The New York herald., 1877-09-02
GIVE WORK TO THE POOR.
MR. ROOSEVELT DEFENDs HIS LETTER TO THE
NAYoR-A PICTURE OF THE EXISTING

MR. ROOSEVELT DEFENDS HIS LETTER TO THE
MAYoR-A PICTURE OF THE EXISTING
Tho open letter from Mr. Robert b. Roosevelt to
Mayor Ely, Published Tuesdays paper, advocating
provision work for the poorer classes before the
H. has been severely criticised In some quar-
tiers condemned US haviag an ill-concealed Com
munstic tendency. reporter OF the HERALD called
upon Mr. Roosevelt, In his oncs, yesterday, TO inter-
him upon tho subject Of his letter and hear what
he had to say by way Of dsicnce against the char
acter OF Communism and 1emagogism drawn forth by
his efforts In behalf Of the poor Mr. Roosevelt stated
he did not appear personally Ia the mat
ter, or to gain any notorety by taking up cudgels
In behalf Of the suffering poor; but he
did wish their condition to be called
to the attention those who in position TO help
them, and the only enectua means OF doing so was
the one which he adopted. The matter, he said, had
been called his attention repeatedly during Tho past
two three years, and he al last determined TO 90
what he could to help The sufferers The letter 10
Mayor Ely had no political anmus whatever
Mr. Roosevelt says that he Is not connected with any
political organization but that he has certain poitica
friends followers among the working classes, and
is through them that he OF the suerings OF Tho
poor At times his oifce Is oyerrun with persons out
Of employment desiring his influence to assist :hem In
nsh list OF 10, 900 names Of hard working mea who
had been reduced to abject poverty.
CASE POINT
''Ony a short time ago" said Mr. Roosevelt "a
came to see If could get him work from the
Street Cleaning Department. He could get 81 20 day
by that, and the only other work he could get would
bring but ST. and to that he would have TO stand
waist deep water all day long. did my best, but
couldn't get anything for him TO do don't know
what has become Of him now. Some time ago that
rented little house belonging to me, up In l09th
street. He owned team OF horses and three or tour
cows and with HIS used 10 do great deal OF
work for the city Central Park and elsewhere But
gradually work fell of, his horses died and he has
been left utterly destitute, with q wife and
family support. Another man OF whom
know ronworkcr, earning So so, SO or
reduced to SUING up with sick member Of secret
society lodge Tor 81 night He, too has family de.
pendent upon hs daily labor, for bread anu shelter
know OF sun another man, who eau get only twenty
i've cents dav Tor hard physci ii labor. But even he
is moro fortunate than those who arc without any
means whatever Of earning their dail" bread.'
.'Havc you approximate idea OF the number OF
unemployed and destitute workingmen IN the city 2"
asked The reporter
mo have not," replied Mr.. Roosevelt, shut there
are certainly great many thousands. leaving
professional ae iaers o, ana ramps out o. tue
jor,ty OF them with employment would be the
opportunity to distinguish between the honest
enforce ubor on the pubic works tho professional
loaers would soon quit the CITY leaving more room
and respectabiiy Tor the hard workers who arc
now idle. do not mean TO start the question whether
the State Is obliged to support her sons--that has
that city should start newspaper to provide you
with lucrative position, or that people should be
forced 20 to law moro frequently than they do
order that should have more clients or yet that they
should get SICK and de- for The sake OF the physician
and undertaken; but do ihink that IN case like the
present It would bo expedent to provide employ
death during the coming WINTER IT is opy
TOO true that half the world doesn't how tho
other half lives my part don't want to know
how a aporng man with wife and family lives with
out work Tor several weeks or months In some cases
they are assisted py mutual aid societies or by per-
sona friends, but IN majority Of cases the suffering
must be extreme
..Do you think the suffering will be greater than
usual during the coming winterW
THE wiNTRR's APPROACH.
vi think there be doubt that II Will be
,han anything We have known 10 the past Even
rich hnd nard pull this year. My own income,
chiefly from the renting Of real estate, &c. has
| discharged single man in my employ at
my place on Long Island ! can hardly
! ind work for them all but l feel that a
mar who has served faithfully aud well has
moral claim upon my support as long as can snord
10 nep him. act upon that principle and have
reduced any OF my employees wages. AS an illustra-
tion oil the hardness OF the times went into
savings bank the other day 70 make deposit. The
ben cues were all occupied and there long line ut
The counter but ound that was the ouiy deposllor
in the crowd. All the Others were poor men and
women compelled TO withdraw their
savings. MAINTAIN what l stated in my letter. 1t
would be well or the city TO find some work Tor tho
Dyed honest laborers. AT the trst hint Of
compulsory labor the worthless element Will take to
Itself wings and disappear remember last winter
a man OF my acquaintance went down TO one OF the
soup houses TO get gang Of men To do some street
cleaning for him, shoverg snow, &C. he ohercd
them as high wages as any other aborers were then
getng but OF all the oilers to whom he made the offer
only accepted and he backed out after working
hour BY giving work to the unemployed, therefore,
we would only be helping the worthy; none OF the
others would benefit BY II. Many OF our streets and
docks need repavng and repairing, and there is con-
stant demand 0r Increased terminal facilities Men
could be hired do the necessary work tor seventy
five cents a dollar day. IL has got 10 be done
side five years, and II cannot In that time DO done
with less expense the city greater good to the
poor. Ii not the worthy poor who Will object TO
being for the improvements to be nade by their
com panions unem ployed."