The Washington times., 1895-07-01
WASHINGTON CHICAGO
Or. Kent C0mlares Municipal Re-
form Wok in Two Cities.
COMPLIMENT FOR THE TIMES
1t Has Attacked the ShyIocks of This
City as Did the Civic Federation in
for Protection-HulI House Settle
ment and Its Noble Work.

Rev. Alexander Kent, of the Peoples
Church, told his congregation yesterday
OF hIs recent visit to Chicago. He gave
especial attention TO the work OF the Civic
Federation and of the Hull House Settle
meut.
TTne Civic Federation was organized as
result Of meetings called in November, S92,
by William T. Stead, OF London. Its pur-
poses are much the same as those of the
Civic Center here, namely, the centruza-
tion and organization in one body of the
forces that are directed 10 the advancement
OF municipal interests and TO securing
good municipal government.
The shylocks of Chicago have received a
share of the Fcderation's attention.
Legal assistance has been given free"
said DIR. Kent, Ito more than 100 per-
sons who have been the victims of the
rapacious mortgage shark, in many cases
securing the cancellation of all indebted
ness. the borrower having paid principal
and interest in some cases twice over.
This work, / am glad to see, has been
taken up here by The Washington Times
and is being successfully prosecuted by
that progressive, helpful paper
The Federation Committee OF Moral
Reform has been especially active in ef-
forts to break up gambling 1t organized
a series Of raids which did much at least
in making the evil less conspicuous. over
300 gamblers were arrested and a large
amount Of furniture and implements de-
stroyed
FIGHTING THE DEVIL WITH FIRE.
The evils OF race track gambling were
as conspicuous in Chicago and vicinity as
at Alexander Island Recently the eff
forts Of the committee have been directed
against this Several tracks are concerned
and each 5 ready to help the committee
against the other
This, he said, was much the same as here
1t IS coming TO be suspected that the war
on Alexander Island has been partly
brought about by the Interests seeking to
establish track at BenUing's. 1t is
suspected. though not known, that the
committee has not hesitated TO Use one
crowd of gamblers against the other.
The Political committee entered vigOr-
| OuSly into the campaign against fra I'd
IIlcnt voting last year. 1t offered a 5000
reward for evidence leading To cOnv' - -
! Gf ~ -, stpt -UJtGE. - -..Iseu JU,UOO Tor
/ the prosecution of sUch cases, got 81 iu-
dictments from which one conviction and
| sentence to I s months in prison was OBJ
tanned and a large number OF cases are
| still peudiug As result OF this tie
! last election was comparatively clean
The Industrial committee organized
! forces in favor of arbitration and have
| law based on that OF Massachusetts, which
! either has been passed or. it is hoped
! with good reason, soon viii be,
| The FederatiOns charity committee has
| raised and distributed SI35.00O, and has
/ been rcorganiZed as the Chicago Bureau
| OF Cha rites.
| HULL HOUSE SETTLEMENT
OF the Hull House Settlement he said it
| is an attempt TO establish d center OF
! education and OF refining influences which
accompany education by personal inter
/ course Of COllege-brcd men and women
| with the poorer classes, in the midst OF
| whom the house residents have taken
/ up their abode. 1t is under the direction
/ OF Miss a dams
| The people whom the residents desire
/ to help are not gathered together and
! preached at" said DR.. Kent "Individ-
! ualS here and there whose confidence has
/ been won by some personal service or
| some word of sympathy are Interested in
| the studies which the residents OF the
! house are carrying on together They are
| made welcome and treated as guests, not
| as pupils in the ordinary sense.
The social relation is always made
dominant. The fact that they are all
! human, and that it is more to be man
| or woman than to belong to any particular
branch OF the human family, or TO have
this or that distinction in the way OF
| birth, breeding or culture, or anythinG z
else, lies at the basis OF all that is said
or done"
The faculty at Hull House number thirty
five. Thev teach without pay and some
have been in the work three years. The
| students pay only enough to defrav the
expense of necessary printing A reading
room and small circulating library are main
tanned; there also is gymnasium and con-
| carts are provided Chicago University pro-
fessors take part in the work and Uni
versity extension lectures are given.
The Settlement is on the side OF labOl
unions and several unions hold meetings il
their hall The residents have settled at
least one strike by arbitration. They hav
| assisted materially in government investi
| cations among the poor.