Broadbrim’s New York Letter.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 870, 2 November 1888, Page 9

Broadbrim’s New York Letter.

As fickle as a woman, is a favourite figure of speech. But why a woman ? If there is a thing on the planet more fickle than man I have yet failed to discover it. Four weeks ago a Jewish synagogue here was besieged by thousands of pushing and screaming Jews, all intensely anxious to get a sight of and hear the new orthodox prophet of the house of Israel and Judah. To those who had charge of the learned Kabbi’s first appearance the demonstration may not have appeared novel. In Russia a Jew'or Gentile priest is regarded far differently from what he ia in the United States. Babbi Joseph had been used to a large and devoted following in Russia, and the Russian Jew clings to the old mouldy and threadbare forms of his faith with an intense constancy, in comparison to which oar modern religious have few parallels. The Russian and Polish Jews on arriving in New York were shocked at the heterodoxy of Israel’s sons and daughters. They went into Dr Gottshiel's magnificent Temple Emmanuel on the Fifth Avenue, and to their horror saw men professing to be Jews sitting before the Holy of Holies with their heads unoovered, and beside them in their pews their wives and children. They no longer wore the Talas which had been the distinctive sign of the orthodox worshipper foroountless generations. All these things filled their hearts with grief—for with them the strength of Judaism lay iu it 3 forms and ceremonies, and if they were abandoned they said to themselves we might as Nell become Christians at once.

In Russia was a Rabbi learned in the ancient law. The Talmud was his sheetanchor, and he was regarded at home as a prophet. This was Rabbi Joseph," whose debut four weeks ago set all Hebrew New York wild. As I said a moment ago, the managers of Rabbi Joseph must have understood the Rabbi’s strength and the exoitable character of the people they had to deal with, for they asked for a detail of police. Twenty stout policemen in charge of a sergeant answered the call, while the oaptain of the precinct hovered around to see that his troops were in fighting order ; the police were all armed with their long night clubs, and as circumstances developed, it was a wise precaution. All the door 3 and avenues to the synagogue were carefully guarded ; stout trustees and others holding the iron gates aud admitting the excited worshippers one at a time. At last the pent-up excitement burst all Dounds, and then came a wild rush of the excited mob that crowded toward the door. The police leaped to the fore and tried by coaxing and threats to roll back the fierce fanatie tide that struggled and surged toward the tabernacle, but entreaty and threat were alike in vain. Your English or German Jew will listen to reason ; but a Polish or Russian Jew, who has been kicked and cuffed in hi 3 own country, on arriving in the United States proceeds at once to take possession of the land and everything in it. They heaped abuse on the officers and then began to throw stones. American flesh and blood could stand it no longer, and then the long night clubs began to swish-swash, fetching a head at every crack. It was a strange sight in front of a temple; and one that I hope never to see again. At last the street was cleared and the wounded carried away, and those inside the synagogue feasted their eyes and their ears on the new prophet, but the ovation ended there and then. Rabbi (Joseph is a failure.

The English, German and American Jews are a bright, sharp, progressive race, eager to keep up with the times, standing foremost in all branches of trade and commerce, living like their Christian neighbours, belonging to all the clnbs' and associations, accepting all their surroundings with ease and grace, and avoiding everything that would seem to make them a distinctive people. The better class of Jews here desire to enjoy their religious privileges just as the Catholic Methodist, Baptist or Presbyterian does ; but then he dou’t want to carry religion into the store, or hotel or theatre any more than his Catholic or Presbyterian neighbours. But your Russian or Polish Jew lives in an atmosphere that smells of Jerusalem .and still groans over his Assyrian captivity. This gives Rabbi Joseph his distinctive character and his only value. Last Saturday this high priest, whom thousands fought to see and hear four weeks ago, preached to a house only half-full ; I should not be at all surprised to see him go back to Russia within the next six months, for he is a woefully disappointed man. Another c-se of man’s fickleness is Henry George. Two years ago he was the central figure of this city ; no meeting was complete without him ; wherever he went he was followed by thousands and they cheered him till they wore hoarse. The other day I was on a Broadway car and Henry George sat in one corner reading a newspaper. I thought I would test his popularity, so I asked the conductor who he was ; the conductor was one of those polite conductors that you read about in society novels, and he replied. ‘ I’m d d if I know and I’m d d if I care i’ I inquired of three others, but nobody knew him. Alas ! alas ! for fame 1 What afi unsubstantial shadow it is.

