The New York herald., 1879-02-28
what Can He Done.

meeting is to be held tonight at the
Cooper Institute, supplemental to the move
ment commenced in many of our churches
last Sunday, to consider what can be done
to change our present Objectionable tene-
ment house system. The Mayor is to pre-
side and several good speakers are an
nounced who will no doubt make interest
ing addresses. But the evils of the system
are SO well known that it is scarcely neces-
sary to enlarge upon them, and the wisest
thing the gentlemen who are to speak to-
use their eloqnence in the direction of prac-
tical remedies. Many capitalists will
doubtless be present. and they can be urged
as a matter of business to engage in the en-
terprise OF erecting small cottages for one
or two families on any available land that
may offer-and there is plenty OF it
in the upper part of the island. Rapid
transit has opened the way for the transfer
of our present tenement house population
to those healthful districts if houses can be
supplied for their accommodation. The
HEHALD, urged the construction of rapid
transit as a means Of getting rid of the
present tenement house evil, and was per-
sistent in its predictions that the III" rail
roads would be largely remunerative. The
result has proved the correctness Of the
HEIALD's judgment in that instance, and
we now insist that capital employed in the
erection of comfortable but cheap suburban
residences and of model apartment houses
in healthy localities as dwelling places for
the laboring classes of the city will make
larger profit than can be realized in any
other real estate speculation. Let the
orators at to-night's meeting refer to
the large profits made by the owners
of our abominable tenement houses, as
evidenced by the fact that eighty-two
million dollars have been invested in such
them show that even greater profits can be
made by capitalists who will erect COM
Portable, convenient, healthful homes for
the half million people who are now driven
by necessity to live in tenement dens be-
cause they have nowhere else to go. They
will thus direct the public mind to o work
that must of necessity be done before the
evil they deplore can be remedied.
Another practical point for the meeting
is the creation of strong, influential COM
mittee to memorialize the Legislature for
such stringent sanitary Legislation as will
compel the alteration or destruction Of the
worst of our tenement house buildings
We must get rid OF the present dangerous
dens altogether, or the more depraved
classes will continue to live in them and to
imperil the health and increase the pauper-
ism and crime of the city. The Legislature
has heretofore been induced to listen to
the appeals, if not to take the money, Of
them practically unmolested by the law.
It ought now to learn from men whose
words are not to be disregarded that it is
expected to protect the people and to pat
stop to an evil that imperils the public
health and il o fruitful contributor to our
poorhouses and jails II we had an efficient
and capable Board of Health the present
laws might be made effective against the
worst of the tenement house evils; but
we have not, and the remedy must be by
direct legislation. Another practical step
in the good work open to the meeting is
to indorse and encourage the movement for
the extension Of rapid transit into the an
nexed district The further the "L" rail-
roads extend the more space will there be
for the erection of cheap dwellings for the
humber classes in the beautiful and health
full country now within tho city limits,
where workingmans home may be made
attractive and happy. We should like to
see the meeting tonight set earnestly to
work in the directions we have suggested
Many things can be done to alleviate the
sufferings and improve the health and habits
of the present tenement house population
by teaching them how to live, how to buy
and cook their food and how to rear their
children. and these are very commendnble
objects But the main thing is to get rid of
our tenement house system altogether and
to improve the health and morality of the
city by enabling the laboring classes to live
like Christians and not like savages.