Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-15

the will Of God. or a punishment for sin. or
anything but their own fsnlt. The oil char
woman in Punch says: The idear of a Young
man like that telling C me ow poor peoples
children houghter be fed and looked after!
Why, I've buried fourteen o. my own"
Can these people be reached and instructed
In plain way about few simple means of
preventing diseases by people whom thew know
and in whom they have confidence? That is
one OF the things the Sanitary League will try
TO do.
For this purpose we must obtain the CO.
operation Of the clergy. Of the workingmen's
organizations, of the mission school for edu-
eating housekeepers. of those who are engaged
IN the work of educating our coiored people,
and special committees for these various objects
are recommended. There is to be a committee
OF ladies' on sanitary housekeeping, and very
lmport and useful committee it NAV be.
Now. If l have clearly and sufficiently ex-
planned what the Sanitary League is. how il is
organized. what are its objects and how il pro-
poses to begin, it does not seem to me that
need say much about the reasons why every
person in the District who is interested in his
neighbors or in the business prosperity of the
city, or In the health OF little children and who
Is willing to give a little time and thought to
helping the work along. should become a mem
Der of the league. What will YOU be called or
to do if you join it? That depends upon cir
cumstances. You will certainly be expected to
see that your own premises are kept clean and
free from all forms of nuisance. Perhaps you
Will be asked to serve on a general committee
perhaps to aid in the Inspection OF the block in
which you iive-perhaps. for the present
merely to furnish any information which Won
possess and which you think NAV be of use to
the council or to the District authorities. Ger
tainly you will be expected to take an interest
in the sanitary condition of the vicinity in
which you reside. to use what influence YOU
have to improve it. and to carry out the plans
and purposes of the council
At present it is not proposed to call on the
members of the league for money; the only
persons who have to pay dues are the members
OF the council. Those who render service as
inspectors. &c-, will never be called on for
money; it may be that others will be asked for
small annual dues-say dollar year to help
pay expenses, printing debut this is for the
future.
To become a member of the league ask any
member of the council to propose your name
don't wait to be specially asked and urged
Finally, this is some thing 1t is an ex-
pertinent. Something like it has been tried in
some villages in this country and in some
foreign cities, with good results: but it is new
for large city in the United States.
If you wish to know how citizens all over a
city may help the municipal authorities read
Prof. Peabody's description of the Elberfeld
system published in the Forum in December
1892. This system was devised in Elberfeld in
1888 for the purpose of looking after and help
ing the poor and is now in general use in Ger
many. In Dresden, for instance. there is
central committee of fifteen. forty-three ward
committees. made up of 438 districts visitors
the chalrmen of which communicate with the
central committee. But this is compulsory,
not a voluntary system.
THE PLEASURE OF DOING
We are apt to look the city Of our resi-
dence as sort of hotel-expect 1t to be
kept in order by paid servants-grumble if
anything goes wrong SO to affect our COM
fort, but do not take any special interest in the
details of ITS management. We have a health
oificer-it is his business to look after the
slums: why should we NEEDLE? 1 will tell YOU
why: 1t is to increase our pleasure bv increas-
ing our interests in life. The more things YOU
have to care about-things that interest YOU
the happier you will be, provided YOU can
attain fair amount Of success in making them
go as YOU wish. You build up a home and
furnish it gradually as you get means, selecting
additions from time to time, and that home fits
you and suits you-but more than that-you
have had a great deal of pleasure in the plan
ming and working for it. If you have house
turned over to you all fitted up by a furnisher
and decorator according to his ideas, you have
lost good deal of this pleasure-the furnisher
and decorator gains some of it.
There is a pleasure in good work. whether il
be making box, or laying out a garden, or
writing an article. which the man who does not
do the work, but merely takes the results, can
never have or know. And there is pleasure in
varying your work. in taking up something that
is little new. in dropping your regular bust
ness for an hour two and irving what Won
can do in some other line. This is one of the
pleasures of travel and most citizens Of WASH
ington can find some new and curious views in
travelling about their own block If they will
look for them
Difficulties are opportunities. The diff
cultles IN the way OF improving the healthful-
ness Of Washington are less than they are for
most other large cities. because we have a
smaller tenement house population. But there
are difficulties nevertheless. Let us try to dis
cover them and to overcome them. Whether we
succeed or not, be sure that the effort will give
us pleasure In the mere making of it and viii
also give us some pleasant memories.