New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-16
ga MUNICIPAL PROBLEM
SPEECH BY RANDOLPH GUGGENHEIMER
IN WHICH HE POINTS OUT WORK
FOR THE SOCIAL ECONOMIST.

81. Dt,,,o,nai Prooleus was the subject OF a talk
stven Yesterday morning before the League for
Political Education at Berkeley Lyceum' No ~
West Forty fourth-st.. by Randolph Guggenheimer'
president of the Council He said In part;
Political economists have to a large extent, in
their Investigations of the cases when ieau -
poverty and failure in the struggie LOT Tor of sdui
restricted themselves TO an examination 81 Sis1
life. Very few have struck at the root Oh ers
e1y t Tsere na Which mas saYs The child Is father
OF the man" The children of to-day are me eiti-
recognized in our Republic by the pride which we
take in our public school system. The Government
of this country recognizes the truth that strong
and reputable manhood and wOmanhood are Gre
ated in the nursery in the home and in our public
be found for social and economic evils except
Words any attempt to reform criminals to re;
neye the poverty %ne6 rs ef Pubic reforma
ton must begin from below, and not from
above Allowing. of course, for the influence OF
heredty which manifests itself III all classes of the
community the political scientist recognizes the
lion are controlled and moulded by the environ
ment of their childhood. The logical reformer
vengeance. but campaign which is solely edu-
cational.
LIVES OF NETWORKS CHILDREN
The conflicting classes and interests which con
9mist are all reflected in the lives OF the New,
YORK ehlldren today Adut men ana women hos
children but they ignore what l believe is the car
future is made in his home and the schools. or
matured in the vicious haunts of vice and the pre-
do not intend TO discuss the future of those who
are born to splendid opportunities | realize that
they, too have their dangers. admit the fact that
poverty though a stern foster-mother produces
great men. and that the most insidious evil which
can befall child is large inheritance of wealth
and power; The non-producer Is drone in the
social beehive Riches TO be beneficial must be Gre
ated by the owner. 1t is my purpose in this lect-
ure however to speak of those youthful conditions
selves in this great city of New-York A large
majority OF the wealthy people OF this city, al.
love, sympathy and friendship. live in criminal
the present moment there are above three thou
sand homeless boys. These children represent the
social problem of the future Some are Migrants,
and will. unless wise system of remedial iegisla-
ton be adopted for their regeneration, continue to
thousar homeless boys are homeless because they
nave los their natural protectors: They cannot be
tIIuchsd Dy charitable organizations and by the
churches They are simply the iotsam and jetsam
them are truants, not only from school, but from
papers; and many Of them. even in that eans
t lay sound foundation for future prosperity in
az zen years Of age has acquired more keenness of
JIagment and decision of character than the av-
child. he is a man Of the world
PROBLEM OF HOMELESS BOYS
~, believe that society should help all homeless
or m gad such 3aat as tbs T cheap lodging
sne n5 ii our on duty TO establish as we have DONE
am convinced. however, that the influence of such
lodging houses is deleterious instead of beneficial
lent; The society which has them in charge is one
OF the best In the city. But their tendency is ex-
Irremely bad, because it enables a boy TO live on
a ann nothing He can get his bed for I'VE cents
and milk coffee and bread for i've cents mnr
Inc homeless boy in the city of New-York can live
believe is absolutely injurious to such children be-
cause II constitutes false measure OF ambition.
the fact that the Childrens Aid Society. which
Ga b mem an rs animated by excellent motives,
mo emf
mere are two young men who have lived in one OF
or these lodging houses for homeless boys there
are SIX or eight IN the city of New-YOrk-on
Duan9-st, Avenue A Thirty-second-st. and Second
ave Eishth-st and Avenue B and Forty fourth
homes u beU any boy can enter these
than good. boy brought up in institution or
power OF striking out independently for himself
such conditions are inimical TO future welfare
dent action. % e'e'i-
The questions arise in relation to such bovs
WHAT Is the duty Of the public? Shall we ignore
ms problem to-day and punish them hereafter be-
take care that do not use in terms of indifSer
ence toward the claims Of homeless boyhood in
rhetoric of Cain" '''iOi %"
DAUGHTERS OF THE TENEMENTs.
! have spoken first of homeless boys simply be-
cause thelr necessities are obvious and insistent
thinking men and women But, of course / recog-
that of little girls who have lost their natural Dro
tectors, Or indeed. as that Of the daughters of
narrowness of means TO their own livelihood
for the former, during their immature wears
there is only one refuge, and that IS be found
under the auspices of loveess and cheerless in
sutution Sooner or later, however. they are Oh
Lged 10 enter the in which is enacted
through all the generations the pitless struggle for
existence; have for many years, as a result of
eareLul observation or the subject, been believer
IN the theory that women not as has been
the barbaric ideal of the past inferior 10 men ex
cePt In physical strength and endurance l have
always protested against the adjustment of a
double standard OF human opportunity l NAV he
c1asslneu therefore, as social dreamer when I
assert that employers who fail 10 give living
rate OF WAGES 70 girl emp,OYes are enilt, o.