The Washington herald., 1913-09-21
Gambling Drunkenness and Other Vices in Municipal Cen.
ters Have Been Investigated by Frederic
C. Howe.

at Halle, in Germany, he has studied
law at two colleges, and practiced
that profession for a number of years.
The sons Of James A. Garfield were
his partners. He has been a State
Senator. member of the council in a
large city, and lecturer on municipal
problems at important universities.
Meanwhile he has written half a dozen
books, and. as a United States COM
missioner, has Investigated the public
ownership of city utilities in Great
Britain The city. he declares, is the
hope OF democracy.
How DemOcracieS Are EstubIished.
There can be no democracy" he said
when 1 asked him to elucidate his the
ory, when one man is working alone
among the hills or on the prairies. De-
mocracy starts when two men begin
working together. 1t is then that a d.
vision of toll occurs. By and by three
men become associated in the little COM
munity of labor. One is a farmer, one
is a shoemaker, and one is a fisherman.
so democracy is established. In time
there is a village or a city. Problems
come up for solution. The inhabitants
think and progress springs from the
clash and evolution of opinions There
could be no progress, except occasionally,
were men to live apart on the sod or
among their herds and fiocks. My idea,
IL you will carry 1t along for yourself.
needs no further elaboration"
What" l inquired, lis a perfected
American democracy as you see it and
hope will come to pass?''
That is an interesting question. A
finished democracy will be grounded on
free and not monopolized land. mean.
you understand, on land to which the
citizens have access. The population of
this city is supposed to be very dense.
! dare say il will surprise most people
to learn that there are Isl. 900 pieces of
vacant land in the territorial region
known as Greater New York. Seven or
eight families control a great part of
haitian Island. just as a few immense
estates control the land on which Lon
don has been built.
Men Working mt Useless Tasks.
Il believe that land should be open to
those who would use it. Many thou
sands of men and women today are work.
ing in needless occupations. in making
flowers out of feathers, for example.
The men would prefer to do something
else. but are compelled to accept any
employment that insures them a liveli-
hood. All men do not care to be farm
ers. but most of them desire to occupy
land either for a home or a place OF
business.
This feeling is instructive. Only a
small fraction of the people, though, ever
know the joys of land ownership. Yet
the price they pay for the use of land
includes taxes. interest. and a large
profit. live in a modest apartment
house. but my land rent amounts to $500
a year. The balance of the sum I pay
covers my proportionate share of the
cost of the building. interest, profit, and
so on. Land taxes in New York City
amount to $50 per capita should trans
fer that tax from the monopolists to the
trea sury OF the city. The sum thus OBJ
tained would be so enormous, let me add,
that all faxes would be lowered and rents
would fall Immediately.
You asked me a question" Mr. Howe
went on to say, and I shall answer II |
cut OF my observations and experiences. |
We must learn in this country how to