New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-15
CITY HOUSEKEEPING,
Hiss ChanLer Criticises Women's
Indif erence TO Cicic 4fmrS.

Women are TIE shoppers q the race" Miss
Chanler. president Of the Woman's Municipal
League. told the members OF the League and soma
q their friends yesterday Al a meeting that vas
held IN the Asaoog Settlement House. iu Sands-sc.
Brooklyn.
Tt IS because women 90 nearly AL the buying
THAI IS done. ana 90 II in SO easygoiug way
stopping think Of the rise Of values, The
Capitalization Of interests OF any Of the whole
sale aspects % the matter. only what they them
selves happen TO want and how cheap they can
iu-Iha1 they fail into the habit Of thought
regarding municipal affairs. They have sense Of
responsibility toward the people who make sell
The goods the buy. ana none toward the municipal
government under which they live"
Miss Cha1ler went GA l. say that one reason
Why women are SO Indifferent about the municipal
government OF the CITY is that they feel It 10 be
something outside OF their own lives Picking Up
9 sheet Of paper she went through the list Of the
several Departments under which the work Il the
city Is done
There are fifteen Of them she sad. There's
tie Department Of Parks. where your child
ren play. OF streets which We all Eave 10
use There's the Department Of Education. which
directs the education OF your children. surely no
woman would that that didn't touch her
life most intimately. The Department OF Docks
and Ferries-we all have 70 use those. The Water
Departmenr-our water supply IS absolutely IN It's
hands. The Fire and Police departments are for our
protection muca as FOR the protection OF the men
aho don't suppose that any woman feels that
property. or the Health Department things out
side Of her GTe
IN fact, there are only Two departments OF the
city government in which women are not directly
and obviously concerned-Iaw and finance.
one reason why there IS SO much 10 criricise il
our city government IS because the women Use AL
this thar me civ a-raIges for them without IS
suTrlng any responsibility for il showing any
interest Ia il Yet the city government Is largely
matter Of administration. and u administering
'nese very departments y hch touch Jh= lie Of the
women SO closely"
Another reason for tina Indifference Of women
over the city govern neut. the speaker thought.
Les n rhe word politics.
Nearly everybody seems 10 think that politics
means Z taste tor elections and the controlling OF
large bodies OF voters But politics goes on all the
;:Te' AID city politics IS largely % city
housekeeping
We are nearly all housekeepers." continued the
speaker. We are nearly all churchgOers also. All
our church work that Is done IN the city IS rea lily
municipal Work. The districJ visitor and deacon
ness are working for better municipal conditions
They know when the faithful. honest policeman or
the beat is replaced by Of the other kind. The
= gang o. tough boys is doing harm TO the boys in
his class
So. municipal work isn't a rev kind OF work
for a woman al aIl-J's simply new way OF look
ng Il"
final inducement 20 women 10 90 IN for
municipal work Miss Chanler said that il was not
hight for women stand aloof- NO viii well
come them more than the who trying 10
DO the work OF the city. she said. The heads Of
department and legislators always glad OF
help
When formed the legislative committee Of the
Rorlan's Municipal League with Miss Dreier q
the chairman. sad 10 her II may be uphill work
AZ A-st but by and By the legislators viii come 70
Is for help They've been doing That al winter
she replied
We have received requests from Assemblyrnen
snc aldermen. and ali kinds Of legislators and
Pubic E1ea. asking Is TO agitate this question or
IL Tie va -iSe ,.5fv poLern nj 2 I'm
after Miss Chanier's address. every present
;lsa chance 10 TAX. and member OF the Chelsea
N'shcn ashed how 70 maxi q compliant
II al depends the nature Of the complaint"
neS me reply II IL Is a general condition you
SaAt 70 complain OF telephone 70 the office OF the
league, and see II there Is committee 10 handle
=: aac II there is. communicate with the chairman
One OF The women told Of a visit Seward Park
,o Is that where che baths have been so soused?
Yes because the number OF attendants has been
bathe thev 49, 10, T~a+er e' The bathing apDara-
rs had been so arranged that neither the hot nor
.-e coid water could be turned on tul force, ana
water wrsuched OF the faucets. Another thing
, icy entertain profound aversion 10 standing on
or and STAND LIQUID a eses they Would
re sG or The sIht emnece thus obtained The rh
flooded"
II they don't know how 70 battle eny better than
tlat. Z shows how much they need bathing, COM
imputed Miss cnanler
Mrs. 7. " wardeu, OF the Brooklyn Heights
branch. told how much encouraged the women OF
ner society felt over Commissioner Grains inter
EST II the tenements. and the worE OF inspector
trct.
"A new member who wanted 10 help suppress
tne street noises OF New-York. was toln tnaL the
noise nuisance would have TO be comDatec olstrict
." district. The member fnstanced the quiet OF
london but in London women Taxpayers vote,
replied The Chair They have all but the Paria-
-ientarE suffrage and a result nave ABOLISHED
many GElssnces."
The throwing OF advertising posters into areas
as a nuisance that Chelsea prnIlcA member
compainec OF She said they had 70 clear the cir
cllare and poster. OF their area every day,
iney numerous Miss Chenier herseif IN
Hanced the employment law as one tnst was not
icing On forced She said she had seen many emil
ersn ''nGsr age who mao permits 70 work Miss
fhedes said she had never seen so many little
ooys selling papers now year ago. when
ne law was passed" Miss Rhodes added, the
aswsboys used 70 wear thar urrIs csIoSoAd nsr-