New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-11
WANTS NEW BUILDINGLAW
GOVERNOR ROOSEVELT SAYS THE TINE
FOR ONE HAS ARRIVED.
HE ALSO EXPRESSES HIS OPINION OF GER
TAIN TYPES OF REFORMERs BEFORE
THE TENEMENT HOUSE COMMITTEE.

THE TENEMENT HOUSE COMMITTEE.
THE time has just about for the appoint
ment of a commission to frame a good and new
code of building laws for this city-a code that
will absolutely prohibit the erection of many types
of tenement houses going up'-Governor
Roosevelt before the Tenement House COMMITTEE
last night.
when Dr. Johnson spoke of patriotism as the
last refuge of scoundreIs he ignorant of the in
finite possibilities of the word reform.
Sherry's ballroom, at Fifth-ave and Thrty-sev-
enth-st., was thronged with an audience last night
whose faces and raiment betokened refinement and
prosperity Governor Roosevelt. Seth LoT, Robert
w. De Forest. Frederick w. Hollis, DIT. E. X l..
Gould and Robert Treat Paine spoke under the
auspices of the Tenement House Committee or the
Charity Organization Society. Mr.. Hollis who
called the meeting order, said that the motto or
the German School of Forestry suited the occasion
last night, it being, I'VE reaping what we nave
not sown and sowing what we shall not
reap" He said the thanks of the public and the
society especially due to Jacob A Riis Dr. T.
r. L. Gould, Lawrence Vail and !. M. Phelps
Stokes for their practical and earnest work in con-
nection with tenement house reform.
Mr.. De Forest the permanent chairman, said
that the collection of photographs OF tenement
houses of this city exhibition at Sherry
object lesson for those who are Interested
Governor Roosevelt was received with applause
and said in part;
came down from Albany specially to attend enc
this meeting because it seems 70 me Is SO
vital to the wellDelng OF our people as innnp
into tonight. II seems to me that way because because
if we succeed through this exhibition in upbuildng
fundamentally the real life of the greater New
can take in any other way When you LOOK %,
the disease and poverty charts downstairs you
lated districs-where the greatest number Of votes
cast. Then ask your selves how in popular
amor nA
make any uplifting permanent you have got to
strive for the material betterment of the people
If you only knew what relief 1t was. after meet
into with the officers of this organization
who are working for the real relief OF me people
without having as their primary object the iGe OF
convincing people generally that they We're an rlSnt
Johnson spoke OF patriotism as the last refuge of
the scoundrel he ignorant of the infinite posi-
who combine the ideal and the practical; who,
%heF of fesy h er 6R the
when they have ended, have done something in
stead of having certain notions of what ought not
to have been done. The great thing about tenement
house reform is that no other reform is more de,
sirabe. and again that other reform of equal
Importance is more practicable Probably the great
some who must give some considerable portion of
their lives TO the work If the individual turns it
1t would be well if that section of the state that
use Of ruc Sentiment and if the Pulse is
sufficient it might be well to follow 1t up with
when gentlemen won't yield, something more forci-
BILE is sometimes necessary Men not susceptible
appeals to their conscience should be compelled
obey rigid laws. The time has just about come
for the appointment of Commission to frame
new code of building laws-a code that will prohibit
absolutely the erection of certain types OF buildings
now going
Seth Low, who the next speaker. began with
humorous references to Governor Roosevelt
which set every laughing. Then he spoke of the
present ideas of tenement house relief, and said
that II not charity but science which, 1t was
hoped would solve the problem He dwelt on the
necessity of thoroughly Investigating the facts, and
said that tenement house legislation must rest
mOnished his hearers that relief, to be successful
must be the spontaneous effort of the whole com
munity
Mr.. De Forest then introduced Robert Treat
Paine, of Boston who brought friendly message
or sympathy and encouragement from the tene-
ment house workers of that city to those of New
York. In speaking of the work OF the city Board
OF Health of Boston in dealing with the problem
of health in tenement house districts he uninten-
Our City Board of Health has done magnificent
work In this respect he said. Il wonder If your
Board of Health has done well?"
Governor Roosevelt smiled grim smile and there
were other reflective smiles In the
The last speaker OF the meeting DR. +. r.
L. Gould. He described at length the evils fos-
tered by the present condition of tenement houses
in large cities and explained the work of the com
pany of which he is presdent-the City and
associations in substituting comfortable sanitary
homes for the tenement houses
\ great many people stayed long after the meet
ing over to examine the tenement house illus
tTations and designs which exhibition in
the building