Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-18
SAYS CITIES ARE
OMEDESTROYERS
CLERGYMAN DEPL0RES EVILS
OF MUNICIPALITIES
National Existence Threatened by
Weakening of Domestic Ties in
Cities, Says Speaker in Elo-
quent Address

1.-THE Problem of a Modern City" as
Rev. S. M. Hughes of the First Metho-
dist church of Pasadena expounded 1t
to the City club at the regular meeting
of that body yesterday, is the rapid
growth that destroys the home life ana
forces the people that make 1t city
into the hotels and boarding houses
1.-THE home life," said Rev. Mr..
Hughes, sis the foundation of the ma
tion, and the destruction of this home
life has had a deteriorating effect on
politics." He had no solution to ofter
for this problem, but declared he was
optimistic through knowledge and faith.
1--WE know" said Rev. Mr.. Hughes,
that conditions today are much better
than they have ever been IN the past
We have no such conditions as pre-
vailed in ancient Greece and Rome
when dishonesty was the common busi-
ness practice and lust was elevated to
the plane of religion.
"The city always has played an i'm
portant part in the civilization OF
the world" said Rev. Mr.. Hughes
"Great empires have been dominated ny
their cities. Not only have cities eXer-
cised a monopoly on the politics OF a
country but also on the moral life. In
the early history of our country IL
seemed the country would dominate the
CITY, We were then peculiarly an agrl-
cultural people. But steam and electric
ity have changed all that. These forces
have solved the problem of transporla-
ton. 1t is very doubtful If even the
countries of ancient times had cities
of a greater population than million
That was because the area OF such
city was necessarily restricted. men
could not live at a greater distance
than four miles from their work, Tor
they could not take longer than is re-
fn a n
their daily toll. When horses were
used for transportation the area OF
cities increased and now that steam
and electricity offer transportation we
can have cities forty miles each way
from the business district. When the
problem of aerial navigation ana the
gyroscope rail are perfected we may
have cities extending a hundred miles
in every direction.
immigration Problem Pressing
1.-THE immigration problem is one that
confronts us. We are now getting
type of immigrants not nearly so deslr-
able as those who formerly came TO our
shores In the last five years six and
one-half millions of people have come
to this country to make their homes
All the invasions and migrations or
ancient times were but picnic parties
compared to the great volume OF people
who immigrate to our shores every
year. Many of these people are not the
best. If we do not feed our national
life with the best quality of foreign food
it is bound to tell on us after while
Most of these people are crowded into
cities.
1.-THE city is the most highly organized
factor in society. The fountain head OF
every great movement is the city. Art,
science, literature, politics and religion
have their centers in tho city. But
what has been the effect on our national
life by our cities? Certainly to the
present time we cannot say the IN
fiuence has been wholesome. AS well
as being the head of all things good IL
is also the head of all things evil,
Doodle, graft, lust, the saloon and the
SlumS.
Home Is Foundation
1.-THE foundation OF our civic life is
the American home. Both church and
state are built on the home When any
thing touches the home it is bound to
have it's effect on our national ex-
istence.
.sIn lust the same proportion as the