New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-29
PROVINCIAL NEW YORK
A Returned Traveller Finds Its In
habitants Ignorant of Politeness.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Cir. n is not surprising that the New
York woman. lately returned from Berlin.
failed in irving 70 establish here society
for the cultivation Of pcliteness New
Workers as whole. cannot comprehend
what she means. They are unconscious OF
the fact that they are wanting in polite
ress. for that quality is an unknown guam
tl,v 10 them. Not only in politeness. but
in many other things is New York deficient,
because it is so smugly satisfied with itself
that II never looks beyond its limits for
information and enlightenment.
When / behold the New Yorker hurrah-
inc because he has got the best Of every
thing on earth | sincerely pity him; for,
in his ignorance. he puts up with abomina-
tons and deprivations not tolerated in most
other localities. | myself have had the
Painful experience Of removing my home
from one Of the politest of cities the best
governed and the cleanest city in the world
(Rerlln). TO the worst hammered city and
one Of the worst governed and the dirtiest
Of cities New York;. The insolence one
meets here on every side is sickeninG Even
the so-caled superior class has no manners.
as one can easily perceive by noting their
attitude toward walters and servants.
went to the opening Of the new public
library. The magnificent orchestra gave
long intervals between its performances.
so that there was ample time for converse
ton. And yet when its soul thrilling har-
monies echoed through the stately building
the Americans present. supposed to repre-
sent intellectual New York raised their
voices and shrieked and yapped 50 that the
small minority. who were cultivated enough
10 understand the music and to respect the
musicians had no pleasure In listening.
Could greater insolence be exhbited?J This
could not have happened had the audience
been made up Of the Italian ditch diggers
or the delicatessen shopkeepers in New
York who have a fine feeling for art un-
known to the average American New York
er Nor would such behavior have been
tolerated in Boston
I have tried to use in New York polite
ress as II is exhibited in London Paris
and Berlin. and find It impossible. One
must do violence TO his feelings here and
be insolent out Of self-defence
a famous Chinese diplomat. honored by
said to me: When in London we were
treated politely. but we're gazed upon with
curiosity. In Brussels the people suppressed
even curiosity. In Paris not the slightest
indication OF surprise at our very foreign
appearance escaped any one. We went about
freely on foot. and received from every one
courteous attention. But when we reached
New York-this city In the much lauded
free and glorious repubic-we were shorn
Of all freedom. We could not go a half
block on foot from our hotel without
rabble at our heels hurting derislve cpl
thets at us. We were forced to go in car
risges. even for very short distances"
This Is shameful state OF AFFAIRS OF
course. II will be the women who will
eventually change all this and the time
will come when that one lorn female who
has tried to establish society for the