Although it is true that, " in America, there are few cities to-day, outside of New York, where there exists a tenement-house problem, and few where there exists even an acute housing it is also true that in many of the smaller cities of the country there is material for the development of serious evils.
It is significant that the thirty-seven cities in the United States with a population between 50,000 and 100,000 had, in 1900, a death-rate very little below that of the six cities of 500,000 inhabitants and over. The death rate for consumption, the "house disease," is even closer, being 21.9 per 10,000 population, compared with 22.3 for the largest cities. Both the death-rate from consumption and the general death-rate are actually greater in these smaller cities than in the cities which have from 100,000 to 500,000 inhabitants? Evidently the small city is not 1 " Tenement-House Problem," Vol. I, p. 131. The New York Commis sion found the germs of a tenement-house problem in Boston, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Jersey City, and Hartford, and bad housing conditions in other cities. As a result of the agitation begun in New York City in 1900, in vestigations have been made in many other cities, and important legisla tion has been enacted in several states.
2 " Handbook on the Prevention of Tuberculosis," p. 75. Published by the Charity Organization Society, of New York City, 1903.
without its grave sanitary problems, some of which, such as drainage and water supply, are closely connected with housing, and evidence is not wanting that there exist evils similar in kind, though not in extent, to those found in Manhattan "dumb-bells" or "barracks." Four cities of the second class in New York State are Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Troy, each with a popu Ition of more than In a visit made to these cities by the author in the year following the report of the Tenement-House it was found that in only one of them was there any system of sanitary inspection, except the investigation of complaints voluntarily made by tenants and other citizens, although in each case the representative of the health bureau who was interviewed expressed the opinion that systematic inspection of the entire city at regular intervals would be desirable.
In these cities and in others like them throughout the country protection from infection and from unsanitary conditions which sap vitality, retard recovery from disease, and increase the liability of contagion, is the greatest unrec ognized need—unrecognized, since there is no adequate recognition of the need nor adequate provision for meet ing it. It is not amiss, therefore, to emphasize a demand
for regular, systematic, responsible sanitary inspection by local boards of health, including not only the investigation of complaints, but the independent discovery of things to be remedied. It is absurd to leave such discovery to ten ants, who may be ignorant, or to neighbors, who may be timid and indifferent. Inspection should be educational in character, including definite oral advice, and possibly even the incidental distribution of suitable leaflets.
Early restrictive legislation should be enacted to make impossible the reckless exploitation of life and physical vigor induced by the possibility of overcrowding any given acre of ground, if it happens to be favorably situ ated with reference to opportunities for employment.
1 In 1900 Rochester had a population of 162,608 ; Syracuse, 108,374 ; Albany, 94,151 ; Troy, 60,651.
2 The results of the observations made in this visit were embodied in a report submitted to the second New York State Conference of Charities and Correction.
The law must say definitely : so much space must be left absolutely free for the circulation of air ; so much protection from fire must be given ; so much of light in the public hallways ; so much of decency in toilet and bath. This is the irreducible minimum fixed by the sov ereign state as a condition to which all houses that are to be used as dwellings must conform. Such regulation is not interference with the laws of competition. It is but fixing the plane above which legitimate competition may run its course.
There should be either a state law or local city ordi nances covering the evils most likely to occur. Such law or ordinances might, for example, definitely prescribe the height to which buildings not built with elevators may be raised ; the extent to which houses must be fireproof ; the amount of space upon the building lot which must be left unoccupied, and the minimum cubic contents of each room. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it indicates the kind of subjects upon which legislation might suitably begin.