City Planning and Philadelphia Parks

There is pessimism in America concerning cities and the government thereof.The effect of this is unfortunate; it tends to induce inaction rather than action.Had the forces spent in criti- cism been spent in constructive effort, the work and the joy of it would have been sufficient reward for the pessimists themselves and the results would have benefited their fellowmen whose condition they impotently deplore.Good results, however, have not been wholly wanting.The problem of municipal government is known to be a problem.The attention of the public is directed to it.It is remarkable that until late years such attention was largely academic.No other form of government governs us so intimately.We cannot leave our homes without experiencing what the municipal government is doing for us.We cannot be at home without feeling what the municipal government is doing for us.Is the sewage system adequate?Are the streets well paved and well cleaned?Is the street lighting and is the house lighting good and at reasonable rates ?Is the water we drink pure ?Is the air we breathe wholesome ?Are the houses that we occupy at the cheapest rents safely constructed?Can we get from our homes to our places of work by direct means of com- munication, at short intervals, in quick time and at cheap rates?Are our children well taught in safe and sanitary buildings?Have they safe places in which to play?Are facilities for our own out- door enjoyment near enough for us to make use of them?Are the housing facilities of our poorest neighbors sufficiently sanitary to prevent their own death and the death of ourselves and our dear ones because of contagion produced by unhealthy living conditions?Does business work smoothly and easily because of adequate facili- ties in transportation by street, rail and river?These are questions the solution of which depends wholly or in a great part upon the governments of our cities.The state and federal governments affect us each day in a far less intimate way

Environmental planning · Geography · American Environmental and Regional History