Chapter 18: The Reign of Rum
"Where God builds a church the devil builds next door--a saloon."
Introduction: This chapter is about the alcohol problem that existed in New York City in the late 19th century. It depicts how wide spread alcohol abuse was in the city with the rich and poor alike. It explains how the immigrant families were affected by the drinking problem; while the men were out at the saloon drinking and having a good time, their wives and children were sleeping in the cold, dirty tenements provided to them by their husbands/fathers. Jacob Riis puts the alcohol problem in perspective by giving the ratio of churches to saloons in different parts of the city. The chapter discusses the corrupting effects of rum in politics, which is known as "rum politics." Although there were laws to regulate the distribution of alcohol and rum, they were rarely followed, largely due to rum's influence in politics and the law. For example, although the saloons were prohibited to sell alcohol to minors by law, if a child came in with enough money he could almost always leave with a belly full of beer.
Introduction: This chapter is about the alcohol problem that existed in New York City in the late 19th century. It depicts how wide spread alcohol abuse was in the city with the rich and poor alike. It explains how the immigrant families were affected by the drinking problem; while the men were out at the saloon drinking and having a good time, their wives and children were sleeping in the cold, dirty tenements provided to them by their husbands/fathers. Jacob Riis puts the alcohol problem in perspective by giving the ratio of churches to saloons in different parts of the city. The chapter discusses the corrupting effects of rum in politics, which is known as "rum politics." Although there were laws to regulate the distribution of alcohol and rum, they were rarely followed, largely due to rum's influence in politics and the law. For example, although the saloons were prohibited to sell alcohol to minors by law, if a child came in with enough money he could almost always leave with a belly full of beer.
Summary
The chapter starts off by displaying how many saloons there were in New York City at the time. Jacob Riis went through the worst of the tenement areas and counted the churches and the saloons and compared the two numbers. He counted 111 churches and 4,065 saloons, about 40 saloons to every church. The ratio was a little better in the nicer parts of town; Riis counted ten saloons to every one church there. Riis states that people go to the saloon for the refuge and relief they find inside, and in many neighborhoods, the saloon is the most cheerful place to go. There were many laws passed against the saloons. One such law stated that no three corners of any street-crossing should be licensed for rum selling.
Riis goes on to describe the influence of rum in politics. He states that "the rumshop turns the political crank in New York." This creates what is known as ruum politics. Rum especially corrupted many alderman, who, together, made up what became infamously known as the Boodle Board. Riis then displays how much money the saloons earn for the owners. One owner was even able to afford to pave his floor with silver dollars.
There were many non-licensed saloons in the city at the time. They allowed no entrance to families, and could afford to serve three-cent whiskey. During the week, these saloons did their business out the side entrance. Nobody knew exactly how many secret saloons there really were, but those who tried to find out estimated it at a thousand or more. The police turned a bline eye to these saloons. They would report a few and take it to court to give the illusion that they were trying to do something about the illicit saloons, although action was rarely taken against the reported ones. Riis says this is because "Rum and influence are synonymous terms."
The legal saloons all hang a sign outside that boldly states that no beer or liquor is sold to children. Riis states that "Though apparently it means submission to a beneficent law, in reality the sign is a heartless, cruel joke." Riis doubts that one child with enough money would not be served at a saloon. There was a story of a boy who had been served beer and carried it with him all day, drinking on it. He crept into the cellar of where his father worked to sleep off the effects on a Saturday evening. He was found dead on Monday morning, half-eaten by rats.
Riis states that the worst thing the saloon does--worse than the corruption to politics or the poverty it breeds--is that it creates theives. And although it may have made the thief, it usually made the thief a bad one. It was probably very difficult to steal things while drunk, so most of the rum influenced thieves were arrested.
Riis goes on to describe the influence of rum in politics. He states that "the rumshop turns the political crank in New York." This creates what is known as ruum politics. Rum especially corrupted many alderman, who, together, made up what became infamously known as the Boodle Board. Riis then displays how much money the saloons earn for the owners. One owner was even able to afford to pave his floor with silver dollars.
There were many non-licensed saloons in the city at the time. They allowed no entrance to families, and could afford to serve three-cent whiskey. During the week, these saloons did their business out the side entrance. Nobody knew exactly how many secret saloons there really were, but those who tried to find out estimated it at a thousand or more. The police turned a bline eye to these saloons. They would report a few and take it to court to give the illusion that they were trying to do something about the illicit saloons, although action was rarely taken against the reported ones. Riis says this is because "Rum and influence are synonymous terms."
The legal saloons all hang a sign outside that boldly states that no beer or liquor is sold to children. Riis states that "Though apparently it means submission to a beneficent law, in reality the sign is a heartless, cruel joke." Riis doubts that one child with enough money would not be served at a saloon. There was a story of a boy who had been served beer and carried it with him all day, drinking on it. He crept into the cellar of where his father worked to sleep off the effects on a Saturday evening. He was found dead on Monday morning, half-eaten by rats.
Riis states that the worst thing the saloon does--worse than the corruption to politics or the poverty it breeds--is that it creates theives. And although it may have made the thief, it usually made the thief a bad one. It was probably very difficult to steal things while drunk, so most of the rum influenced thieves were arrested.
Bibliography
Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penquin Books Ltd., 1890.
Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penquin Books Ltd., 1890.