The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-22
HELP THE BATHS OUT.

Inc report or Or. image detailing the
history and operation of the free public
baths of st. Pau! presents to the public
view record OF intelligent. disinterested
and Jealous prosecution of a laudable
public enterprise such as will impress all
who read ''it :" With the great
extent of good which may be
done by a public official, or, in
deed. by any private Individual animated
by a real purpose to promote the gem
eral welfare in any given direction.
The record of attendance at the baths
during the, summer and the general con-
duct of those. who attended. as related
by the health commissioner, show plainly
how appreciative the common people are
of any effort which they recognize as
being made, ip-@ their interest. 1t is not
always, perhaps, that their understand
ing of what is to their interest can be
regarded as correct; but they nave shown
beyond all cavil how they regard the es-
tablishment of public baths for their gain.
and the community is accordingly called
on to do all in it's power to enable the
public requirements in that regard to be
met to. the fullest possible, extent.
These baths have been transferred to
the city without dollar of cost. They
are self-maintaining They have met the
public expectation to degree which sur
passes au--antieipation- They have fall
ed alone in their adequacy to meet the
public demand.
DR.. Ohage does'.ho ask money from
the council to expend in the maintenance
of the baths. He simply asks that the
city will add materially to the value Of
its own property by the expenditure upon
it of few thousand dollars The debt
private subscription without doubt. The
extension and enlargement of the baths
will result in placing at the disposal Of
the city a public. establishment the like
of which cannot be seen in but a few Of
even the most advanced cities of the
country. Wherever anything approach
ing what these baths will be when they
have been. completed is, in existence, We
think the members of the council can
readily satisfy themselves by IN
vestigation that the cost to the
communities owning them has
more than trebled what it will have cost
the city in this case; while the cost of
maintaining them is elsewhere generally
an item Of considerable Importance in
municipal expenditure
The council should deal literally with
Dr. Ohage. He has made the public baths
of St. Paul an accomplished fact through
his great energy and his thoughtfulness
of the welfare OF the public. The amount
he asks will be invested in the undertake
ing. 1t will be an Investment well made,
and will bring the masses of the people
returns of more value to the Individual
and the community than could an amount
infinitely larger expended in any other
given direction. If there were anything
experimental In the undertaking the coun-
Gil might naturally hesitate in making
the appropriation. The gain to the city
will be an enduring. one and it is the
duty-the plain and imperative duty-of
municipal authority to enable the under
taking to realize its entire possibilities
of good This can be done by the expen-
diture of the comparatively small amount
sought. Neglect or indifference will lose
TO the people the great benefits which are
involved in DR.. ohage's undertaking.