New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-07
BETTER HOMES FOR THE POOR.

The English Congregational Union has re-
Gently published a most effective pamphlet on
the homes of the London poor. 1t Is plain
and unpTetentiOus account of the mlscrleS and
immOraities of tenement life in that great hive
of population. 1t is entitled The Bitter Cry Of
Outcast London" and has been made the theme
of sermons and lectures, newspaper editorials
and great budget of popular correspondence
The leading organ of English RadlcalSm has
devoted column after column TO the subject and
Lord Salisbury, rs the leader of the ConSery-
ative Peers, has made in the course of mag
azne review proposals for reform which have
been characterized, apparently without reason,
as embOdying principles of State Socialism
The pamphlet, which has given such proml-
ncnce to the wretchcdness of Outcast London"
contains series of vivid pictures of the intc-
riOrs of reeling tcncmcnts, underground lltch-
ems and abominable sinks, where the poor are
struggling for existence on starvation wages
and yielding to the maddcning impulses, of in
temperance, despair and immortality The
warning is sounded that this flood of sin and
misery is not abating, but is rising every day.
This conclusion is drawn apparently as the re-
suit of a laborious inquiry made by trained and
experienced city missionaries.
The legislation which has been attempted in
the direction of reform has been utterly made
quatc. The Artisans Dwellings act passed in
1875 has not remained dead letter. About
forty-fvc acres in a dozen quarters have been
cleared of roOkerics and cellars and .substan-
TALLY rebuilt at an expense of $7,500,O0O In
this way, if we may judge from the official re-
ports, over 10000 persons have been provided
with better homes during the last seven years.
But the population, meanwhile, has been in
crcasing more rapidly than the accommodations
supplied by the improved tCncmcnts. The
pressure of OvcTCrOwding has not been relieved,
for the simple reason that the population of
"OutcaSt London" during that period has
shown a surplus many times larger than the
actual number of persons benefited by the inn
provemcnts. Rents, moreover, are higher III
the very quarters which have been cleared at
great expense. In view of these facts, Lord
Salisbury, the Radical journal and the popular
preachers are in accord in dismiSSing Sir Rich
and Cross and Mr.. Toucns', acts as an un-
satisfactory solution of this most difficult
problem.
Lord Salisbury, article recommending a sys-
tenn of State loans on Il large scale for promot-
Ing the better housing of the poor in great cities
NAV not be SocalStc in its tendencies, but 1t
is. 10 say the least, yicwy and impracicabc.
We doubt if that rising flood of poverty and
wicLcdnc,, can be- stcmmcd by barriers 50 alti-
fetal as public loans to the Peabody Trustees or
Improvement acts involving high rates OF com
pcn>ation and resulting only in limited accom-
modations for superior tenants and in higher
rent, in the adjacent districts. The best sug-
gc,tion which has been made in this interesting
controversy is offered by The Pau NAL
gazette. II asks why the owners of dilapdatcd
tenement, and nOsomc rOolicrics should have
the power of making the local authorities pur-
chase their property at high rates, when there
are stringent laws on the statute books by
which they NAV be forced either to repair. re-
construct or pull down these un>auitaTy dwell
lines. II i, evident that the rigid enforcement
of the health and building laws by the ycstrics
and medical officers and inspectors would
largely diminish the misery of the outca5t
metropolis. The apathy and incilcicncy of the
authorities in London in this respect offer
striking contrast to the activity and thorough
mes, oil the inspectors of the Health and Build
ing Departments of thi, city. The problem of
proyidng model homes for working men may
not have been satisfactorily solved here,
but the local authorities do their duty in giving
effect to cxi,ting laws and in this way afford per-
mancnt relief to the tenement class. This Is
not the case in London.