The sun., 1909-06-11
his NEIGHBORS DINE JEROME
EAST SIDE GATHERING PRAISES
HIM AS A MAN.

M prem,se OF Votes and Not Much Said
About His On,ciai Carecr-The DIS
trict Attorney Praises the jews
He " euld Retain the Party hnes'
District Attorney Jerome was the guest
AT dinner last night Of some $50 OF his
.neighbors" OF the East Side. Most Oh
the men who crowded into the room
at Little Hungary to pay their respects
to Neighbor Jerome we're Jews. but they
represented no party or class ana al,
though free with their compliments hao
little to say about votes. On one side
OF the District Attorney at the speakers
table sat Joseph Marcus, president OF
the Public Bank, on the other Samue'
Dorf, grand master of the Order OF brith
Abraham. Later this seat was taken
by Sheriff Tom Foley. whose appearance
evoked more applause than most OF the
speeches.
Scattered among the tables were law
yers bankers and business men whose
homes are near the Rutgers street district
where Jerome had lived for over seven
wears. Samuel Koenig. Secretary OF
State; Rabbi Rausmann and NUMBER OF
East Side Assemblymen OF different poll
tics, helped the neighbors out with their
welcome. =,
After Mr.. Jerome had been smothered
in praise, all Of it directed to his account
as man as distinguished from pubic
officer and received a square OF ebony
bearing a square Of gold held in place
by square headed nails, the whole sup
posedly symbolizing his squareness' ne
got a chance to say some nice things IN
return.
He told his hearers that hiI residence
on the East Side had taught him that
there was a very great deal to admire
in the keen. ger life OF the great jewish
community. He believed. he said. hat
be had at last managed to get close 70
the hearts OF these people. who had at
first, he said, regarded him With suspi-
cion, having the idea that either he was
trying to make people holy or build up
a political organization.
Mr.. jerome told his hearers thnt he
believed no persons on earth pr,zed theii
as do the Jews, II was a."
nonsense. he said, to talk abont a large
OF crime among tho Jews.
The crime, he thought, was due 10 the
people being packed in like her'hss
rather than to their being OF any race.
To-day he said, the great need OF
this city is not libraries; il Is opportunities
for the great mass of the young people
of the denseiy crowded Fast Side 10 nave
innocent amusement.
After praising the Jewish race at great
length the District Attorney said that u
his neiehbors would bear with him he
would like to point out their greatest
fault. This, he sais. was their intense
individualisIn.
Mr.. Jerome pointed out that in his
opinion one OF the greatest perils oil to-
day is the disintegration OF parties. whlch
he said he had helped to bring about
during his career as reformer, so-called.
The Jews. he said. have still to develop
leadership from their own ranks. he
had been told that IL 100 Jews were to-
eether they could not agree on anything
except that they couldn't agree. This
was bad. Mr.. Jerome thought and he
warned his hearers that their race must
lend itself more to organization. not as
Jews or as members OF any particular
party but in such a way that proper
leadership might be evolved. il they we're
to have the highest use as Americ can
citizens.
He said that he had once remarked
that Schif's people cry out for leader
and he gives them a stone fountain. and
in reply had been asked II he would have
Jake Schiif come to live on Seward
Park.
Il said,- continued Mr.. Jerome, that
that was Just what would like. would
have him come down and live in a pair
OF silk trousers and build a palace there,
The single fault OF you men is that your
leaders don't stay with you,
In conclusion Mr.. Jerome said that since
ne had been put In Office by no political
organization and owed nothing 10 any
organization, he had worked hard undcr
"a solemn sense OF responsibility TO all
the people He had failed sometimes, he
admitted, but declared that he had tried
hard and that his best reward was in the
friends that had stood by him through
thick and thin.
Edward Mandel. principal Of one Of
the largest public schools on the East
Side. presided TiS OeCi6Teu tIlat tn6
diners met only as friends and were not
grinding any political axes. He ad-
mitted frankly that on two'oocasions he
had had what he then considered the
pleasure OF voting against Mr.. jerome.
Samuel Dorf. the next speaker. had
voted for Jerome but had never seen
him until the day before the dinner.
He wanted to gay and did say with a
fine German accent that since he was
in the habit Of catching on 10 all good
fellows he didn't SEQ how IN der devil'
he had missed jerome all these years
In concluding Mr.. Dorf said; Il can tell
YOU that Jerome Ii inwardly the house
word OF the East Side and we will back
him 4np In his undertakings"
Editor Elias Rosenthal Of the Russian
Voice was down TO talk about Jerome
at the Bar He was at loss. he said.
TO know which bar was meant, since Mr..
Jerome was 10 good n performer at both
kinds. Jerome he said, was n good
fellow, who along with Roosevelt had
hard time In the public prints, where
Roosevelt forever shot lions and Jerome
drank high balls or smoked jerome
perfeoto' as lawyer once called cigar
cite.
Rabbi HAusmann threw the only bit
OF political talk into the evening by re-
marking that there would soon be another
election. and that no matter whether
Charlie or Tim indorsed or did not,
jerome 10 always man who Is owned