Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-11-15
GOTHAM FACES MANY
HARD PROBLEMS
Foreign Element OVGFFunS
Metropolis

New York, Nov. 14-Perhaps nc
other city in the world quite equals
New York in the great diversity of
its population and in the variety of
the interests engaging the popula-
tons attention. Constantinopla would
seem to be the only rival.
In New York, pretty much every
civilized nation has its representa-
ton. Here are gathered Jews, Poles,
Greeks, Italians, Armenians, Chinese,
Hungarians, and so on. Many nation
alities not only have representation.
but hey have large ones. There are
today undoubtedly many more Jews
in New York than ever had permanent
residence in Jerusalem at any given
time. They constitute about one-siXth
.of the five millions of poulation. They
dominate or modify conditions in great
districts. What has been said of the
Jews may be said in a lesser degree
of a number of other nationalities.
And so it comes about that New
York is not a typical American city. 1t
is too crowded with people who do
not have typical American conditions
in their homes, who do not have Am
erican ideals before them, who do not
go about their duties with the Ameri-
can spirit. In brief, New York is
thronged with multitudes who are liv-
ing in a different age of the world
who are dominated by other ideas of
morality, duty and the like. Theid
ideas of cleanliness are not those of
the typical American 1t is doubtful
whether American Institutions mean
much to them. They enjoy, no doubt,
the greater freedom and the greater
opportunity of the United States.
Some will become good citizens. But
this fact is merely a slight credit
against an enormous debit.
Foreign thoughts, purposes, ideals,
business methods, manners and GUS
toms are swamping the city. In spite
of the very considerable number of
high grade American people who live
and do business in New York, they do
not form per centage sufficiently
great to control conditions in any ef-
fective way. There is a tremendous
prevalence of crime, insolence, in
science, Incompetence, ignorance.
The number of persons now in the
city who in Italy belonged to the
cmiminal classes is probably to be
reckoned in the thousands. In the
trolley cars, in the subway, in the de-
partment stores, and even in the great
petence and inattention upon the part
of the employees with respect to their
duties towards the passenger or vis-
itor. Many of these persons are, no
doubt, i'll paid. But they would prob
ably show little or no improvement
upon being paid more money. There
can be but little doubt that many do
not earn what they now get.
AS you move about and come into
contact with New York employees,
you will be fortunate indeed if you
do not suffer from their bad manners,
not to say insolence. Probably some
of this is due to the conditions of
great city, and would occur even un-
der the best of circumstances. How
ever, the presence in the city of such
enormous masses of ignorant and in
competene people, saturated with un-
American ideals and purposes, can
otn hel phaving a tremendous and
bad, bad influence upon others. The
conditions in New York really cons
titute a very grgeat problem indeed.
1t is to be hoped that it can be and
will be courageously solved and with
Justice to the masses of people.