East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-01-18

Jacob Ris, journalist. lecturer
friend and biographer Of President
Roosevelt, has been guest OF rem
dletou today and at the Frazer thea
ter tonight he will lecture upon the
subject, "Toneys Hardships." he ar
rived on the delayed westbound train
last night and has passed the entire
day here. This morning he was met
nv a committee representing the lee
ture bureau, and II was arranged
that he visit the high school this
afternoon for the purpose of making
a short address before the students
of that institution. He did so at d
o'clock this afternoon and at a meet
ing held In the assembly room spoke
briefly.
The lecture at the thcater tonight
will commence at s o'clock, and iudg-
ing from the Interest that is being
manifested the playhouse will be well
filled. In order tc allow the MEM
bers of the congregation to attend
the lecture, the meeting at the Rap
tist church. being conducted by Rev
Gibson, will close before $3.50.
Riis L. Il Philanthropist.
An American citizen is Jacob Riis,
and he has been n good one. He Is
not of the Fourth of July orator va
riety. though as to his patriotism
thera can be no doubt. But instead
of showing his loyalty In fiery
"grandstand" way he has devoted MS
life to studying the economic condi-
tions of the people, especially OF New
Yorks poor, and he has tried to
raise their standard Of living. To dc
this he has followed the newspaper
method, publicity. He has drawn the
nicture of slum life as 1t is and
thrown the spot light upon cit. He
has done this believing in his near'
that upon learning the actual situa'
ton the public sentiment or the
American people will gradually worR
n change for the better.
For many years Jacob Riis was the
notice reporter for the New forF
sun. II. fact his entire journalistic ca
reer, with the exception of a shor'
tine he spent on the New YORK TIL
bune, was devoted to the service OF
that paper. In covering" the police
department he did not seek merely
for the details of the counties:
crimes that were being committed ir
the hig city.
'I looked more for the human sid'
of the cases that come up" said hi
this morning, "and I learned tina
most of the wrong came from th'
= misery ir which the people of thu
slums were forced to live"
But the whole life of the lecturer
has not been passed in the gloom o.
Gotham's poor. As a newspaper mai
he has met with men in all walks o
life and he has seen much of thu
brighter fields as well. His expert
ence has taught him to read th'
characters of men with discernment
and to him their souls are as an oper
book.
In his life as journalist Mr.. Rii
met with one man whose friendship
has been one of his chief delights
That man is the president. and III
has no more appreciative admire
than Jacob Riis. About II years ago
when Mr.. Roosevelt was a compare
lively young man, he became ac
uuainted with the police man. o:
the Sun. The acquaintance ripene'
into friendship and 1t continued dur
ing the days when Roosevelt wa
head of the New York police board
assistant secretary of the navy, colo
mel of the Rough Riders, governor o
New York, and it has not been dim
med by the glamor which surround
the presidency. In the White Hous