Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-12-08
THE NEXT STEP IN ExTERMlNAT
ING POVERTY.

LII III I. MdTSn, 0ZU brOdUWdy. new
York City. The title, Taxation of
Land Values in American Cities"
may make it appear dry reading, but
the style i'm which it is written is any
thing but dry. The sub-tltle gives a
better idea of what the author aims
to show, THE next step in extermi-
Mating poverty"
Mr.. Marsh is not a single taxer, but
there is little more than am occasion
al passage in his book on which TIE
most enthusiastic single taxer Will
take issue with him. The facts con-
tanad therein and the conclusions at
which the author arrives are not the
results OF mere theoretical reasoning
but Of practical experience. Mr.. Marst
has long been officially connected
with charitable organizations, was spe
cial agent of the Philadelphia Society
for Organizing Charity, and lis now
Secretary of the New York Commit
tee on Congestion of Population.
The book is dedicated ''to the un-
counted millions of workers i'm the
only unpaid occupation i'm American
citjeS-ihOse who toll from birth TO
death at their profitless task of cre-
aing land values for land owners. "
Considerable light is thrown by Mr..
Marsh ON the attitude of a certain
type of charity expert toward funda-
mental measures which will tend to
abolish the need of charity. The fol-
lowing is an extract:
In a printed memorandum on
these two bills, Qhe bills in the New
York Legislature reducing the tax
nste ON imprOvements) the Tene-
ment House Committee Of the, New
York Charity Organization Society,
OF which Mr.. Lawrence Veiller is
Secretary, actually reported that they
'ane not considered as beaMng dt
rectly on the Improvement of houS-
ing conditions or the relief of con-
gestiUn.'
In foot note. however, the author
Explains that some members of this
committee disclaimed knowledge that
such statement was included and
do not agrees with it. 1t iS a pity, in
deed, that so important a committee
should have as its Secretary one moi
better posted ON or Anterested in the
method of removing the cause of the
evil with which II is presumed to
deal.
Mr.. Marsh also shows why existing
restrictive tenement house legislation
does not solve that problem:
The New York Tenement House
Law, enacted in 1901, and adopted un
fortunately as the precise model by
many other cities i'm the country, is a
wonderful example of restrictive leg
islatim in most respects carefully
drawn. The size of bolts TO a frac
tiOn OF an inch is laid down. Certain
provisions are made as To fireproof
Ing, although four-sbory tenaments an.
not so safe as higher ones, tending
10 excuse if not actually to encourage
the construction Of higher ones.'
The existing restrictive provisions
admirable though they may be, have
not served TO reduce room, overcrow
ing nor congestion per acre. Most o.
them have actually increased rent!
and hence room and apartment over
crowding and congestion per acre
When a family has to choose betweel
having enough room to comply witt
the impulses of decency and privac!
or even with the inadequate require
meuts Of the New Tenement HOus'
Law, and having food, they default o.
housing, health and moral safeguards
and take in lOdgerS so they may bu.
food. An apparent dilemma face
every housing reformer of the reSUl
upon wage earnsrs of the communit
of additional reShrictive measures. 1
It really worth while to secure strici
er housing regulations, If the inevt
liable result will be higher rents, ans
lower standard of living for th'
wage Garner, including the taking
Of dodgers with the consequent dis
rrption Of family lfe?"
Mr. Marsh also shows why such q
forts as the Sage Foundation ha
made must fail to be of any benefi
whatever to wage earners>
Sage Foundation for the improvement
Of Living CondiiOns was herahed a
the harbinger Of better times. VII
few conspicuous exceptions even
body has failed either to recognize
or. q recognizing, to deal with tn
, fundamental cause Of poverty CA
a matter Of fact, the exceptions haE
a not been conspicuous enough for an,
IOmo h,,A III Morch 70 ,,.ofinaN ~