New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-23

Kranotkine has an article in the December Nine
tssntL Century on the Journey to Siberia and Mr..
Knowles calls it "Outcast Russia" More to the
purpose is the title he gives to the four articles
erouped under the name, Common Sense and the
Dwellings of the Poor" by Miss Octava Hi, LORD
Shaftesbury. Mr.. Arnold Forster, and Mr.. William
cIozier The last-named writer is heard of for the
first but perhaps not for the last time IN inc maya
2ne world. He is a workingman. 81 am well
known IN this town." writes Mr. Glazier to the
editor. from Southport and other parts OF Lanca-
shire as working artisan, and may be seen almost
any dav following my avocatIon either at the bench
or some outdoor Job Not having been to school
since I was twelve years of age Il am now nifty
eight the difficulty experience in endeavorlng To
express myself concisey, cOnscentiously and ID
fairly understandable English can hardly be con-
ceived by your educated readers Elsewhere he says;
NV one sole apology for forwarding the article
is that | do honestly think the suggestions toward
the end deserving of considerations" blr Oazler
dabbles to some extent in potlco-social economy
lut he offers some hints toward practical remedies
for existing misery. The Irish Catholics are among
those most addicted to Overcrowdng. and since
they are sure to resist social reform, Mr. Glazier
thinks the priesthood might put cleanliness, Thrift,
aud the domestic economies in the same categories
with Friday fasts which latter the worst Irish he
os.orts do reIigiouSly observe. lie would have
something done TO reduce heavy rents by modifying
the present svstem OF short leaSehods. lie approves
of the Peabody buildings and urges thal the fea-
bodv trustees should be aided by Government
loan II is curious that Mr.. Glazer and Lord sails
brrv sbould be of one mind on this point But the
most impo4tant if not an absolutely essential part,
of any scheme for housing the london poor Is to
provide the working poor with sites Tor houses the
poor to he helped toward acquiring them and build
ing GA them but not to he taught TO think OF ther
social uplifting rs a work to be done wholly for
them.
Mr.. Gla7icr is quite alive to the danger OF en-
couraging the poor to look to charity lie docs not
touch upon grayer peril likely TO arise out Of the
tone in which this discussion is carried on IN certain
ouartcrs-the danger that the poor he taught they
have right TO portion Of the property OF the less
poor Lord Shaftcsbury, whose knowledge OF the
subject will not be called in question shows himself
impressed with this danger Men OF the conhdent
tcmper of Mr. Chamberlain would dO well 10 read
hi, wcll-considered words. As a man who has spent
his life in efforts TO improve the condition OF The
moor Lord ShaftcSbury rcoiccs IN the sudden mani
festation of public interest in the housing oil the
lower classes But" says the venerable ana al
mirahlc old man. if the state is to be summoned
not only to provide houses for the abotng classes
but also to supply such dwellings at nominal rents
il will, while doing something on behaii oil ther
pLvsical condition utterly destroy their moral encr
ges" Lord Shaftesbury would have the state give
every facility by enabling statutes for the improve
mcnt of the dwellings of the poor, " hut the work
itself should bc founded, and proceed on voluntary
effort for which there is in the country an adequate
amount of wealth, zeal and Intelligence
In the December Contemporary tho same subject is
considered under the title. "Th6butcast Poor ~:
~ lat - 4 n =. ~ il
a good enough sample Of the scnsationalism which
seems inseparaby associated with the current
efforts of excellent men for thu, excellent object 1t
/, the Rev Brooke Lambert who raises this cry, aud
who think, il desirable to enforce il with the threat
that # NAV soon become howl, and that the last
London E,au may advance not with 100 'ui with
400. 900 men To meet u, This is, in another form,
the ugly mob which has been forctold ever since
London grew big. The tone oi Mr. Lambert ar
ticc is not the touo in which subject ot this mag
nitudc ought to Dee approached. The second paper
i'm the same review is hy Mr. Andrew Nrarn- Who
is announced q, the author Of The Bitter cay OF
Outcast London" Others having claimed credit for
this production. Nh Mc1ws thinks II necessary 10
say that the inception of 10 Wa, entirely bus. the M
vc.iipaton carried ON undcr his direction and the
pamphlet prepared according 10 hi' instructions
and subject to hi- revision. Rather an odd sort Of
authorship. an the same Mr. Ncans. however ac-
iuowlclcc- his indebtedness 10 the Rev. James
Munro and 10 tie Rev. ". G. Prcs'oH-'ac a'trrs
help being literary" Nj. Moarn, i. not IS" carried
away bv lis subject as not that tho WORK Of
Improvement If il is 10 bee done thoroughly. mast Ice
done slowly. Like most OF those " hO write with
practical knowledge OF the matter. ho Is opposed to
the wholesale immediate destruction of oluWs, nor
wonld be tuin people out of bad houses until good
ones were ready to receive them. o. ;.