New-York tribune., 1901-10-17
WRONGS OF THE POOR.
LACK OF ROOM IN SCHOOLS. UNCLEAN
STREETS AND CROWDED TENEMENTs
DUE TO TAbfMANY's MIsRULE,
SAYS MRS. LOWELL

"Tammany killed the children OF the poor by hun
dreds last summer" asserted Mrs. Charles Russell
Lowell yesterday before the meeting held under the
auspices ot ire wouan's Municipal League. at the
rooms Of the Metropolitan Trained Nurses Club.
Nos lA and l05 West Forty-frst-st.
"People GO not realize the vital Importance OF
gOod government TO the poor" said Mrs. Lowell.
We who 1--we in good neIghborhooGs where streets
are kept clean and houses airy and healthy, are
not so affected by the city government. but they
are dependent every day and every minute il for
health, comfort and decency. for morals and for
life
There is not department with which their
veIbelng IS not Intimately associated The Fire
Department, that noble. heroic body of men, will
always DO its duty whe ther Tammany IS in out,
because only men Of heroic mould to enter II.
yet il IS hampered by the ineiciency OF the terrible
Police Department. The Buildings Department is
Of less consequence to the small families IN large
houses but the dwelleTs IN tenement houses II is
o. Infinite importance whether honest dishonest
hspectoTs are employed TO see that the law is
ebeyed- On honest inspection depends their supply
Of light air and the decencies Of life
TO them the Street Cleaning Department too is
vital matter We all know the condition OF the
streets under Colonel waring and their condition
nov. One day last summer had occasion 10 walk
through Clinton-st, and that horrible stencil that
We had known in six years again assailed
On investigating I found that Tammany had taken
five hundred men of in the hottest months OF the
year In one section garbage was not removed in
four Of those awful days. and the death rate was
twice the normal. Tammanys street department
killed the children Of the poor.
CONDITIONS IN ONE LOCALITY.
The rich can send their children 10 private
schools, but the poor have only the public. Last
summer bog Of fourteen, born in New-York City,
went get permit 10 work. He had been at
school one year and half in those fourteen years,
and could not read, because the remainder Of the
tine there was no for him! What kind OF
citizens viii that method make?"
Mrs. LoweITs next words created q stir as she
graphically described the conditions IN locality
this fan when schools were opened AT one
school mothers who had taken their children
there clamortng for admission, were dubbed away
by policemen. and mothers and children sent home
crying. both IN pain and Disappointment.
Mrs Lowell spoke next OF the a~iuI cortuP-
non Of the Police Department ana quoted one
man as having said to her that no girl is safe IN
AeE-Gork When she asked what he meant ne re-
p4lec that the number OF abductlonS ana MOCK
marriages with honest industrious girls merely 10
place them in evil houses is Incredible. .
"A better government is not a question or poll
mat the chance is before US TO get good govern
ent Il is every woman's duty TO talk and work LOT
me women 10 put campaign pictures OF Ar, Low
sno others il their windows. the Citizens mon
displays
-TaTnmany has $4,000 TO spend on this cam
gslgn besides blackmail. and when the Ciuzets
Union tried get billboards ii was found that
said
Other speakers were Herbert Parsons. candidate
James Mckee. Of Brooklyn who was on the COM
Hittee for revision OF the charter.
snd Miss Lillian wald. Of the Nurses settlement
"A E1enry-st- presided.