Some time ago, near the Fifjfch Avenue Hotel, I met Father McGlynn. 1 thought everyone knew him. He stopped to talk with a friend for a moment. and I asked the policeman on the beat who he was ; he eyed him carefully and then" said, * I guess he is one of those country gospel sharps that’s attending the Methodist Conference up at the Metropolitan Opera House '!’ I asked a cabman who he was, an cl the cabby'guessed he must be a preacher of some kind. Here was a man whose name one short year ago rang around the world—who was followed like a demigod by frantic thousands-; the man who defied Rome and made fun of the Pope, and not one in a thousand knew him even by sight. The multitude had deserted him ; he was nolonger the idol of the people. The man’s vanity had wrecked him, and in a short sime even his name will' be for-

gotten as a public, political or religious tor.Another popular idol that man’s fickleness has deserted is the slogger John L. Sullivan. I recollect o- o night a few yenrs ago struggling up to the box office at Madison Square Garden with a two dollar bill in my hand and trying to geta seat. I did not get tha seat, however, for wheu I got iu it was * standing room only.’ 1 can imagine that I hear some of my country iriei.ds say, ‘ Oh, Broadbrim, do you go to those horrid exhibitions, and pay money too ?’ Yes, 1 have to go, in order to get the news ior you. Well on that night there were between fifteen and twenty thousand people there, and some mighty good people too. John L. Sullivan was the central figure. No king on his throne ever received a more cordial or hearty ovation. Few kings were as well paid ; for his hallhour’s work he received nearly fifteen thousand dollars, and Tug Wilson got five thousand for not getting knocked out. Thousands of dollars nightly were paid ail over the land to see this drunken ruffian ;' but he, too, has had his day, and if not killed in some drunkeu brawl, whioh is likely, he may yet be found around Some low saloon about the docks cleaning out spittoons for his whiskey; aud running tho growler with an oyster can. Verily, verily, this is a fickle world. As I was walking along Chambers street a couple of weeks ago, a funeral cortege rushed by in unseemly haste ; it was the last ride that Danny Lyons was to take upon earth. The coffin was of magnificent rosewood, with silver handles, and was literally buried in flowers. Five carriages filled with mournirg friends followed this youthful murderer to his grave with the pride, pomp and circumstance of a better man. Danny had been a thief and an outlaw from his boyhood; he strove to emulate the ruffian prowess that made Dan Dris&oll the Whyo leader a terror. Though he had done time in States prison and the penitentiary he still found his way into the local pic-xiics aud parties and had his admirers among the loose girls of whom Beezy Garrahan was a type—such as were the principle attractions at Billy McGlory’s, Theo Allen’s, and other halls of the like ilk. It is the custom here to give murderers that are hung a good set off at the funeral. I recollect one about ten years jago, who murdered a policeman, as desperate and cowardly a ruffian as ever stretched hemp. On one bright Sunday afternoon, he, having been ■ hung on the preceding Friday, was followed to Calvary Cemetery by one hundred and twenty carriages add five or six hundred people on foot. Such exhibitions are terribly demoralizing, and with our yellow-covered literature, keep our prisons full all the time. Labour Day has come and gone, and for the first time in our bistory it really had the appearance of a general holiday. I was glad to see the general observance, and especially glad to see the manner in which everything went off. Never before has labour made such a splendid and imposing show, and especially grateful was it to know that the revolutionary elements were given to understand that they could not and should not rule the working men of the United States. I know no other land where such a procession of the labour element is possible. In no other land oould be found such a welldressed, healthy, handsome looking body of working men, As battalion after battalion swept by with heads erect, all well clad, aud many of them clad elegantly ; no sign of want ; all proud, erect, well-fed and perfectly independent—every man looking abundantly able to take care of himself—it seemed like the veriest farce to hear frothy politicians talk of down-trodden labour. That may do for England, Ireland, France or Germany, but not in the United States. Old glory was the only flag that waved over that magnificent procession. It was a grand and imposing sight, and one that must have made the heart of every working man who saw it, 1 beat quicker and prouder as he said to himself, these are the men that have made this nation what it ia to day—the beat country on God’s footstool for the working man. Truly yours, ’ Broadbrim.