The St. Louis Republic., 1904-09-25
MISS JANE ADDAMs PRAISES cITYs MOTIVES IN REFORM.

In a session Of the International Con-
rrcss OF Arts and Sciences which brought
10 an end the most remarkable gathering
az men Of note and ability from all quar-
ters OF the globe. st. Louis. the seat Of
the congress and of the worlds greatest
exposition. was given high praise and at
the same time tribute was given to those
efforts OF the last few years which have
been made and which stand in the record
OF civic progress and of municipal purifi-
cation as the most remarkable and prac-
teal in the history Of civil government.
Albert Shaw, editor OF the American Re
view of Reviews. and one OF the best
authorities on current events and passing
political problems of the United States. in
his address before the political section Of
the congress delegated 10 St. Louis the
cistin gushing characteristic OF being the
best representative OF all the cities OF
America as brilliant example of modern
municipal progress
Miss Jane Adams OF Hull House. Chi
cago added her testimonial OF respect and
appreciation Sor those reforms which have
been instituted and to those methods OF
securing civic Righteousness which have
become OF public interest and of public
note Throughout the Eastern country.
Both addresses were delivered before
the section Of urban life. m the Palace
lcf Edncation. and before an audience
which exceeded In numbers any which
has gathered in the week OF the con-
gress. Besides the many foreigners and
the distinguished men OF America there
were many of the citizens Of st. Louis
present, and frequent applause marked
the periods of each speaker. Mrs Conde
HanIin of St. Paul was the chairman
Doctor Shaw was the first speaker. In
discussing the creation OF the modern ur-
ban community he said the controlling
force had been the power which had Great
ed modarn manufacturing industries and
consequent social conditions and central
zation Of communities
This had come about through the great
Improvement in machinery and the preTa-
lence Of extensive as against intensive
methods OF agriculture forcing into the
towns and cities much OF the population
Of the country. He then discussed the
problems Of civic government, holding that
the United States are far behind the ma
tions of Europe in perfecting a system
Of government for the cities and towns.
STRANGE MUNICIPAL CONDITIONS
In speaking of the police departments
of cities. he said: ''While II il evident
that inefficient or corrupt police admin
istration has a tendency TO infect and cor
rupt other departments. 1t has often been
strikinsIy true that alongside of scam
daIously bad police administration there
has been found fiscal Integrity and eff
Gent managenent OF the health service,
the schools and various public works"
Continuing. he said:
Fifteen or twenty years ago the word
.sIurns. vas OF constant recurrence in any
discussion of the problems Of municipal
life. Every city. even the small ones, had
its era of overcrowding. OF unsanitary con-
sItions. of great infant mortality. OF cpl
demic. of tendency to criminal resort and
of degeneracy and Of decadence- Most peo-
pie believed that such slum area was
inevitable and could not be wiped out. 1t
was observed that the drastic clearing out
of one sIum spot was followed by the rap
i'd creation Of another. There has come
about, however, a complete change of
opinion on this subject. The rapid tide OF
the better class Of families to new and
sanitary districts opened up by trolley
Fines is go relieving to residence property
in central districts that demolition can
proceed with advantage and rules against
overcrowding can be enforced with gooo
results.
PROGRESS IN STREET MAKING.
Along with this tendency TO annex sub
urbs and to increase :he municipal area
are to be observed many hopeful accom-
panying tendencies. One finds immense
progress in the art Of street making. mu-
nicipal art as shown in the open square
and in greater and smaller parks has ad-
vanced with magnificent progress. Water
supply, sewers, and all that belong to the
functions of good municipal Housekeeping
are no longer in doubt. With some mis-
takes, with some extravaganza. and with
some reaction. the main victory has. how
ever. been won all along the line.
The people have grasped the conception
of orderliness, beauty and sanitary safety
in town life and they will work these
ideals out without fail in all modern in
dustriaI countries where there is prosper
ity enough to keep the forces of civiliza-
f:on alive and energetic. Thus. the oppor-
tunities and conditions of the average
workingman or mechanic dwelling In our
cities have been completely revolution
lied within the past ten or twenty years.
The pIain man may educate his children
in admirable free shoois under municipal
control. The schools have learned TO
adapt themselves to the needs of the
workingman's family, so that they no
longer are unfit for practical life, but, on
the contrary. contribute to the ability OF
the boy or girl TO earn living in his
own town as well as to be a good citizen
and an intelligent member of society
EVOLUTION OF URBAN LIFE.
."rhe wo,kingman has the best OF wa
ter. the assurance of good health condi-
tions, admirable opportunities for recrea-
,ion and instructive amusement. great
public libraries and reading-rooms made
accessible TO him and hundred ad-
yantages carcely dreamed OF nifty years
ago. Thus evil has been turned into good,
and where once it was seemingly disas-
irons for men to be living together under
urban conditions in modern industrial
communities 1t is now for the great ma
,ori,v a source of positive and unques-
toned advantage.
.r am no, unduIy optimistic. do not for
a moment ignore the many and grave dif-
ficulties which beset the work Oh muhici-
pal government and the task Oh Social re-
form in the Industrial centers. Wnat hoio
is that the problems are defined, the rem
etIies fairly understood and the WORK can
progress with good courage.
I'VE have in the United States maze
enormous progress. since more than t"eh-
ty years ago Mr. Bryce made the studies
which are embodied in the chapters Oh