The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-08-03
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The Unemployed WOrkmen,


Last night number OF workingmen met
ON the Esplanade, and after listening to
a speech from j. X. Dickson, the follow
ing paper was read and unanimously
adopted:
"We, the laboTing men of the city, in
council assembled, have calmly consid-
cred our situation. The laboring mans
wages In the past have barely been ade-
quate to provide for the common neces-
saries to sustain life and provide shell
ter for himself and family from day to
day. The present is doubtful struggle
between lie and starvation, for want of
employment, with slight exceptions,
since last fall. We are no beggars. We
earn our living by the exercise of the
muscle, and we hold that extreme neces-
sity suggests a law superior to all other
law, and the cravings Of hunger and
| want must and will he supplied. There
is plenty OF work at the disposal of the
city authoritios, and money, too, but it
wants All Oh Hickory to take the respoE-
sibility to use it. Therefore,
"Resolyed, That inasmuch as the city
authorities have large lot of work un-
der contemplation, and money appro-
priated for the purpose OF doing that
| work. that the proper authorities would
be perfectly justitiable, in case of such
emergency as is here represented, to at
once give employment and a fair com.
! pensation to our suffering fellow.citi.
zGns, regardless OF any legislative law
| conf citing with the law Of necessity,
which we hold to be paramount to ali
other law.
"Resolyed, That no contract for the
/ repair of the streets should be made III
anticipation OF what may have to be
done next year or any other year, for the
reason that no estimate can be made
upon what is not in existence, or may
never be, and consequently no specifica-
! tiops can be definitely made for any r, :
pairs, except what are now necessary to
be made, and consequently injustice
either to the city OF contractor would
ensue.
"Resolyed, That 1t is the duty of the
city government to retain III its own
hands the power to employ It's own citi-
gems on the public improvements in
cases Of emergency, and thus relieve the
necessities and wants Of large number
of the labOring class Of men, while equal
Justice will at the same time be done to
the city. We are opposed to the law
that requires the public work of the city
to be let out at public contract: 1. Be-
cause a good, honest Board Of Public
Works can perform the work under
proper management cheaper, more sub
stantial, more to their satisfaction, than
any contractor can be persuaded to do
il. because the amount OF profits
would be the main object with the
contractor. But the durability and
character of the work would be the OBJ
iect of the Board without profit. 2. Be-
lIcause the contractor will expect t.
Grind his profits out OF the poor laborel
either by overwork, stinted compensa
tion, or by sighting the work, and, per.
haps, by all these means, while the
Roar3i would have none Of these objects
in view. 3. Because there Is too much
maneuyering and too mauy evolutiOns
: to 20 through to get ready for work
First, month or six weeks for the En-
oinear to examine all the streets anC
alIevs to make an estimate Of the cost
then ten to thirty days to advertise
then the letting of the contracts; then s
Iweek for examination to ascertain tho
llowest bidders, and award to bidders
then at least two or three weeks before
thew can be confirmed by the Boards o
Council and Aldermen; next, the bonds
must 20 through for their examination
and acceptance two or three weeks
more. We have proof OF the above a
hand. We are now In the last month o
summer, and will probably reach thu
first fall month before lick will b.
struck; therefore,
3 "Resolved, That weiare firmly of tn
opinion that the law ought to be repealed
as speedily as possible, and are Of tn
opinion on this account that contract
fought to only extend for the seaso
, which will soon be at an end"
! A committee of two was appointed t
present this paper to the city authorl
n ties.