The Washington times., 1904-12-22
Succeeding Against the Stun:

Charity IS not all giving. 1He
Associated Charities has proven that
it consists more largely IL providing
opportunity that the needy can care
for themselves. Now comes the
Washington Sanitary Housing Com
pany with a statement to proge that
not only need there be no giving but
that the philanthropicscan accomplish
much good merely by making their
investments operate to the advantage
of the poor. Philanthropy and 5
per cent is a reality in Washington.
New York learned this lesson twen-
ty years ago. 1t has been assimilating
it more and moro fully ever since,
until today there are half dozen cor
porations engaged in the charity OF
providing inviting dwellings for men
who work by the day while they earn
reasonable dividends on every dollar
invested. The problem there struck
every citizen in the face. 1t was
impossible TO walk the streets down
town and not see thousands who lived
in squalor But in Washington the
evil was hidden. Its consequences
were not less awful, but it was hidden
from view and so was long disre-
garded.
A beginning toward correction was
made in 1898 with capital of about
$50, ,000 Today that capital has been
increased to S427 go, the treasury
has accumulated a surplus fund of
S33,37f, and every year the men and
women who subscribed to this cause
out of love for their fellows have
realized 4 per cent profit on their in
vestment
1t will not do to wink or smile
at the term philanthropy where diYi-
slends are paid. Alley houses of the
old type were the most profitable
realty investments in the District,
yielding 10 per cent always, and often
IS per cent. In the potential earn
ings of the money controlled by this
company, then, the word 'tphilan-
thropy" covers something more than
S34 ,000
This is only half the story The
sanitary dwellings are well built,
well lighted, secure against the
weather, supplied with water, and
kept in good repair. Those who heard
Jacob Riis lecture on our alleys need
not be told what the 18 per cent
dwellings were-one story '.shacks'
with no water nearer than the public
hydrant, no protection from the cold
and families huddled, like the foreign
ers Of New York city, into one room
instead of spread through three rooms
Americans tend constantly toward
the level of their surroundings The
Sanitary Housing Company hastens
this operation by rewarding its ten
ants for taking good care of their
quarters. The twelfth months rent
in each year is set aside for interior
repairs. If it is all needed it is all
spent But any part which is not
needed goes to the tenant as a rebate.
Every house so built and so main
tanned lessons the aggregate of dis
ease and the likelihood of contagion
in Washington. Congress has recog-
nized this SO far as to prohibit the
erection of new houses in alleys alto
gether,2 and on streets unless they
are given water supply and sewer
connections. The eyil-as the Sanitary
Company points out-cannot grow
while this law prevails. But Congress
has given the Commissioners no au-
thority to condemn the --shacks'
which are already in existence. They
viii continue to exude disease and
stifie life until their unfortunate
tenants are housed elsewhere. II is
TO this work of housing those tenants
that the Washington Sanitary Hous-
ing Company devotes its resources
and The Times indorses that work
with greater satisfaction because IL is
not conducted as a gift enterprise