The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-03

other legitimate municipal enterprise.
Where the large parks are remote and in
accessible, smaller parks adjacent to the
crowded residential districts must be pro-
vided. But an open space in the trees and
grass Is not enough. A playground within
this area, with gymnastic apparatus and a
competent instructor is a positive neces-
s1ty. 1t is only a question Of time before
the city will recognize the Importance of
the playground and assume the expense
Of it's management. Until this time comes
private philanthropy must demonstrate
Its utility. 1t will not be many years be-
fore all our American cities will have
large public Fairgrounds, where scientific
instruction will be given by competent
teachers at the expense Of the city. Twice
the cost will be saved the public treas
ury in lessening lawlessness and preserv-
ing the public health and morals.
The gymnasium is as much a necessity
In winter as the playground in summer.
And the public indoor bath is as indis-
pensable as the beach or floating baths in
the open air. The provision of both belong
properly to the city, and this responsible
1ty Is fortunately coming to be generally
recognized. When it is realized how uni
versally popular the gymna SUM and the
bath house are, how much they contribute
to public health and morality and how
comparatively inexpensive they are-$20,-
600 being sufficient to erect and equip a
roomy and substantial gymnasium and the
same amount a bath house with a capacity
of 800 daily--it seems as if our American
cities would lose no time in providing
them. Until they do fine opportunity is
offered to private philanthropy, which
should hope and expect that the munich
pal1ty should ultimately. acquire and con-
duct them. The expenditure Of large sums
by disinterested philanthropists in all cur
cities for the erection Of gymnasiums and
baths would be justified Immediately by
the results and ultimately by their acquisi-
ton by the municipality 90
Another project which might seem at
first to lie outside the sphere of public
control is that Of the housing Of the clubs
and societies which, at the present time
too often find Judgment in rooms con-
nected with or adjacent to the saloons.
Here we are confronted with a fact, not
theory. The number Of such clubs ac-
tually existing in any city is very large
There are the clubs or gangs of street
boys; there are young mems social or ath-
| let1c clubs; there are the secret and fra
ternal societies which alone count over
100000 members, including Canada, or
approximately one-fifteenth Of the entire
population; and there are the labor unions
with 100000 members, political societies
and many other organizations fourishing
and increasing daily in membership and
influence. Thus the question of the hous-
ing Of these clubs is one of pressing i'm
portance. The fact is that halls disasso-
cated with the sale or distribution Of
quOr are desperately rare. The situation
calls imperatively for the erection of build
1ngs to be devoted exclusively-with the
possible exception Of the ground floor,
which could be occupied by stores-to
clubs, secret societies and labor unions.
That these would forsake their present in
adequate and often unWholesome quarters
for clean and airy rooms there is no rea-
tO And
a transference it would be difficult to esti-
mate. 1t is probable, as has been said,
that the municipality would be unwilling,
at present, to undertake the erection of
such buildings. 1t is interesting. to
note that only recently an order was in
troduced calling for the provision of mum
1c1pal club houses for boys in New York
But there is no good reason why such
club houses should not be provided by pri-
vate philanthropy. 1t is impossible to
say whether or not they would yield an &C.
tual rate Of interest," but in higher sence
they could not fall to be a paying invest
ment 1t Is singular that an experiment
promising such large results has hitherto
tailed to receive the attention 1t deserves
when we leave altogether the sphere
Of possible municipal interests, there re-
main other projects which may we'll claim
the attention Of those who have a concern
for the social wellbeing of our wage earn.
Ing population. Chief among these is the
| provision Of wholesome tenements 70,
working people, and Of model hotels an(
lodgings for unmarried men and women
1t is matter of great interest and en-
enlargement that what is, on the whole
the most important provision for the so
cfal needs Of working people, is, at thu
same time, from a pecuniary point n
view, the most successful. Nothing ha.
been demonstrated more conclusivel,
than that model tenements and work
ingmen's homes pay financially as we'll a.
morally. Besides the incalculable servic,
these institutions are performing in bet
tering the lives Of their occupants, the,
are compelling the adjacent and hitherto
unsanitary lodgings and tenements Il
make improvements if they would retail
their tenants