678 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
general betterment of humanity. At least most writers upon the subject seem to deem it necessary to set forth its advantages in terms of commercialism. 1 It surely is not hard to see that beautiful and picturesque features of a city will raise the value of real estate, make higher rents, and increase business prosperity in general ; attracting desirable visitors, and drawing to it and keeping residents who have the means to go where they will. It is said that even such radical changes as the cutting off of corners of houses to make them face upon a circular or octagonal beautified street corner pay well. It should also be easily seen that enduring public works will far outrank in the financial returns they bring any flashy, temporary display in the way of festival or other public entertainment.
Certainly something should arouse American cities to their need in this line. They are, even in their best portions, far too often monotonous stretches of square-cornered, almost treeless streets, with houses crowded together and pushed against the sidewalk ; while in their worst portions they are indescribably ugly and miserable the latter condition pronounced very emphatically, by the National Sculpture Society, as "neither good business nor good politics," making the lives of these people so wretched, "since," it argues, "unrest and revolution are born of their unendurable miseries and neglect." These considerations, however, are not widely taken into account by our politicians and business-men. Yet, as familiarity with the beauty of foreign cities increases with travel, dissatisfaction with the state of things here grows, even among our so-called practical citizens. Very little has yet been done, but there certainly is a great awakening interest. Municipal action has as yet done nothing, aside from the making of parks and boule- vards whose primary purpose is not that of beauty, of art. Private enterprise, largely that of organizations, has been back of almost all that has been accomplished. And these organiza- tions have had to contend against great difficulties opposition of many kinds and legislation in the interest of corporations.
1 Those who would know facts and figures in regard to this will find ample material in Municipal Affairs.
