The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-19
WE ARE In A VERY BAD WAY
so Or. HEBER NEWTON SAYS, COMPAR-
ING OURS WITH OTHER CITIES
We Take No Care OF Our Streets, Our
Houses, Our Health. Or of tho Public
Purse-Auer all, Things Might he Worse

day before his congregation at All Souls
Church The Problem of Our City Govern
ment" His criticisms Of the public affairs Of
the metropolis were severe.
New Workers, he said. should surely by this
time be proficient in the graceful art OF blush
ing. Thoy havc had occasion this winter to
hang their heads with shame. We have had
the spectacle Of gross charges brought against
our chief magistrate. which we all hope will
DO disproved. and on the heels Of this comes
proposition TO create n city Two or three times
greater than the present New York, with n cor
responding increase In the opportunities for
corruption. What sight for the angels!
II have no desire to incito n srasmodic revolt
against tho evils which confront u.s." the
preacher said, but have very strong wish
to stir that calm and earnest thought out OF
which will come again, as has come in the past,
n well ordered effort to betterthe situation. Is
it worth the effort? Look around you and you
will nnd good cause for taking up paus boast
that we are citizens OF no mean city Wehave,
In the spirit which pervades everything except
our city government, that spirit which makes
New York tho great metropolis she is. But
have you struck balance between this city
and the other great cities of the world2 Do
you know how far behind New York is rea-
lively in the march of improvement?
Hero Is city which depends for i's su-
premacy on It's commerce. What. then. have we
done to improve our marlboro Very little.
What have we done to destroy it2 Much. The
newcomer TO our shores Is amazed on entering
the harbor Mt sight OF the long tows Of garbage
and mud scows discharging their contents all
about Walk along our nasty wooden wharves
and docks and compare thom with the mag
nincent stone docks Of Liverpool. where the
fleets OF the world can ride in safety, or with
vantages are nothing compared with ours.
Nothing makes so quick and unfavorable an
impression on tho foreign visitor rs tho condi-
ton of our streets. The roads of n community
said to be an index Of its civilization. What,
then. must tho man from London or Paris or
Berlin think of us after he has been banged
about for half an hour in what we call driving
from tho wharf to the hotel? Look next at our
so-cAlled street car system. Until the Broad
way scandal arose the city gave away fran
chises worth no doubt ten millions. In Berlin
the street car companies are compelled TO keep
the entire streets in which they have tracks
perfectly paved from curb to curb. and pay
tax OF a million marks besides. Baltimore and
New Orleans provide that the street car fran
chises shall revert to the city at tho ond of nf-
teen or twenty-five years. What will New
York get in return for these franchises before
the millennium?
What nosome scandal and delay there
has been In providing n pure and abundant
water supply for our city Then compare our
lighting facilities with those of other great
cites. There again we have been wandering
along. leaving to private corporations this most
vita supply; perfectly lighted city would !
minimize the temptation TO vice and crime. |
Examine Glasgow. which II few years ago be |
gan lighting the Railways and doorways of |
tenements free In the interests of morality. !
Turn to the little city ofWheeling.W W. Va, which
furnishes ga at 30 cents u thousand at u fair !
profit. with no politics in tho management Of |
moonlight while we wander along |
hall IN the dark and half in tho light,
g great test Of city is Its schools. Some |
Of New lork's schools are admirably appoint
ed. but their number is grossly inaieuuate.
Twenty thousand children who aPSped for ad
year were turned away for lack OF room Now
J ork pays more f9r ronression than she docs
great cities in her public school provisions
compare her with Paris and the great manual
my town IN Germany. with its gymnasium for
lifting the children OF the poor to core with the
physical p problems OF I, Ne or with the great
and Philadelphia. 1t is only within a year that
A free Kindergarten has been established by
be q long time before the city authorities will
hink OF taking the matter up.
What have we to show in the way OF libra !
les to compare with the great pubic Library
II Boston. which is open day and night to ali
he people OF the city museum VIC have:
cut Is it not time in tho name Of right that the
pions Of religion should demand thai The
loors OF this museum . thrown open on tho
me day that the workinGman can profit By its
advantages?
Test our city by its homes, and what do We
lave? SEQ these monstrons barracks, more
,vercrOwded than the worst hives of London.
know the natural disadvantages of the situa-
ion; and | know the efforts o. the Board OF
UGH heroic action as Glasgow resortcd to
ONE, years ago, She demolished tho most
rowded dens of the city. widened and straight
With what result Greater comfort. better
morals. and better financial results to the city
tsei Ny own solution of tho difficulty would
e a radical one believe it lies III u new and
omplete system OF rapid transit. This will
make possible what IS impossible nov ssepa-
ate homes for wOrkingmen. New York to-
ay makes n very poor showing compare | with
Their great cities In what she does Tor the
Now. compare the public, spirit Of New York
nth that Of other great cities. Mark YOU
lunicpal affairs, Tor no city in the world is so
uick in sentiment, 80 generous, and SO proud
every matter appe4ling 70 the heart and to
ita public functions in our city left to private
Enterprise. We have to show for this creator
AMY every city provides clenn streets, libra.
les. museums, pure, water. light. good 7an-
nd pays it's way on u Light tax Where are ,
re-, 10. As John lnrton said not long ago: For
JItS years our TllefS nave been thieves.
ack Of advrnturers succeeded in getting into
he saddle, and they have driven us ever since
iith the bit in our teeth. Not Il lattering cX-
lbt, Is i, my friends? 1t is enough 10 sot uS {
alnly thinking until we come to the firm ro-
olive that by Gods help these things shah not
ESQ.
But am not pcssimist. Others have been
l worse situation, and so have we ourselves. =
believe there has been on the whole during :
no last decade Il steady improv, ment in the d
oNetnment OF American cities. Tho lesson Of f
ais II, mat there Is no organic disease. but II
MY host OF functional disorders. The great =
lInculty IN the way OF rGorm is the aStound- n
~ apathy on he part OF our citizens Ii il q
tslcr Tor rich and influential citizens to Jay q
l"lr taxes, attend to their own business, and T.
II these things 90 OH than IL is 10 engage IN I
10 turmoil ri u conflict necessary to secure re- =
'rn. II is n selfish policy. and it implies dis "
yalty 10 civic duty This apathy of tho best
tiZGns is the strongest ally of corruution in
lbllr AFFAIRS. do not believe in tho utility
public reform movements On the contrary, ! II
reat spasms Of excitement have left the city =.
,tier, Something has always heen gained IL
hich mas made the progress Of reform easier. .
hat has been done can he done again. 1t will O.
done JuSt as soon as is in the hearts of the Il
items of New ork to do it," :,
Tho lev MIR. Newton announced that next .
lnday he would talk about the way to remedy i,
10 evil which he considers to exist. IL