New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-03

smoke is lost all these things will be lost, ana
If they are lost once they will be lost forever.
There can be no more miscellaneous delusion
than the idea that the present outbreak or sort
coal smoke is merely temporary, made neces-
sary by the scarcity OF anthracite, and that
It will naturally and voluntarily subsde as
soon as the Pennsylvania strike is over ana
the normal supply and normal prices OF hard
coal are restored We feel justified in saying
that is not So for at least two major reasons
In the first place it is perfectly well known
that for several years past there has been a
widespread and apparently organized attempt
to break down the law against soft coal smoke.
Numerous establishments in various parts of
the city have been using soft coal and sending
out black smoke in violation of the law, de-
pending upon one pretence or another to secure
them immunity; and at times they have APP
parently by concerted action sought to make
the violations of law so numerous that the
health officers could not deal with them, but
would have TO abandon them in despair. So the
present outbreak was begun with eagerness long
before there was any real scarcity Of anthra-
cite, and, indeed, before the strike began, show
ing plainly that the offenders were prepared to
violate the law at the first opportunity and on
the slightest pretext, without waiting for any
thing resembling necessity. Such facts manifest
a disposition which would not be likely to give
up voluntarily the of soft coal as soon as the
strike is over.
In the second place. it is fact well estab-
lshed by experience that it is far more diff
cult to cure than to prevent an evil. The old
fable of the camel in the tent expresses great
and vital truth. If every attempt to violate
the anti-smoke law is resisted at the outset
there can be no ground for complaint of partial
ity or discrimination. But let few violate the
law without interference and punishment and
others will violate It, logically saying, '1f they
can do 1t so can We" And so the process will
continue until all are breaking the law and
the law is dead letter. Then If you try to
revive and enforce the law each offender will
say, "Why, everybody is doing it. 1 am no
worse than all the rest" And If you insist and
attempt to apply the law to ala stupendous
task, when the evil has reached such magni-
tude--they will say: why, we have been do
ling this undisturbed for the last two years
TT is preposterous to say we have got to quit
sit now We have vested right to continue
''our industry without molestation." And they
will actually appeal to the courts and to the
law to protect them in lawbreaking.
These are some of the reasons why it be-
hooves every citizen who has a trace of public
spirit, who takes pride in the beauty and clean
illness of New-York and in it's attractlveness
place of residence, and who values his own
personal comfort, to encourage and support the
Health Board in the righteous and praise
worthy effort it is making TO check the plague
of smut smoke. Let there be no fear and no
favor in rigidly enforcing the law. 1t is simply
abominabe that the clear sky, brilliant sun
shine and pure air of such a day as yester-
day should be deiled as they were by the foul
output Of lawbreaking establishments. If such
defilement were increased thousandfold. as it
threatens to be and as at the rate of progress
made in the last two weeks. it would soon be
If unchecked, what would this city be? The
fate of New-York is at stake.