New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-11
STCCESSEEL KEEORMER.

Tho most important Of the Tencmcnt-HouSc
Commission bills-thc one relating to matters or
construction. equipment and maintenance
sicne1 by Governor Morton day or two ago
ond all four of them are now laws For this sub
santia and far-reaching reform the city Is great
" Indebted 10 the gentlemen composing the COM
mission They mastered their subject by saga
cious persistent unSeish work. regarding 10
sacrifice Of ease and comfort as too heavy price
IN my for the knowledge which they needed 10
nosscss Upon this basis. which was not mari'd
bv 4 trace Of vanity or sclfnterest. they bnl' Il
comprehensive plan for improving The cohhi'iol'S
of tcncmcn,-housc life. and embodied IL III Inc
bills which they submitted to the LeslsHiiu'''
Those bills considerably amended anu Ill some
respects improved. were successv"y 'hac''"'
and together they now seem destined 10 a''"hr
plsh salutary and lasting results. mat part "i
the population in whose behalf they were pr
morilv advocated will not monopolize their bcn"-
fits The whole community will gain much by
,bo re,,ifcatjon Of evils from which a large clc-
mcnt has directly suffered-will gain III new SAFE
guards against disease, in added security from
CONGREGATIONS. in the bettcrment Of unsightly
and unclcan quarters, and presumably III Inc
reduction of municipal expenditure.
And not only the things done but the manner
Of their ACCOMPLISHMENT should he noted Tor
nroisa and admiration The Legislature now IN
sessi IN at Albany is not the worst body OF law
makers that ever had the interests OF the STATE
in its keeping but it will go Oh record rs I'slS-
lature from which 1t was extremely dihcuit 10
obtain even reluctant consent TO the passage "i
good laws The only task Of great Importance
which has been completed In all its parts nj inns
session is the reformation which the Tenement
House Commission has accomplished. IL Is not
In every detail exactly what the Commission de-
sired 10 have it, but II is an honorable ana on
the whole a satisfactory achievement III Is no
dsparagement Of others to say that 10 MI Rlch'
ard Watson Glider, the chairman OF the Coininis-
sion. the credit for this result Is chiefly due. Mt.
Glider has had little experience in the hcld Oh
legislation but an intimate acquaintance Win
practical politics could not have served ms
community onehalf SO wei, as it has been served
bv his perfect recttude. his unsclish zeal. his
tact and his urbanity Mr. Glider Is "A reformcr.
hut he Is also "A gentleman. He did not appear
at public hearings upon his bills with "A chip on
his shoulder There was no cXasperatlng as
sumption Of superiority on his part Wherever
tenement-house reform needed champion he
was sure 10 he present but there was no rahcor
or stubbornncss In his contention lie made
frank acknowledgment Of his opponents courtesy,
and Of the instruction which he had derived
from their arguments. He was always ready TO
concede point which did not sacrifice prn-
cple. He commended not only himself but his
cause to those with whom the controversy
brought him into contact and he finally won
against obstacles which at the outset seemed
insupcrable.
This experience conveys a lesson which ought
to be Of much advantage, especially at this time
to not a few individuals who. in Mr.. Greclcy's
words would like 10 be useful 10 a good cause
but don't know how. They should be quite will
ing to learn from Mr.. Glider, for they have fro
| uucntly had the honor OF being associated with
| him in public movements which lost more by
| their folly than could be regained by his prl-
| dence 1t Is fortunate that there was no such
| Interference in this case. If, for example, Mr..
Godkin had been In charge Of these reform meas
ures, he would have begun by dcnounclng rs Il
| filthy and malignant scoundrel everybody who
| disagreed with him as TO the smallest detail, and
| he would have ended by inspiring "A general
| and Unsuitable longing TO defeat his purposes.
| Courtesy, Kindness serenity and patience are not
| only becoming but also highly useful qualities.
| Without them Mr.. Glider would almost certainly
| have failed in his bcncfccnt undertaking. Be
| cause he possesses them he has achieved great
personal success, and performed a great public
| service