The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-02-06
BEAUTIFUL
NEGLECTED. QUARTERS
IN AMERICAN CITIES
A Hea'thfuI City Cannot Have lnsani.
tary Alleys. .

1t is unfair to discriminate in favor
or against any particular section OF
class. Is 1t morally right to neglec,
any portion of our city any more than
for a patient to neglect a crippled OF
weak minded child? Is not our civic
duty just as binding as is our family
duty, since the results Of civic duty re
act just as strongly upon each indi.
vidual citizen as do the results Of the
family duty upon both parent and
child? asks J. Bailey Logan. chief en-
gineer of Annapolis. In the American
City.
We cannot square the two opposing
facts Of a healthful city with tnsani.
tary alleys or side streets any more
than we q reconcile the facts OF q
healthy human being with a disorder
ed colon. What the individual in such
a condition needs is a good internal
bath. And 10 does the city. But the
city cannot get this bath by beautify-
ing and sewering her finer residential
streets any more than can the man by
Jumping into a tub and then dressing
up In his Sunday clothes. This does
not help his indigestion. +
There is no Improvement so local
rs to be Of no general benefit" And
there Is no place In which this wise
saying Of Lincoln's is more to the point
than in the case in hand It is to be
regretted that public improvements
r often made and accepted as piece
meal favors Of a local or individual ma
ture. And since this view Is 80 tena-
ciously held It is rather easy to see
why certain sections Of our cities are
neglected. for r not these usually the
sections in which the residents. lack
both the power to intercede and the
ability to make return in any material
way for the so called favors2 But
looked at from a purely selfish point
Of view. is It not important that atten-
ton be given to the sanitary better
ment Of the streets and alleys where
people live who wash clothes. who
cook our food and who nurse ba-
bies?
The neglect Of these sections in re-
gard to sanitation particularly fosters
4 feeling Of unjust discrimination that
We would do well to discourage. Much
class or racial prejudice could be over.
come II all were made to feel that
their interests were being cared for at
lea3t In T. fairs degree Would. We, all
notssbe placed on. q footing Of. more
elective cooperation for the city's
progress II no one felt that his ,neces-
saries Of life. were being withhold
The neglect Of. health laws on the
part Of the city breeds ,s~lovenliness in
tho very places where the seeds Of
cleanliness are In the most need of
being sown. and where even the sowing
il futile II the plant Is not afterward
nursed with care. For We IRE all crea.
lures Of Imitation. and. since imitation
10 SO potent q factor in our lives. ex
ample, must be the goddess Of destiny
It ia certainly a civic duty to set a n
example by way of good sanitation. so
that Imitation may have a chance to
show results. We find, this spirit Of
Following suit cropping out where
any public betterment is made. II a
street or5road is paved we dnd house
and fence renovation promptly follow.
ing. When a. sewer 10 installed we
find back yards improved. cutters and
pavements put In order. Encourage
ment is a great tonic and which
we MI need.