to withdraw
their request. They thanked him for
his kindly purpose, and said good-by.
But Mr.. Downey found he could not
get TO sleep that night until finally
he made up his mind, that, as they
could not buy it. he would give 1t to
them, anyway (applause), which he did.
the tower OF Sloan often falls upon
the Just and the unjust alike, and Mr..
Downeys livery stable caught fire. and
burned down. 1t was Sunday morning
and the Baptist Church was I'm session
next door 10 him. and the clergyman
stopped and said: Now. you women
stay here and pray and you men go
straight out and help our benefactor
Mr.. Downey,' and go out they did,
and got his horses all out, 30 that
none Of them were burned. although he
suffered otherwise a total loss.
Now, / call that a practical appli-
cation Of Mr. Wamor'E teachings.
Here IN Washington we have a right
10 be proud 81 a citizen like Mr..
DOwney. and n only we can develop
enough such citizens, we shall turn out
just the kind ~ community that does
not need 10. but Will always BE- glad
%. study the simple life. the author
Of which / nov Introduce 70 you" zap
plauEa.l