The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1901-01-14
MILLING rHE GOOSE THAT LAYS
THE eoLOEN toe.

rents which are being charged IN
this city BY many landlords, and has
pointed cut the fact that a Ions per-
alsteuce In the policy ~ oxerecharg-
ing tenants. either GA the business
or residence districts. cannot but De-
prciudlelal % the Interests ~ thv
landlords lhemsclyrs. g. saY oothms
% the harm inflicted upon the conn
mgnity IN Rgneral.
The re#aan offered hg maHt OF these
property ~aWuera who aFeFeharEr
renters il taat tht law u supply
aud demand roeulatsa rrieea. and
that because thgfJ D. brisk demand
for stores ard residences. therefore
pricas should correspond. but does
"a pay - take nearly all Il the mrr-
chants profits away fum him Tor
the benefit II bis mndlefas Would
n not be better an around for the
landlord - hr content with % Per
cent ana leave che merz hant The
other . per rrntf n r. fact vel
known that large numbers af mer-
chants IN this city Eive an most OF
their profits 81 che owners of ihv
premises la hich they d. business
and arr very nguch diaheaffenea over
the prospest ahead. They can AZ
business and make coed praht ~
assessed reasonable rents, but turt a.
fast q, business grow through just
cious efforts. Just 30 fast 10 their
rgnts Increase There seems 90 oe
no Unit 10 the upward movement on
First AMI Second avenues A feW
DAYS axa one ~ the leading mcr-
chants waa notified that hIH rent was
20 b. trinled az a single JUMP the
Increase amounting % ever SEQ per
month. aF 400 per yeari speakins
% the matter o. the editor - the
star. he said. It viii newer 90 90
kick to tire landlord II aid, ne
would probably give me another
boost On the rent. and ! would have
20 pay o. get cut He uoN gets all
% my profits over hare living, and
I hardly know what course 30 pur-
sue. I d. rot. however. propose 20
r. on ind~auateiy uaink ny brains
ana my capital 20 benefit hisn alone
J want nv SHARE N fhe profits. ~
cannot rrf them n this city. I can
cisewherr."
Ana ths words ~ that merchant
voice the sentiments - nine-trnihs
~ the renting merchants along First
and Second avenues. and anon PIKE
street Many ~ them are located IN
one Or two etnry buildings. sune ~
which deserve the namie q ahaCka.
and yet are complied u pay rentals
proper oaiT FOR large buildings with
as modern improvements.
II = but right 20 state that there
= - very considerable number ~
property owners aud reni estate nen
who Do not approve - the forcing NJ
~ rentals In the business district.
ana WHO have refns~f . follow the
lead Of those who seek n Erarn
everything n Sigh; FOR their temper
ary Advantage. Unfortunately.
there SPACIOUS and Moderate men
are not n control q the situation.
and they behold without Being able
% cheek. tire Increasing movement
tn Fnuse fh~ merchants ont ~ their
profits. The Fortunate minority %
business ffrss who rent from land
lords who are reasonable in their de-
uaand-. fully appreciate their sd
vantage over their less fortunate
competitors. who are - seriously
handicapped by excessive rents.
n n tfnle for the landlords them
selves - call a halt and snanavor 20
agree urou a policy which viii tend
20 nphuifd the mercantile activities
uf the city rather than to pull the
same down. II r. unfortunate. but
TRUE. that most Of Seattle's business
men rent their stores. very few In
ceed owning the premises On which
they do business. Hence the evil %
abnormal rents vitality effects th@
business u the community.
The same state ~ Affairs exists IN
the residence districts Of the city.
White Some landlords are ren sguabfe
IN their reut scales. the majority
have yielded 20 the opportunity of
the hpir and nre getting all 81 the
money they can out Of their tenants.
The rents asked for ordinary houses
ire IN many cases. double what they
lhould be. and would be- under norm
~ conditions. Some property
IRIS VIII LEI houses remain vacant for
weeks. while house hunters elam0r
Tor admission. telling each applicant
that the premises are for rent, bat
tnensioniag fancy figures that usual.
" Kill OF All negotiations. Thee
property are caFtain that
Iywe desperate peorie VIII finally
five up the sums asked. out ~ sheer
iecessity. Usually their expecta.
lions are realized.
The resulting effect Of hleh rents
tDd the increased cost % sup.
iies Of all kinds due % the bnosi-
lag ~ The trus1s. o. % make nvir *
Seattle today very difficult prob
n Tor thousands % people ~ slen-
Ter iucomea Tho clerk IN the store
iatur1iiy turns 10 his employer ana
rays. 4 must have MORE SALARY"
fnd the merchant replies. My rent
iaa gcae up and I cannot afford 90
I ay you more" The artisan who
belongs - a trade union feels tho
Increasing burden az costs and he
iriurs ~ fhe matter In the council
- his craft and that council taksH
elton - secure higher WaEea. All
gl0nr the iiue Tho trade unlanlFta are
gvi1g for better pay. haalne fhcir
lf1r~ aGa u8au Che increased cost n
sing. BEGINNING thla week. an
vepapfr printers IN the city re-
tra en- Increase 80 aa - enable
Z lcu1 20 keep pace with rents and The
egcral aeale ~ costs. II ls becorn-
Us q FERROUS question with every
foiy who la not wealthy where this
fne r. - end. Tor end 1t must. The
fr-1kIng point is not far away.
There iH no dlsputinR the fact that
tgfny people who would have re-
iIaiHed IN Seattle n they could. have
tlovcd away because they could not
imord . stay. This clues will run
ten W into tho thousands. Again.
There ere maltitudea ~ others In The