| Show A TALE OF TWO CITIES THE new york world is throwing its great influence in the direction of an air garden for that city it devotes over half a page of a recent issue to this purpose and inserts a blank petition to be filled out and returned asking the legislature to pass the bill providing for the garden of course the measure meets with opposition nearly everything of a public nature does but it looks as though the newspaper was destined to prevail in the end we have too few breathing places in this city for the poor says the world and we should lose no opportunity of embracing every available space whenever a project a brought forward for the benefit of the working classes there is sure to be some flimsy opposition and this time they are afraid it will wil I 1 degenerate into a beer garden the argument is worth less as the bill provides against that we dont want beer gardens but we do want places where the poor can go and got get a few moments fresh air this seems not only proper but imperative pera tive ve it is noteworthy in this connection that ahat all large and growing cities have within them an element whose native sense of justice to all classes and pub i lie lic spirited nees dees prompt them to look beyond the mere matter of personal gain and do something for the welfare I 1 of those who are not perhaps as fortunate as themselves especially when the boom sought is as beneficial to all classes a as to any one class it jig is also ajeo a fact that these men are always encountering an element of opposition just as in the new york case and curiously enough such opposition in almost every instance is backed by money and upheld by such influence as too often makes it prevail As to the majority they are generally in the right on such propositions but members tod to often toften prove themselves in the presence of wealth and unscrupulousness no city has any too much public ground it is not to be desired that art handicraft mechanism and dust shall be the peoples only portion they need and must have places within the municipal limits where in moments of leisure they can retire get a few draughts of fresh air and commune with nature in its freest estate but when it Is proposed to utilize a square or part of one in this way the antagonism invariably begins and at no time does it show itself with greater violence or determination than when it seeks to grasp the kind of property referred to for mere per bonal end saud convert what little may imay be left of the public domain within the corporate limits into marts marte shops railway trucks tracks and what not in such cases a well disposed capable and fear lew less press proves more than ever what a valuable adjunct it is to the community it is not to be presumed however that the press no matter how powerful persistent and determined could accomplish everything desired without the active operation cooperation co of the better classes of the community happily this conjunction is rarely wanting in our own city the response of the people to the scheme to deprive them of what is destined to be a needed breathing place was neither slow nor uncertain on the contrary it came with a spontaneity which showed that business was meant our new york publishes a series of interviews with leading citizens exhibiting a similar state of feeling there notwithstanding the ob and the chances seem to be that the coveted air garien garden will be supplied |
