New-York tribune., 1905-08-06
HOT SHOT FROM JEROME.
SOCIAL CRISIS COMING.
Says Both Political Parties 1re Con
troIIed bY "Grafters.

Jerome, District Attorney of New-York, ad-
dressed 5000 people at the assembly this after
| noon, on the Patriotism of Peace"
MT Jerome declared that conditions of political
ana social unrest are fast approaching crisis
In this country. He attributed it to prevalence
or selhshness and dishonesty. He referred
the Equitable investigation
Has any one brought to light any intent to
protect the widow and the orphan" asked Mr..
Jerome
He referred to the building of Carnegie libra
rles in New York. which he said are not used
and never can be.
II. for one. believe it unwise to take millions
from the pockets of the toilers down in Home
stead and build useless libraries" he said. Bet
ter forget the name of Carnegie and leave the
money with the men who earned It, to make their
homes happy. / believe i'm law and order. but If
lived in one of those miserable novels in the
iron and steel district and needed money for
loved one, L should not view the founding OF
these libraries with compacency.'
Political unrest Mr.. Jerome attributed to pub
lie disgust of men in public office, not sense of
loss of the money they steal He said neither
of the big political parties stands for right prin-
ciples. The best men are scared out of public
life, and few who persist in trying to do their
duty are hampered and blinded at every turn
by a set of grafters. Governor Higgins is one
OF these few. Mr. jerome said
In closing Mr.. Jerome appealed to the political
parties to stop sauabbling over the Philippines
and the tariff and get down to basic moral is
sues. In that event. he said. every individual
citizen would fight "the gang" everywhere and
at every opportunity.
DEFILED BY PUBLIC LIFE.
Mr. Jerome's speech was in part as follows:
Social unrest is not the whole story We find
anOtner, the political, equally And nv
should there not he this political unrest in a
country where wise and experienced man in
Faflabiy advises a young man not to go into
public life? The man in public life or connected
with large affairs says to the young man whom
ne loves. bright and eager youth, filled with
enthusiasm and the desire to do loyal, patriotic
service:
DO not do it. There is nothing in it. You
cannot touch pitch without being defled.
Nhere such conditions exist il is time there
was political unrest and great parallel resist
ance.
When you look out you sec the papers and
magazines everywhere filed with the literature
OF graft 1t is exposed in the Senate. in the
shame of the cities, in the shame OF the state.
everywhere. right and left. Graft in public life
is only reflection of graft in commercial life.
You see this in the Equitable exposition, in
winch moral obliquty is seen at every turn.
You have there persons who among those
bearing the best reputation among the general
public and what have we seen? Have seen
unselfsh idealsm that sought to build up
great institution to protect those who were de-
pendent when the bread winner was gone? Was
there bit of altruism of doing unto others as
they would have done unto them? Rather the
precept evident DO all others they will do
you
IT rests with you people more than with any
one else to get rid of this cant about what
really innocent forms OF amusement. It
you who rose up and compelled your legislature
10 defeat Mr.. Fravley's bin short time ago.
1t you who do not understand the condi-
tions which forced members of our legislature
into refusing the relief that needed and
ought 10 have. Here a man who introduced
what was known the boxing bill Mr. Fraw-
| Il III mot int o,,I IL
thought he intended. to have prizefghts under
IT. Personally, don't care about boxing. 1t is
form of sport which do not excel in, and
q type Of amusement that does not appeal to
me. I have no desire TO prizefght, al
though [ do not say it is immoral.
But up in Cherry Hill you have thousands of
young chaps full of energy and life who like
that sort of sport and if they cannot go to gym
nasiums to work off this energy belong to
athletic clubs they will go into the saloons or
into the alleys, on the dock to try each
others Drawn and endurance
Mr.. Fawley wanted permit IT. And when
the bill got TO the Governor wise and good
man that he is, although he doubt under
stood the situation, he forced to refuse the
passage or the bill simply out of consideration
for the feeling of the rural districts So before
you jump TO the conclusion that everything is
immoral that you do not like, stop and in
vestigate
But to get back to my subject Of social un-
rest My idea is that 1t be improved by
higher morality. and by giving the people all
the things they ought TO have, even if they are
not just what we like.
RAP AT CARNEGIE LIBRARIES.
Mr.. Carnegie has given the city of New-York
a great many libraries, and has strewn them
over the country at large with liberal hand.
But | think I am safe in saying that we had
plenty Of libraries in New-York city before
Now, | believe ] am as diligent as most of the
people in the city of New-York l think read
and study as much most of the citizens and
yet never expect to live long enough to read
| 100000 worth of books.
And l can think of better ways for spending
vast fortune than in building and endowing
great libraries that cannot be used It seems
TO me that 1t is not a wise thing to take our
or the laboring man at Homestead $50 900 900
and make Libraries with il. One wonders if that
workingmen and their homes and families than
in these numerous library buildings
But this does not justify violence. Every one
of US believes in the cry of hands off is fair
play / am a good American citizen | love
order believe it is a fundamental requisite of
progress, but if | were living in one of those
houses in Homestead or almost any other along
the railroad lines that go through Pennsylvania
and needed a little of comfort of life for sick
wire, would not view with complacency the
establishment of libraries in the city of New
York.
When that heroic figure. General Grant went
into the Presidency, unaccustomed to work with
politicians. the "gafters" drifted back and al
most tarnished the very fame Of that great man.
Issues died out. and the management of parties
fell into the hands of little group of men
wholly irresponsible. utterly. selfish and dShon-
est. and these are the who stand between
you to-day and your public servants
1hese are the men who say whether or not
man shall enter public life. whether not a
public office shall exist, whether not public
man shall be promoted in public life.
Public officials are only human, and when they
take their charges at the hands of such a group
of men. they feel under honorable obligations
to the powers that gave them this preferment
and they feel mistaken sense of honor and
responsibility first to that little group.
It is that group that has stood between us in
the absence of issues that group that has been