New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-01
LANDLORDS AND GROG SHOPS

1t is highly cOnsolng to observe the general una
nimty of the press in support of the investigation
recently set on foot at Albany into the conduct of
certain landlords in this city, who look only to the
amount of rent they can extOrt from their misera-
bic tenants without the least regard to the comfort
or morals Of those tenants or to the danger to the
public health and safety resulting from slch miser-
able and over.crowded tenements. Inquiries into
the sanitary and moral results of this sort of DWELL
ings, occupied by the poorest and least intelligent
part of the population and efforts made to improve
their condition in this respect are among the new
things under the sum- and they constitute one of the
most convincing proofs at once of the increased
sagacity and Of the increased humanity of the age
in which we live.
The idea has at length taken firm hold Of the
public mind that there are certain physical de-
mands that must be met before the human mind or
conscience can become very accessible to moral or
intellecualn influences; and that among the first steps
toward moral improvement is to place the party on
whom it is proposed to operate in a decen. aud
comfortable dwelling. This idea, novel to the
general mind as is like most ideas in these days of
steamships railroads, telegrapbs, and newspapers
has had a very rapid diffusion. Already, as We
find from Mr.. Thrasher's recent book on Cuba even
the Island of Jamaica, which he and others of that
ilk are accustomed TO represent as, since enamel
patton among the most wretched, forlOrs and di-
lspidsted corners of the earth has had its Sanitary
Commission to inquire into the character Of the
dwellings occupied by the poorer class Of the
oh ATTIC anrto of hv fha uau
which. to the best of cur knowledge, has never
yet been undertaken in any holding cOmmu-
nifty. 1t is true that Mr.. Thrasher quotes the
report Of this Commission for the invidious pur-
pose Of showing the misery aud degradation which,
as be would have us believe, emancipation has
brought upon Jamaica; and SO, perhaps, some
Russian or Austrian statist may quote our Albany
Investigations by way Of showing TO what wretched
degradation men sink under the auspices of Ameri-
can Democracy. But, in spite Of the perversion
of these inquiries to such false and evil purposes,
we hope still that, 80 far as NewYork is concerned,
the investigation may be allowed to % on, and
that the Committee of the Legislature may be
authorized to employ the interval to follow the
adjournment of the Legislature in pursuing their
inquiries and in probing the matter to the bottom.
Il is certainly great encouragement TO find this
exercise Of legislative authority earnestly sus-
tanned in journals, hitherto accustomed to do little
else, as to such matters except to make up mouths
at every suggestion of philanthropy and, sitting in
the seat of the s.orner, 10 preach the doctrine
that mere Immediate pecuniary selfinterest is the
only motive by which it can reasonably be eX-
pected that men can be, or will submit 10 be, gov.
erned. We hope these journals, having got 50 far
as 10 entertain the idea that landlords can be
called to account by the Legislature and prevented
from letting unwholesome houses, will before long
60 little further and in spite of the Comstockisn
system of metaphysics and law lately enuncisted
from the bench of oar Court of Appeals, will be dis
posed to maintain the right of the Legislature to
prevent landlords from letting their premises 10
be occupied for unsholesome purposes. The very
first step toward ,escuing the miserable tenants
of our wort class Of dwellings from the leeeh-ike
suction of their landlords, is to shut up the neigh
boring grog shops, which, vamPire-like, draw from
the veins of those poor wretcies at least pound
of blood for every ounce that the landlord eI-
tracts.
We hope The Herald and other journals of that
class will look little into this matter. II may be
very humane and very we'll intended, but we fear
it will prove very futile Is to the great object in