New-York tribune., 1903-04-26
TIE NEW EAST SIDE.

few wears ago the idea that the East Side
could be the home of anything but hopeless
ugliness and misery would have seemed to most
persons, particularly those in political power, as
wild as the idea that anything but ginm1lls
and street gangs could be naturalized at FIVE
Points appeared before a few brave women
transformed it. Tammany and an East Size
of dirt and crime were allies. Officials whose
only ambition was selfish neglected everything
like the higher interests of the teeming popula-
ton there. and devoted themselves to playing
on their ignorance and fattening On their vices
Pretending to be the particular friend of the
Door, Tammany blackmailed and abused these
people and utterly neglected provision for their
health and comfort Two years ago they rose
I'D and were a powerful factor in overthrowing
Tammany and a new spirit has come over them
and over the attitude of the government toward
them.
In another column of this issue we give an
account of the movements going on for various
East Side betterments. That region is no longer
the unrelieved agglomeration of crowded and
unsanitary tenements; nor even the wilderness
where a few voices Of Settlement workers were
crying and often seemingly in vain. There is
an appalling amount of crowding, disease, vice
and ugliness there, but it is also alive with in
telligent and earnest workers, many of them
themselves thorough East Siders, who are oper-
ating TO make the region a place where human
beings can dwell in health and happiness. In
hearty cooperation with them is the city gov
ernment. Whatever any other section of the
city has TO say about the reform administra-
ton, there cannot be the slightest doubt that
the East Side has immensely profited by it, and
those who sit back in their houses and say that
the administration has not commended itself to
the people because forsooth this jerry builder is
disgruntled and that manufacturer has been an
noyed by enforcement of the smoke ordinance,
should study the sentiment of the East Side,
where the overwhelming Tammany majorities
used to be found, before they decide that reform
is failure.
The people there appreciate the transforma-
ton. They see that they have clean streets;
that they can now bring up their children to
decent and vlrtuous lives untroubled by the in
famous cadet system; that provision is made for
their mercantile customs by pushcart markets;
that their homes are made safer and more
cheerful; that Fairgrounds and parks and
schools are being provided for them; that they
can carry on their lawful business without fear
Of official extortion. These are the things that
come home TO every East Slider, and it is awak-
ening him to a new sense Of his rights and op-
features of official work there. Often efforts in
richer sections are coldly received. The inno-
vator is a nuisance whose work is resented with
superior air. The East Side is anxious to ad-
vance 1t is ignorant and sometimes fails TO
understand but it is striving earnestly TO better
its condition, and just far as it is able and
knows how joins hands with officials like Low
and Jerome and Woodbury. and De Forest and
Wilcox and Greene
The plan now being considered of grouping
public buildings and Fairgrounds TO form civic
centres is one which should hereafter be ad-
hered TO in making improvements. The desir
ability of such grouping is already appreciated
when it comes 10 building new courthouse. 1t
is more important on the East Side. where
little thought has been given to beauty and
where amid the prevailing uginess isolated
schools. libraries and Fairgrounds fail TO give
any relief TO the eye. They ars lost, while,