Jacob A. Riis (1849–1914). Theodore Roosevelt, the Citizen. 1904.
Page 220
| house-owner as well as the manufacturer understand it.” |
| We heard the echoes of that day’s work in the Governor’s emergency message to the legislature the following winter, calling upon it to pass the Tenement House Commission Bill. He summoned “the general sentiment for decent and cleanly living and for fair play to all our citizens” to oppose the mercenary hostility of the slum landlord. And the legislature heard, and the bill became law, to the untold relief of the people. That was a sample of the practical politics in the interest of which he was willing to “see” the party managers, if it was needed. And it usually ended with their seeing things as he did. |
| It seemed fair and just to the Governor that corporations with valuable franchises should be taxed on these, since they were much more valuable property than their real estate. It was one way, to his mind, of avoiding crank legislation designed merely to “hit money.” The party managers disagreed. The Governor had thought it all out; to him it was just, even expedient as a party measure. He invited the corporation people to come and see |