Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-02
STRIKE AGAINST RENTS.

An extraordinary result of the recent
financial panic is seen in the violent
agitation in New York against high
rents An organization has been form
ed backed by hundreds of families, for
the purpose of compelling the land
lords TO lower the rents TO the Door
tenants. and the spirit IN which the
agitation Is carried on may be judged
from the fact that at public meet
ing addressed by n woman speaking
Yiddish, landlord was hung In eff
figy. From such a demonstration to
actual murder Is but a short step,
sometimes. The appeals of numerous
agitators to the "slayes'--as they des-
ignate one class of citizens--to rise
against the "tyrants" is bearing fruit.
Undoubtedly many New York ten
ants have Just cause for grievance
Rents are too high, considering the
earning capacity of many tenants who
are simply ground to death in the Vari-
Gus mills of necessity. In some cases
they are crowded together In rooms
where no sunshine ever enters. Sani-
tary conditions are often entirely neg
lected, and sickness prevails, reducing
the earning capacity of the stricken
families. According to the reports, IN
some buildings where the tenants are
protesting against paying rent, the
plumbing has been In defective con-
dition for over q year, while the rents
have been Increased month by month
In reply to the protests Of the tenants
of one building the landlord said he
would reduce the rents II the tenants
would pay for the plumbing repairs.
AS they could not do this. no reduc-
ton was made in the rents, and the
plumbing remained unrepaired. Ill
ness resulted and the tenants We're not
able TO afford 10 hire doctors. These
facts. coming out in the speeches of
| the impromptu strike leaders have
caused great indignation among the
| public.
For the landlords 1t is said. with rea-
| son, that greed is not entirely respons-
| ible for the high rents. Property own
| ers have been put to extra expenses be-
cause of enormous taxation, and COM
| puIsory improvements under the new
| tenement house law. When they have
found Il necessary to borrow money,
and mortgage their property they have
been obliged to pay bonus almost
| confiscatory. In some instances az high
| az % per cent. High taxation Is one
| cause of the trouble, since the burden OF
| taxation always falls, In the last IN
| stance. upon those who are least able
| TO carry Il. II is taken out of the scan
| " wages of the poor wage earners, The
agitation In New York should be a
warning 10 other communities to be-
ware OF the temptation TO levy higher
taxes than the taxpayers can pay with
out too great Il sacrifice.
Another trouble Is that landlords and
tenants hardly ever meet. Rents are
levied and collected through agents
whose only interest Is TO make the reve-
nue. as large as possible To many
| landlords tenant is but source OF in
| come, and nothing more. lie is not a
| brother a member Of the human fam
| lily. being with soul, with emotions.
with affections, hopes. and aspirations.
The landlords who do not realize that
they have responsibilities imposed upon
them by the position they occupy and
their stewardship. do not realize their
duties. nor their opportunities of doing
good II they would visit their tenants
and take somme interest I'm their WELL
! being, as they ought to do, many
wrongs would be righted and there
would be mutual good understanding
But 1t Is a hard task for the rich mar
TO bring himself IN personal contact
with misery Il is easier and more com.
Portable TO leave Lazarus outside tn,
door. in company with the dogs. II IA
this naughty aloofness that makes the
gulf 80 wide and that causes so much
dissatisfaction and trouble,