New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-06
SIMPLE TOWN.

Popular as large cities are becoming, accord
ing TO census reports, some OF their most at
tractive advantages have never been properly
advertised. This seems to have been due TO
widespread ignorance about the character OF
the Simple Life. a form OF existence grossly
misunderstood by the masses and shamefully
maligned by the pampered pursuers OF complex
careers. 1t has remained for a lecturer address,
ing the League for Political Education TO dissi-
pate, at one blow, both the popular falIaclea
about the Simple Life and the even more uni
versal MISUNDERSTANDING about life in q me-
trOpOlls The Simple Life is REDEEMED as 1.-THE
undistracted following of one main purpose"
and is to be attained by cutting out everything
that does not make for such a supreme end
Thus described. the Simple Life can be lived
more easily in New York than amid the banaI
insipidities Of lesser communities
All this comes as a great surprise AS to the
new definition Of the Simple Life, we must
confess that in the unwritten dictionary Of
memory 1.-The undistracted following of one
main purpose" is a pretty close description of
what is more bluntly known as "mOnomania"
or fixed idea" If this is the soul Of the Sim
pie Life many fond dreams will be dissipated
by the news. The vulgar notion has been that
of a vineclad cottage and grape arbor, with six
able bodied and flial children working m suD-
port the old folks; or, again, the vision shifts
to still den Of good books and better tobacco
maintained by a modest hstful Of government
bonds and enjoyed in the company OF the par-
son and the schOolmaster. 1t is cruel to dis
place such fancies and hopes with the picture
Of a high speed monO-rail Path of Life with
neither switches nor side tracks.
But with this new picture New York's claim
TO the honor Of being the worlds centre of Sim
plicity becomes reasonable. The lecturer ex-
plained that the first and most important thing
TO DO after choosing ones single purpose Is 10
get rid Of everything not absolutely necessary.
She advised dispOslng Of as much household fur
nlture as possible and recommended that the
practice OF giving wedding. birthday and Christ
mas presents be abandoned Now. anv New
Yorker will testify that his town is the easiest
place in the world in which to carry out the
first Of these instructions; almost without o.
fort he can get rid of everything not abso-
lutely necessary"-in Manhattan at least With
good eating apples at five cents apiece md
everything else selling on the same scale only
the very rich need little help from the onera.
pickpockets and pOolrOoms In order to- attain
that degree Of elimination" demanded by the
Simple Life. Not few Of those who have been
lured into those crevlces called apartments will
also testify that this town is so constructed as
to make separation from all household furni-
ture except beds, dishes and toothbrushes a
stern necessity.
Who would have dreamed that this narrow
ness OF rooms was conducive to breadth of view
and deep content? And yet it is obvious that
such must be the case. Happiness being gained
largely through the Punishment Of worries and
troubles, the New York apartment is wonder
fully adjusted to the aims of the Simple Life
and every other method Of pursuing content
ment For its floor space is so economically
arranged that there is no closet provided for
the family skeleton.
4 But Is New York the best place for the 'un-