The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-21


only honest that they should be mad
aware of the true conditions here. When
ever we attempt to innugurate real re
form. TO cut out an existing graft w
are confronted by these little tin god ar
ticles from the American magazines
is unfair to the American public and TN
just to those OF us who are working I
remedy present abuses in our municipu
services, to secure better housing con
ditons for tho working classes and t
], reduce our extravagant tax rate
/ A NATIONAL DISGRACE.
! more than 10000 families In Glasgow
are living In one-room tenements. Tn
| Royal Commission on Housing stated tina
! thousands of these houses are nationa
| disgrace. DR.. Russell has told us that II
many Of the single apartments In Glas
gov families OF six. seven and eigh
persons OF both sexes sit, sleep and per.
form every family function.
ut Is these houses that give the enor.
nous death rate OF children under five
years OF age. The exhausted air and 200,
FEEDING I'LL our streets with bandy-legged
children. or the children who die before
they are i've years OF age. thirty-two
per cent die III houses OF one apartment.
and not two per cent. in houses of five
rooms.
There they die. and their little fam
ished bodies are laid on a table or dres-
ser. so as to be out OF the way of their
lttle brothers and sisters, who play.
eat and sleep In their CHASTITY com
pahy' FROM the beginning to the end
or their lives these children arc short
parts In wretched tragedy"
Counciior Gibson has been arriving
for several months to secure n revision
OF the system of tramway fares that
WMi enable the working classes to live
In the suburbs and work in the bust
ness district. The system of charging
penny for each half mile makes tho
rates to the suburbs even higher than
thcy are In Los Angeles.
NO DEVELOPMENT
My Investigations here have convinced
me that this discrimination in favor
or short rides and the failure of city
lines to issue transfers are largely re-
sponsible for the congested condition
In the slun districts. There is no ex-
tension of lines al. development OF
new suburban districts; the working
people are huddled together in the
manufacturing centres; they cannot az
ford to go out into the administrators
are too high.
The following extract from The Baltic,
a Glasgow publication devoted chiefly TO
municipal affairs, reflects the public's
opinion OF Councillor Gibsons campaign.
What change has come over the
face Of the Council in recent months.
Up to November last 1t was the most
staid and straight-laced OF municipal
bodies. Everything went by rule and
precedent So many people pulled the
wires and SO many other people danced
Certain events might take place from
time to time behind the scenes: but
these events never cana to the ears OF
the public. or, II they did so, 1t was only
by vague rumors or whispers made in
bated breath. Since November all this
has been altered.
The dry bones have been stirred to some
purpose. The mask Of dignity has been
torn from the hoary numbo- Jumbo, and
the public has been invited to look upon
1t as 1t really is. And all this has been
the work of a single member. Truly.
Councillor Scott Gibson Is marvel. In
the early days of his municipal career
he was frowned upon by everybody Even
the 'Sta.warts avoided him. When he
got UP to speak his neighbors talked
loudly to ono another, interspersing their
talk with sarcastic grirs. A weakling
would have quickly succumbed to thu
he received But Mr.. Scott
Gibson did not succumb. He insisted on
being listened to. and listened to by and
by he was. To-day he is an acknowledged
1oTCe III lilS lily SoulCll. Tie HAS sA-
cellent material in him. He has grit
and grasp for SO young man. the III,
fuence he already exercises over the
Town Council Is simply astonishing.
SEES THE WANE.
A marked contrast to the dashing, aE-
gressive young councillor Is the veteran
Stephen Bowers, a Scotch solicitor. who
has occupied a place on the legal staff
of the city OF Glasgow for thirty years
Mr. Bowers's official title Is first assist
INT town clerk. This is equivalent to
assistant city attorney In an American
city.
This canny. white haired solicitor. has
seen the beginning and rise OF municipal |
,rad'ng In GLASGOW. and he now sees it on |
he wane. During all these years he has !
occupied place In the wings. He ads
Used the sturdy, honest. conservative
councils before tho Socialists came, and
lie has offered his advice in vain to the
ed ranters who have prostituted the city's.i
redlt and almost doubled its tax rate for
he exploitation OF their iridescent dream
'iten lor predatory raids on the tax
unds.
In the town clerks office at the NM
''clpnl building I succeeded IN d,nu,;n.,
MS veteran solicitor into a discussion ~
ne government, past and present. of
ilasgow. -
Guarded, almost monosyllabc, were S,s
tterances, but thu pauses Detwecn the
words bore all the eloquence Of n sor,,,on
first drew him out by asking Questions
bout the ORIGINALS OF some OF the por-
RATS tNnf '-rteed the walls of tn town
.Ihat man pointing to ono gr'zrled
atriarch. was n councIldr for twertv1
We years ana one Of the best lord pro-
osts the'city ever had He was a mem
er of the old school OF councillors who
represented tho city because they loved
'Yes, during tho last ten or fifteen
ears there has boon difference; from
ome OF tho wnrds o different class of
len ore returned to the Council. They
ave brought. with HEM new logic.
hey have become more liberal In their
Iews--and with our money, too
'.We 5dO not diGcuSS ihaxa thino 4