New-York tribune., 1911-03-19
BOROUGH GOSSIP
Bird S. CoIer Stirs Up Ministers
by CritiCiSing Them.

Bird 5. Coler has again attracted public
notice because of statements I'm connection
with religion. While he was Borough
President. in welcoming conference OF
Methodist ministers to his church. he took
I advantage of the opportunity to tell the
visitors how they should conduct their lives
and mildly rebuked them for their short
comings. The ministers took up the gaunt-
let and told Mr.. Coer some things which
were not calculated TO arouse any intense
feelings of self-adulation In his breast. He
has now turned his attention to the public
schools. and maybe the teachers will see
fit TO respond to his charges. His state
ments. made in a pamphlet with the title
Socialism in the Schools" are, 70 say the
ieast, startling. He says in part:
The public schools are fast becoming
the temples of new religion. The old re-
ligion is being excluded from the public
schools. but q new religion is rushing In TO
take its place. 1t is variously called. BY
some it is known az agnosticism. by some
atheism. by some socialism. and by others
ethical culture. 1t is affirmative. dogmatic.
intoerant. 1t is not hard TO see whittier
all this leads. 1t means the exclusion uNi-
mately from all the histories of the men,
tion of Christ and the suggestion of God.
The mere assertion that all natural wealth
is due TO the beneficence Of God was
enough TO kill a textbook for use In the
public schools of Chicago. The logical
thing to do. If that be right is TO cut the
name of God out of the Declaration OF j
independence. to publish without it the
farewell address OF the Father Of His
Country. to leave some significant blanks
I lp
the dead of Gettysburg.
How can have God-fearing re-
ligious people educated each according TO
his own faith? 1t is a simple thing The
state can take supervision OF all schools.
public and private. insist upon character
and competence in the instructors and then
pay each school upon per capita basis
for the secular education furnished.
Dr. A. +. Brstow, editor OF The New
York State Journal of Medicine got |
poor opinion of the rooms furnished the |
Judges of the Kings County Court when he |,
testified recently in the trial Of Patrolman |
Matthew McGrath. He and DR.. f.. H. |
Bartley. of the Long Island College Hospi- /
tai made an analysis of the air In the |
court, and the report. written by the editor
is now public. In it. he says in part;
"The horses of New York City are better |
housed than its judges. Tne Society for |
the Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals looks !
after stray dogs and cats with greater care |
than the city of New York after its higher |
officials. The courtroom was little better |
fhan a basement II was necessary for the |
writer 10 remain in fctid atmosphere not |
more than an hour. hut In that short inter |
val he was overcome with drowsiness and |
headache. symptoms of poisoning by car
hon dioxide. which is the deleterous gas /
oxhaled by the lungs in expiration. There /
were at the time of the trial three hundred |
persons in the courtroom. which measures /
- by IS by IS feet This area gave 10 each |
person but 1872 cubic feet Of air 10 breathe. !
rhe smallest amount of air space which is !
allowed the individual by the Psychologists /
is 500 cubic feet and 1000 cubic feet is con- |
sidered the better practice. but the un-
fortunate individuals whom duty held for !
hours I'm the polluted air Of this den had |
out one-siXth Of this amount 10 breathe, and .
they were compelled 10 breathe il over and |
over again. II was found tfat the atmos-
phere contained II parts os carbon dioxide
per .0no at this time. 4 well ventilated |
room ought 10 contain parts per 900. .