, 1873-12-25


man and others yesterday. aftor tho Mayor and
tho Council Committee Ind thoir interview With
tho Directors Of tho Reof anl Aid Society. II
re aro to hnyc yo1ouce, 1t is timo for everybody
to got ready for it. Chicago has had great fire
md financial panio, mud lae gono through both
She eau probably d.a1 will, mob, II 1t comoB to
that. ills tho duty of tho Mayor to tako timoly
precautions to supprosH oil tho disordorly acts
threatened by Mr.. Hoffman, mud to punish tito
frat oyort net with all tho forco ho con COM
mand. II n1r. uolfman's renody is blooaehol,
the sooner wo all know It tho botter.
-=M......-.:.=.~
BOHEMES FOR NEW PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
While there Ia no question that worry largo
number Of workmen arc at present without en-
ployment, and that they md their families aro
enduring much priyation, tho Common Council
and tho Board of County Commissioners should
bo OIL their guard against thoso other persons
who propose to uRe this deatitution aH lover to
forco tho two governments into "a scheme Of pub
lio works to which no honest nan Gun gtvo hiB
approval.
Tie tlnanoia, condition of tho city ia woll nm
dcratood, It Ia ut leaat 81 100000 in nrrear on
its curront expenditures. It Is largely In debt
to tho Water Fund, md also to what Is
known as tho Building Fund. It's first duty is
to pay this floating debt and roatoro this bor-
rowod money. In q rocont article we noticed
tho remarkable proceeding Of tho Common
Council In .lovyihg q taxff IL mills to meet ap-
preparations which roqu~ cd all tho rovonuo tlnt
u tax Of 20 mills 'ould produce, without ro-
duoIng expenditures 10 correspond. At tho end
Of tho year thoro will 10 anothor large de-
actency. Tho city tax-!eyy fer this yoar will coll
for $5.G00,000 tho county, town, and State
ta1oB 10 s3,0o0,000 nitro. This does not in
cludo tho wator tax, nor tho taxoB for spocinl
purposes. Tho proceeds OF theso taxcs will not
bo available until next summer and fall, md,
when collected, will have to DO applied to apo
ciflo purposes which do not include tho rebuild
ing Of tho Court-1Iouso.
Tho Common Council have hitherto voted to
postpone my action in the matter OF building
tho Court House, and q week ago tho County
Commissioners voted to postpone tho subject
for one year. TheHo proceedings have boon emi-
nently disgusting and disappointing to tho largo
army Of contractors, sub-contractors, boaaos,
suporintondonts, and -Huporintendonts, build
ing committees, and others who are impatient
: for tho handling Of the millions Of dollars in
yolved in that job. Tho action Of the County
Commissioners wnB especially disagrooablo, bo-
causo that Board lavo authority to iBsne bonds,
aud create debt II they con find any lenders.
Thore can bo no doubt Of the sincerity and
truth OF the suffering workmen III their appeal
TO tho city for employment; but how fur they
have beon used as tools by tho hoartloss mon
who desire to force the city into large oxpondi-
tures for public buildings can ouly bo conjec-
tured It Is possible that their demonstration
was spontaneous, and that it was not suggested
by others. But tho Chairman Of tho Building
Committeo OF tho Common Council, who has
Just finished building the now County Jail and
Criminal Court House. submitted resolutionH re-
qncsting tho County Commissioners. in sub
stance, to exercise their power in tho way Of
giving employment by the erection Of now pub
lio buildings. Conspicuous, also, among tho
workingman's advocates conspicuous in de-
manding employment on public works-was Mr.,
r. A. Hoffman, Jr., who, il VIC mistake not, 1a
tho counsel OF tho successful architect whose
plan for now Courthouse has boon adopted.
Now, VIC may DO mistaken in assuming TINT there
is any connection botween all these things
Certainly tho workmen wore not awaro that they
md their privations were used for any such pur-
pose. Our object is to point out to the
County Commissioners the possible connection
between tile recent demonstration and the desire
to havo tho city engage in largo expenditures.
Thore is peculiar folly in the idea TINT to erect
public buildings would give immediate relief to
the thousands Of porsona WHO aro out Of en-
ploynont. There iB no special hardship expo
rienced by the carpenters and masons, painters,
plaatorers, plumbers, gla2iers, aud those who
alone could find employment in building, Among
those out Of employment may bo mentioned tai
lors, shosmakera, sailors, bakors, baskot-makers,
bcl-founders, blacksmiths, book-binders, cab
inet-makers. carpet-bag anl trunk-makers, car
| builders. carriage and wagon-maRers, cigar
makers, clorks mud bookleepors, clock and
watch-u,akers, coopers, curriers' ind tanners,
| engravors, flo aud saw-makors, fur-workers
| gildors, glaes-makors, glove and glua-makcrs,
harness and saddlo.makers, hatterB machiniats,
| lumbermen, millors. muBical-instru1nont-n t-n1ak-
| ors, pianoforte.makers, pump-nakcrs, Railroads
builders, sail and awning-makors, boiler and Gu
| gine,makers, and operators and workers, male
and fonalo, in linen, cotton, woolon, md silk
goods, millinery, droasmahing, mud fancy-work
OF all kinds. The unemployed Of Ill these oc-
cupations constitute tho great majority of those
temporarily deprived Of tho wages by which they
have supported their families. In what way can
these people Gun be benefited by letting con-
tracts to rebuild the Cours-Houso? Bowor- build
ing is 4 special art requiring particular skl1.
| Tho men who follow TINT business expect to bo
out Of work at this soason, and aro paid accord