Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-06

INDUSTRIAL ciVllZdtfou. with Us iuuAA-
fold and perplexing tendencies both
for good and for evil. are far less
sharply accentuated In the city or
Washington than In most other cities.
For this very reason It is easier to deal
with the various phases OF these prob
lens In Washington. and the District
Of Columbia government should be q
model for the other municipal govern
ments Of the nation in all such mattera
as supervision of the housing OF tie
poor, the creation OF small parks In
the districts inhabited by the poor, In
laws affecting labor, in laws providing
for the taking care of the children. In
truant laws and in providing schools.
In the vital matter OF taking care OF
children much advantage could be gain
ed by a careful study OF what has been
accomplished in such states as Illinois
and Colorado by the Juvenile courts.
The work Of the Juvenile court is real
" a work of character building 1t In
now generally recognized that young
boys and young girls who go wrong
should not be treated as criminals. not
even necessarily as needing reforma-
ton, but rather as needing to have
their characters formed. and for this
end to have them tested and developed
by a system OF probation. Much adj
mirable work has been done I'm many
Of our commemorative by earnest men
and women who have made a special
study of the needs Of those classes OF
children which furnish the greatest
number of Juvenile offenders and there
o. - Arr1A NJ
tenders, and by their aid and by profit
ing by the experiences OF the different
states and cities in these matters II
would be easy to provide n good code
for the District Of Columbia.
Several considerations suggest the
need for a systematic Investigation In
to and improvement of housing condi-
lions In Washington. The hidden resi-
Dental alleys are breeding grounds OF
vice and disease and should be opened
into minor streets. For number OF
years influential citizens have Joined
with the District commissioners In the
vain endeavor TO secure laws permit
ting tie condemnation OF insanitary
dwellings. The local death rates. espc-
cially from preventable diseases. are
SO uIllulN nlsH us W SdSsstot thoS A@U
exceptional whoiesomeness Of Wash
ington's better sections IL offset by
bad conditions In her poorer neighbor-
hoods. A special commissioner on
housing and health conditions In the
national capital would not only bring
about the reformation Of existing evils.
but would also formulate an appro-
pirate building code to protect tho
city from mammoth brick tenements
and other evils which threaten to de-
velop here as they have I'm other cities.
That the nations capital should be
made model for other municipalities
Is an ideal which appeals to all pa
triotic citizens everywhere. and such
special commission might map out,
and organize the city's future devel-
opment In lines Of civic social service,
just as Major LEnfant and the recent
park commission planned the arrange
ment Of her streets and parks.
1t Is notifying to remember that
Washington has no compulsory school
attendance law and that careful inqul-
ries indicate the habitual absence from
school of some 20 per cent OF all chill
dren between the ages of eight and
fourteen. 1t must be evident to all who
consider the problems of neglected
child life or the benefits of compulsory
education in other cities that one or
the most urgent needs of the national
capital is law requiring the school
attendance of all children. this law to
be enforced by attendance agents d.
rected by the board of education.
Public Fairgrounds are necessary
means for the development Of whole
some citizenship tn modern cities. II Is
important that the work inaugurated
here through voluntary efforts should
be taken up and extended through con-
gressional appropriation Of funds SUM-
Client to equip and maintain numerous
convenient small Fairgrounds upon
land which cen be secured without
purchase or rental. It Is also desirable
that small vacant places be purchased
and reserved as small park play
grounds in densely settled sections OF
the city which now hive no public
open spaces and are destined soon to
be built up solidly. All these needs
should be met Immediately. To meet
them would entail expenses. but cor
responding saving could be made by
stopping the building OF streets and
leyeling of ground for purposes largely
speculative In outlying parts Of the city,
There are certain offenders whose
criminality takes the shape Of brutal
ity and cruelty toward the weak who
need a special type of punishment. The
wife beater, for example, Is made
Quately punished by imprisonment, for
may often mean nothing
to him, while it may cause hunger and
want to the wife and children who
have been the victims OF his brutality
Probably some form of corporal pun
ishment would be the most adequate
way of meeting this kind OF crime.
Agriculture.
The department Of agriculture has
grown into an educational institution
with a faculty Of 1900 specialists
research into all the sciences
Of production. The congress approDrf-l