The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-10-26
wITH APoLoeIgs ro Ms. elLDER

lust A MONTH AGO a brief dispatch
from New York announced that r.
w. Glider. editor Of the Century Maya
zine. declined to accept a Citizens
Union nomination for alderman. With
this announcement as a text, The Her
aid commented on what seemed to be
Mr.. elders lack OF public spirit as
sample of the good" citizens aversion
10 public life. Knowing Mr.. Gilders
ability. his experience in public affairs.
and his views on citizenship, it seemed
remarkable that he should refuse to
do his share in the political life Of New
York. It appears that Mr.. Glider has
good reasons for declining to serve, and
The Herald did him an injustice in
criticisins him severely for his action
The following letter from Richard
Underwood johnson. associate editor Of
the Century, explains itself:
L have recently seen the editorial in
/ The Herald for Sept =. entitled For
Business Reasons in which you can
Mr.. Glider to account for lack Of pubic
I spirit in declining to accept the nOin-
/ nation for alderman in New York city
as a candidate Of the Citizens Union,
and IN which you say.
"Mr. Glider is a conspicuous example
of the good citizen who refuses the
very duty he would urge upon other
good citizens Like Petroleum Nasty,
he is Wiling to sacrifice his wife's re-
lations or anybody else on the altar o.
patriotism" etc.
Your point Of view OF this subject
shows a singular lack OF information
as regards Mr.. elders standing in this
community, and particularly as to his
attitude toward public service. Mr..
/ Glider is not only well known as man
who for years has given his personal
service to many good causes, such as
internatiOnalcopyri civil service re-
form. The Introduction Of the kinder-
Cartens in the New York schools, the
promotion OF model tenements, and
various other philanthropic causes, but
he was. as you seem not to be aware,
the chairman Of the first tenement
house commission. and in this official
capacity position without pay-gave
TO this city for more than a year the
most devoted and useful service. I re-
gard that commission as a model for
all similar work Within year II
made a careful study Of the whole tene-
ment house question, not only in New
| y ork City, but in other cities; took a
vast amount Of testimony and framed
appropriate legislation. and. against
the opposition Of Trinity church and
| others. succeeded substantially in get
+ ting it's conclusions embodied in the
/ law. The commission instituted recrea-
! ton piers. procured the demolition OF
/ the worst tenements in the city for the
/ purpose Of making new parks for the
/ people. and made a beginning Of tene-
ment house reform which public senti o
ment has thoroughly endorsed and is
I now extending.
/ Il is very easy for others to choose
ones path of duty for him, but the
! sermon which you read to Mr.. Glider
| on his duty in the matter of the ac-
/ ceptance of Office goes very far afield.
/ From q pretty general acquaintance
4 with New Workers. 7 think I may say
[ that no one in this community stands
/ higher i'm the public estimation than ne
as a citizen who is sparing neither of
| time nor of money I'm the advancement
] Of the interests Of the people.
In conclusion let me say that there
/ are not wanting many good and ca
pable men in New York city who are
/ willing to respond, at great sacrifice,
/ TO the public demand for their serv-
/ ices in Offices for which they are en-
/ tirely qualified. Mr. Lows admins
/ tration. which is a shining example Of
/ constructive reform, owes its success
! TO a group Of just such men. It's per-
I sonnet and business methods may con-
I identlv be recommended to the study
/ of other cities
may add that Mr.. Glider has been
| iIl for five weeks and has been ordered
( to give UP his business entirely until
/ his health shall be restored.