The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-14
HOUSING THE POOR.
Carroll D. Wright's Report Showing What
Has and What Can Be Done.

Has and What Can Be Done.
WASHINGTON, Feb 14.-The United
States commissioner of labor, Carroll D.
Wright, has transmitted to congress his
eighth special report The title of the
report is "The housing of working peo-
pie"
Chapter z treats of public Intervention
in the housing of working people, giving
the most notable laws which have been
passed, and furnishing data showing the
encouragement accorded by municipali-
ties and various public institutions.
The Belgian law of 1889 permits the
general savings bank of that country to
loan money at reduced rates of interest
through joint stock and cooperate loan
and building associations founded on GER
tain conditions and also provides for the
insurance of the purchasers life, so that
in case of death the home Immediately
becomes the property of the family.
Under it, the acquisition of home is
made so easy that when the period of
prepayment by installments is fixed at
10 years or over the actual cost to the
purchaser is less than prevailing rentals
during the same time
Another important feature of the law
is the institution of what may be called
semi-oficial committees of good works,
who act as Intermediates between the
=
companies as we'll as between the latter
and their clients. Their services are
called into requisition in other ways,
notably in assisting local authorities in
carrying out sanitary regulations.
Chapter 8 furnishes information re-
garding rent collecting and other agen-
cies for improving the living
environment of working people.
Special stress is laid upon the plan
of dealing successfully with the poorer
and less desirable tenant class. Itshows
how this element has been managed sue
cessfUlly both from the economic and
moral standpoint. The distinctive char
acteristic of this plan is that the inhab bit
ants and their surrounding must be i'm
proved simultaneously. The Edinburgh
Social union, which carries on its work
on a commercial basis represents another
type fully described. Wealthy people,
for the most part belonging to the
old, dilapidated property, put it in
good order and rent it to the
casual boarders and others who
find it difficult to procure proper accom-
modations, lady members undertaking
the administration of the property. Most
successful financial results have attended
both these plans, viz: That adopted by
Miss Hill and her associates and that by
the Edin burgh social union.
Chapters TX. X and XI comprise
more than one half of the volume, deal
with model housing under three phases
block buildings, small homes and lodg
ing houses. A history of leading agencies
and the financial result attending the CO.
operations are given.
"The general lesson CLEANED from
study of these chapters" the report says,
sis encouraging. 1t shows that the
proper housing of the great masses of
working people can be condu cted on
satisfactory commercial basis With the
development of rapid transit in the cleo
trio age just dawning, possibilities will
be increased greatly. The potency of
real rapid transit as factor in relieving
congested districts and extending popu-
lar proprietorship of homes is not yet
fully understood"
Chapter XII deals with the economic
and ethical aspects of improving hous-
ing. Under the latter facts of great sig
niticanc6 CLEANED from official inquiries
in several European cities, showing the
relation of bad housing to incompetence,
immortality and crime, and the improve
ments resulting from amelioration in liv-f
ing environments are quoted at length.
at is clearly shown the report con-
tinues, E'that the rents paid for inferior
accommodations are equal to and often
higher than those charged by model
companies and established on a
purely commercial basis and earning
GOOD commercial returns. The rent
payer is therefore in a position to prop
erly re9ard any effort made to improve
his living surroundings and capitalists
and public spirited citizens can profit
ably house the bonafide Iaboring popu-
lation and provide them with good
| homes. Dealing with the shiftless,
drunken and immoral element, in subur-
ban population is entirely a different
question and must be considered as a
separate phase of the problem
Model lodging houses everywhere have
| turned out to be thoroughly remunera-
tive investments. The experience of
Glasgow may be studied with great
profit. More than this they are of meal
culable benefit in promoting over crowd
ing and immortality.
Chapter thirteen reviews some of the
most important conclusions and closes
with the significant observation that the
general teaching of the present inquiry
affords in most respects a certainty and
in others more than a reasonable proba-
bility, that final solution of a difficult
problem can be wrought out along
economic lines.