Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-21

Sltive soul. Once accustomed To n sight
OF uglincss. the average rlind is easily
reconcbei to it: and the reconciliation
VIII, IN The long run, become conserva-
'iSii' that J. e.. an inner protest
against change ana Improvement. This
Is SufhcleNt 10 explain how large Dor
IONS 81 tie great cities remain the
same year after year, although to 4
stranger thcE must appear unendura-
ole. Ihe people living there have. in
some true sense, become identified with
their surroundings. in which no ideal
IS tracraGIe, and The reaction Of the
sonl against them is therefore out OF
the question:
There is something more here--the
tact. namely, that "like will attract
like. ana in saying this / am not ad-
FitncinS any new thought. It would not
toe surprising to any of us that. if a
large portion Of Water street. for in
stance. should go to decay. it would
soon attract all the thugs ana crooks
ana tramps, and all the other human
| rats ami mice along the Kennebec riv-
cr. Create place for such people and
they Will cOme-as sure as day. No one
can tell where they come from. but
come they will. If no suitable hiding
place were found anywhere for such
life it would he forced out of existence
ana disappear within a generation. The
practical bearing Of this is 50 immense
that its Importance can hardly be
over stated. Like certain disagreeable
insects. such people cannot endure the
condition Of cleanliness ana 4 highly
,.it- ~ ~
Ahtr!lc:t were resolved that no Suita-
bic nome should be found for them. the
tramp problem. with its trail of Grim
n;tiitv. would BE- solved in the twink
ling Of an eye. Gardiner may be said
to be fortunate in this respect and
yet there are places even here where
the lowest sort Of human life is born
and bred. Every respectable citizen is
entitled to ask: What right. moral or
legal, does anyone have to keep such
a breeding place of loW-mindednoss
and flth-& constant menace to all the
higher interests Of the coinmunity?"
The .;tnt- question applies with al
most equal fore" to the owners of real
estate Thor" are lots. almost in the
heart Of the city. that appear as sort
Of wilderness in miniature-a sand
heap from which the dust is continu-
ally flying. and ovcrgroWn with weeds.
Will" their owners may be perfectly
satisfied with such = Condit ion, it does
not follow that tho public is equally
inScrsiElr, and no real estate owner
should be- allowed to lower the stand
ard of the community in respect of its
appearance. A strict accountability in
tlIiS regard would improve not only the
appearance OF the city, but its san-
tary condition as wen.
TIE principle that like will attract
like applies equally Well on the other
side As dirty minds and low life in
general cannot feel at home in a clean
and well kept community. 50 it is
equally true that highmndedncss and
a spirit of cleanliness can never feel
ut home i'll a dirty community. Raise
the STANDARD Of civic life, and Il higher
class Of people will be drawn to the
city-With all the certainty of the op-
erations of the law Of gravitation. The
very reputation Of a city will deter
mine. for indefinite periods, the kind
Of additions that will be made to its
population. When Minneapolis n few
years ago. found herself in the clutches
VI lIlt must wi III
her history and became 50 deeply dis
| graCed. she was sought as a sort OF
| Mecca by worshipers of filth and lewd-
ness from all parts of the country, and
| the addition then made to her pOpula-
| ton has been burden on her should
| crs ever since. There is deep and
| true instinct in the Often-heard eX-
preston of satisfaction at the addition
| 70 tie population of even a single fam
| lily Of high breeding ana character. II
| Is on" lnnrc ray of light to penetrate
| the h"uut& of vice and darkness. and
| = tower of strength in every emergen-
| KIN. IT is a most effective antidotr
| x inst III" poisoning atmosphere Of
| such thiHgs as gambling, ana idlrnrss.
| mi everything: that breeds nissan
| !hrn!E lHi di@uair
| The birth 81 urrhitr, cure. tile nrt OF
| uvinT. 1h,' c'I.,tom of Planting trees III
stated Times aut tn. tt..,' of IlWm-moW
~ all tE''.'r mark successive stag
IN thu development Of civic conscious
lc@S IN 4 ilr dccutr Sril.,,. than that
| i the ancient lirhrr.,E. th,y are al
NOR" or less conscious efforts At
| 'h,Iutityiut; thr House of I0l"!"- .:
| "rCiu& raw nature into rnniuruij,
Nith The aesthetic id.:!. no cur AMgkI
| ~uNul air"t @tnrs ~" ideas If bruuf !
| ana rl,:lulii,sG iGri little or no mean
leg. They lived i'll Villages nIa,i,. NJ
| # mutt huts. :'!"pt ct night on The re-
fua, Of IN laiIc. niI Wad-d ever III tn
nud. as they h1d 40 i.!ca If street ;,lv-
lang. II was il the breezy atmo#phrr,
| If til" lith century renaissance that
i