The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-03-24
THE LABOR QUESTION.

iHe petition from SlXty-tnree laDOrIng mel
which was presented to the Council yester
day, and addressed to the Administrator o
improvements, is only another evidence o
the distressing condition of affairs in THU
city-only another cropping out of the fac
that there are more laborers in New Orlean:
than there Is work for them to do, or rather
chan there is any money to pay them for do
ing.
The city has been ruthlessly plundered by
successive hordes Of Radical robbers, and
even when we have succeeded in placing good
men in office their hands have been tied by
corrupt legislature and infamous laws So
that with even the most rigid e@ony she
cannot pay what she owes, much less launch
out into new expenditures, for which she
could only offer in payment certificates Of
Indebtedness, which would be worthless on
the market because of the pretty well ascer-
tanned fact that the city is a bankrupt
The proposition of the petitioners is that
the Administrator OF improvements shall in
troduce system Of rotation in his employ
nnent of laborers in other words that he shall
employ one set of men for one week or one
month, and another set for the next week or
month. This plan they say would give them
great relief, but let US analyze the PROPOSE
ton. There are, say, FIVE thousand unem-
ployed laborers in the city, and the Admins
traitor of improvements employs say two
hundred men all told. Under the system
proposed, if the two hundred men now en-
ployed were replaced by two hundred new men
and the term Of employment should be one
month, it would be just taoenty-iue months be-
fore they would get another chance, if indeed
they managed to exc out precarious sub |
aistence during that long and weary interval
of waiting We think there is not a single |
intelligent laborer who will not see the i'm
practicability OF the plan in moment. The
question still remains however, what is to be |
done to put bread into the mouths of the |
starving multitudes? And, as Mr.. Lincoln |
woald have said, this reminds Us of a story.
Some ten days ago, an honest looking labor
sng man presented himself in our sanctum,
and told us that ne and his wife were on the
verge of starvation, that he was almost in
despair, and asked us to be kind enough to
insert an advertisement for him, which we
did, as follows:
ANANTED-A situation for white man and
w wife to 90 IN the country; the man to make
himself generally useful on plantation: the
woman Is a good cook washer and ironcr; also is
: good house-kcepar. Please address j., Bule-
in ttfice.
few days ago he came back with bright
f,,J {0o, L. 4 A.
md said the advertisement had been the
means of procuring excellent situations near
he city for himself and wife, and also fer
everal of his friends who were in need OF en.a
'loyment. I
This shows that there is a demand in The ,
ountry for the labor which cannot be u!i- /
lied in the city it shows that if our unem-
loyed laborers will accept situations in the I
ountry they can locate themselves pleasantly t
nd protitably, and IN q few years be indie {
endent of the city and of politics. There are t
housands of acres lying idle ready to be titled i
nd bear abundant harvests. The city can Il
OF live without the country is prosperous,
nd the country cannot thrive without more
,liable labor. We trust those who are vainly Il
seking employment of the city will consider q
lis matter seriously, and take steps to find ID
nployment in the parishes, where their labor u
i'll not only tend to enrich themselves but ie
build up the material interests Of the State.