Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-14

Boston ......... $4,000 o.
New York;. eos 900 15.6
New York and Boston are cities Of apart.
ment houses where families live in strata
in huge cliffs or are filed away in small
compartments in the same kind of cabinets
which efficiency experts have invented for
the convenience Of business men. There
are big buildings in these cities which
house the population OF a village. To call
the small suite OF rooms occupied b. each
family a home is 10 misuse that sacred
word
There are few apartments in Philadel-
phia, though such structures have begun
to rear themselves in the heart of the city
within the Nst three or four years They
will continue to go up west Of Broad street
and south of Market for long while to
come, for the land there is getting 10 be
too valuable for single residences, and
hundreds OF families which once lived there
are spending six or eight months OF the
year on their country estates and are find
ing 1t more convenient 10 maintain an
apartment than a house in town for the
remaining months Capital will find
as every one thus far erected has been
filled with tenants at high rents as soon as
Il was ready 10 receive them. and there
Is an increasing demand for accommoda-
tlons within easy walking distance OF the
theatres and the shops and the fashion.
able hotels. But the average citizen is not
interested in these huge human filing cab
inets. He could not afford TO live In them
IL he would, and II lie has family OF small
children he would not be allowed to enter
them il he could pay the price. lie wants
a house of his own, where his children may
play on the piazza and In the back yard
and where they may make as much noise
as they please without fear of an ogerish
janitor frownlng them into silence. There
Is vacant land within a reasonable distance
of the City Hall on which the homeseeker
is hoping that builders will put up modest
houses which he can buy or rent at a prlce
within his means. And the real estate
brokers are about 10 do their best to see
that he is accommodated
But their efforts will fail of the success
which they deserve unless the city authori.
ties cooperate with them. Every depart
ment OF the city government is demanding
more money. The Board OF Public Educa.
tion is asking that It be allowed to levy
eight mills instead Of six on every dollar
Of the assessed valuation of real estate in
order 10 provide the money which il thinks
It needs for the support OF the schools 1t
has made out a plausible case for tsoI,.
too. The teachers ought 10 receive higher
salaries and the dilapidated and iusani-
tary schoolhouses ought TO be rebuilt. No
one will deny either OF these propositions
The other city departments want money
for Improvements equally important. and
they offer equally plausible arguments in
justification for their demands. But in the
present conditions. with every one burdened
with excessive and inescapable war taxes.
it Is the duty Of the local government here,
as well as in every other part of the coun-
try. to retrench and TO economic.
1t may be necessary to cut out all OF the
frills and fads in the schools and to con-
fine them 10 the essential subjects in order
that money may be found for paying "a
living wage TO the teaching staff and for
building new school houses. But however
that may be, it is important that every
superfuous employe in every city depart
ment be discharged. and that those who
remain should do full days work every
day il the tax rate is to be kept within
reasonable limits And It Is important too
that there should be some revision OF the
salary schedule. II is inexcusable to pay a
court tlpstave, who Is mere door tender,
$1,000 year while we pay trained school
teacher only 5000 and a policeman. who
risks his life, only $500. We are raising
enough money now If properly used to pay
all the expenses OF the city government
and have a handsome surplus left But
there is no disposition TO make a dollar do
a dollars woFth Of work for the city. ana