Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1911-11-23
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IheHOUSiDgP Problem
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tive as she Is corrupt ana contente0s
There Is one oficial in her city govern
ment who reflects credit upon the city.
THAT ofacial is Arthur 2. Buchols.
Chief Inspector Of Tenements. Mr..
Bucholz is not only posted on conui-
tons in tenement districts. but he
knows why tenements exist Neither
does he hide his light under bushel.
At the International Congress. held "a
Chicago, he delivered an address 70
the 1000 experts CD attending, that
probably made many If not most Of
his hearers wonder ii they had not
accidentally wandered into 3 meeting
OF the single Tax Club. Portions 81
the address follow:
".There has been much written un-
der the title, The Housing Problem.
| but ! do not think the true scope q
this subject Is understood By one per
cent Of the municipal ofncials Of this
country. Up to the present time this
important work has Teen LETT to 3
few people who have an interest IN
social and philanthrOpic work. but we
must not forget that /. Is not the busi-
ness OF philanthropists to rid our
cities of bad housing conditions.
Most cities have tals far only done
what housing enthusiasts have reQuis-
ed of them. but not yet have the best
brains Of this young country been ap-
piled to the real solution OF this
problem. The reason for this state Of
AFFAIRS is because most municipalities
nave nursed the idea that only cities
like New York and Chicago have
housing problems, and that It il nee
essary to hrst have congested slums
before the matter OF housing reform
should be looked into. Then. again.
most writer's and newspapers have
only treated it in . sensational way
by showing horrible pictures Of I'M
sanitary and oyercrowded buildings
This, in some instances. has Tesultee
in housing reform movehents which
nave been short lived. and are respon-
sible for some OF the worst types Of
tenement houses In existence.
"This problem can never be solved
by any housing reform movement. be-
cause mOyements Of this kind do not
know how many municipal problems
are associated with it, and they usuAl'
" assume that corrupt politics are re-
sponsible for all housing ills. The
housing problem win never be solved
until every person Is allowed to live
under conditions that are favorable to
the maintenance OF physical mental
and moral health and strength.
.sThe evils which prevail ct present
have their chief sources in unhealthy
speculation in land which cannot be
combatos until an alteration 10 eject
ed AZ s laws.
"You cannot go far in the solution
Of this matter before realiaing that
our land policy IL wrong. Il real
estate dealer is asked why be crowds
fifty or sixty houses on al acre %
land in our suburbs, he viii tell you
that the people are not able to pay HoS
a plot Of ground large enough to Per
init Of q vacant space between houses.
In other Words somebody has made
yery. large prohts. possibly the man
who controlled the subdivision o. the
original farm into city lots. Lana
values are created by the congrega'
ton Of people In given community
and are not made by human labor.
II population wanes In . town iand
values are sure to decline. From this
it viii be seen that land values are
based upon the special privilege Of e.
Guiding other people from the lan9
until they are willing TO pay pccnt
to is holder. It Is because these pro-
ats are large that 80 many home
makers cannot AFFORD lana enough 70
properly yentilste their rooms. xou
can see virgin farm land just on the
outskirts OF our cities, adjacent 20
snburban lots, squeezed down 70 .
vid+h ~ only twenty feet. The specu-