The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-05-06
new YORK 5 POOR AND
DISPLAY Of PARASITES
Poor Superintendent States
That 100000 Families
Are Destitute.
Capitalistic Magazine Tells Of
New York Smart Set and
Calls it "Silly Set. -

/
New York Smart Set and
Calls it "Silly set."
New York, May 4.-Almost side by
side in New York paper two articles
| appear that glaringly illustrate the
fearful inequalities produced by the
grind Of the present competitive. prof.
itmongering system of production.
says Max Hayes in the Cleveland citi-
zen.
One of these articles contains an in
terview with Mr.. William c. York, SUI
perintendent Of the Municipal Lodging
House, a. man who comes in direct con-
tact with the poor, and need not spec
ulate, but knows whereof he speaks.
Said he:
THERE ARE 100, 900 FAMILIES IN
THIS CITY ON THE BRINK OF DES-
TITUT1ON. THEY ARE NOT OF THE
MENDICANT CLASS. THEY ARE OF
A CLASS PECULIAR AMERICA. I
NIGHT SAY PECULIAR TO NEW
YORK CITY. THEY HAVE PRIDE,
THEY HAVE ENERGY, BUT WHILE
THEIR EARNING CAPACITY HAS
BEEN NARROWING THEIR LIVING
EXPENSES HAVE INCREASED, AND
THE AWFUL TRUTH HAS COME TO
] THEM THAT THEY ARE DRIFTING
INTO PAUPERISM. THEIR, COUR-
AGE IS GOING-WILL SOON BE
| LOST
In this same newspaper reference Is
! made to the recent war in one of the
large insurance companies, and the
reckless extravaganza OF one of its Of
fcers, Mr.. James H. Hyde, who, by rea-
son Of his enormous wealth, was en-
abled to give a Louis XIV ball, the
magnificence Of which would have sur
prised that old Bourbon parasite him
self. The entertainment cost Mr.. Hyde
100000. and his aristocratic guests
must also have spent large sums of
money in preparing for the event.
SunerinEs Of Poor Related.
It is my desire to reprint, at this
time, or even refer except in a general
way, to the accounts that appear in
the newspapers daily of poverty and
misery, of hunger and unemployment.
of drunkenness and debauchery. Of sui
eide and crime and other horrible de-
tails that are in nearl yall cases trace
able to the method in which wealth
81 produced and distributed-to the
system in which the House Of Want
remains cold and bare while the House
of Have is full to overlooking.
To relate the sufferings Of the poor
may be realistic enough, but they are
also gloomy, and the workers of this
city and every Industrial center come
sufficiently in contact with the cold.
sad facts that it is unnecessary to dis
play the dark picture, especially when
we have~the opportunity to show tho
poorer half how the other half lives.
Smart Set No vthe "*siny Set"
In the Twentieth Century Review WI
find Interesting sketches Of the smart
sets" functions last summer. which
are not only painted In bright colors
but serve to forecast what the admir-
ing, gaping wealth worshippers may
expect to be amused with the coming
season.
New York's Smart set" is now called
the "silly set" 1t is composed mainly
of men and women VIII ohave nothing
to do but spend large incomes from
the investments that were made by
their dead fathers and mothers. Few
of the silly set take any interest in
business except to draw their dividends
punctua1ly and spend them Immediate
ly.
To this fast crowd. the ordinary
| amusements are tame. These people
must have something new, something
that the common people have not
dreamed of-thank heaven! So they
try to do everything in different way.
They turn night into day. and do not
hesitate at the most foolish deeds.
Even Viewpoints AGO." whose leaders
derbilt and a few others, have never
produced a more "freakish" summer
season of frivolity than that which has
just passed. Millionaires and million
airesses chose the company of trained
donkeys, monkeys and goats to that of
men Of science, letters and art, and
this cream Of American society" made
coon-shouters, cake walkers and
clowns out of themselves for tho de-
| lectation of one another.
DegenerateD Among the Rich.
Nothing has been too grotesque, too
silly, or too bizarre to furnish New
ports smart set" with amusement.
Full grown men have played the parts
babies. and have dressed with the
women of their set in swaddling
clothes. They have crept and hoped
about on all tours, while beautiful