The record-union., 1895-04-04

| close quarters that are unhealthtul and
destructive of modesty and that regard
for the sexes essential to decent ciyiliza-
ton, must be prohibited.
For be it borne in mind the poor in
cities pay enough and more of rent to
entitle them to decent accommoda alton.
Indeed, the committee reports that, as
rule, the more wretched the tenements
and squalid the surroundings the higher
proportionally is the rent, the more heart
less the landlord. and the larger his gains.
So the committee advises drastic meas
ures and an Immediate expenditure of
S., 900, 900, to provide for the outdoor re-
sorts for the hvers in tenement houses.
New York can afford that. 1t will be
money in her pocket. not out of it. She
will save the whole sum in short time
In the lessened rate of mortality, in the
decadence of crime, and the falling off of
dependents. 1t must be kept in view
hAASb hAOSO AO"f uIb0dSb- IOAO-
ments do not all represent poverty Of the
dire sort. They represent largely greed
OF the tenant on a small scale, filthy
tastes, content with squalor, and the
breeding of children in the midst OF filthy
surroundings, who grow up to familiar
ity with and love for such conditions.
Many of these wretched tenements are
occupied by people able to'live in better,
and who spend more for bad liquor than
their food and rent cost them; and these
have the money to spend. True, it is
often the wage of sin and sometimes of
crime, but that not one whit alters the
question. The influence of this class
upon the far greater number who are not
naturally vicious, and who are simply
poor and unable to do better, is what is
alarming in the situation. The thing to
do is to cleanse tenement New York, and
tenement Boston, and tenement Chicago;
let in the air and the gospel of sunlight,
and the religion of room and cleanliness.
IT appears now that the Imperial Gov
ernment did not say to the Dominion
Government that it must compel Mani
toba to restore the Parochial School Act
1t was not a mandate. All the Privy
Council did do was to say in answer to
the appeal, that it was within the
province of the Dominion Government
/. to require abrogation of the school Act of
1890. which repealed the law giving part
OF the public funds to Catholic schools
and exempted Catholics from school
taxes. The Dominion Government was
not bound to exercise the power, and it
did so only when pushed on by the po-
litical influence that is massed by the
Catholic party. If we are to believe the
Canadian press, the Dominion authorities
did not act willingly but under political
coercion. It is to be said for the Catholic
side OF the question that it rests upon an
ancient guaranty given by France and
recognized on the transfer of territory, to
the effect that Catholics should have cer-
tain control in educational matters
Only parts of the province. however,
were affected by this agreement, but the
Catholic party is making its fight along
the whole line. 1t is well understood
that the northwest territories of the Do
minion will vote as Manitoba votes on
the question if it goes to the people. II
this be true the matter will be more far
reaching than is now generally supposed.
There is one alternative open to the
Manitobans by which they may escape
an open rupture with the Dominion, and
that is the return of Catholics school
taxes to them. But to do this there must
be new legislation, and in the present
temper of the public it would be difficult
to pass such measure, besides it will be
practical division Of the school funds.
and that is what Manitaba now protests
shall not be done.
a. Al