New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-08-29
MR.. RCOSETELT.S LITTER.

1t is about time TO have II understood tDat
this city does not owe living to any man, of
any occupation or no occupation, who may
choose to come hitheT. Mr.. II. b. Roosevelt is
a worthy, intelligent and hOnored citizen, and
it distresses his admirers TO find him dis
coursing of " the torch and the knife" as prob
able resorts of the unemployed, unless the
city sees fit to create work for them. In ms
letter to Mayor Ely asking whether, to
" certain EXTENT work cannot be wisely fur
nished by the municipal Government, Mr..
Roosevelt admits that 4" the city is not in a
condition to add much to its debt" and he
might have added that it is mere robbery OF
good citizens to add to the debt of the city
without proper cause. He admits that the ex-
listing system Invites all the tramps, iders,
"vagabonds and criminals Of the entire couHS
try to take up their abode with lis during
Z" the Winter" but, because the city is thus
overcrowded, must it also pile up new debt to
give work to the unemployed Then Mr..
Roosevelt says:
IL does not to encourage trouble and we have an
emergency upon us which must be met We tried shut
fling when the draft was threatened. and only fastened
TO correct our mistake after three days of anarchy and
three nights Of terror. We then issued county bonds,
and insisted revision Of the enrolment after the
mob had enforced its demands with the torch and the
knife. Let us be before them this time Honest men
may be rotOus, but honest men become wonderfully
Indifferent the safety Of the worldly possessions OF
their neIghbors when they themselves are starving.
Certainly Mr. Roosevelt does not intend TO
supply in advance excuses for rioters, nor can
il be his purpose to assure the unemployed
that, if the city does not give them work, they
can "enforce their demands with the torch and
"the knife" but we ask him to consider
whether his words will bear any other mean
ing to the desperate and danger0usY DO
not his words go upon the theory that, no mat
ter how many idle persons may come here OF
stay here, this city is bound to find work for
them, and if it refuses, revOlts and riots are to
be expected Against this strangely suggest
i've language and the sadly mistaken reason
ing upon which it is based, we think every
good citizen ought to protest. For this Is
matter which affects not so much the large
propertysbwners, as the thrifty labOring peO-
pie themselves. Every taxpayer has TO bear a
share of the burden where the city taxes UNI
necessarily, and the small share which falls di-
recty or indirectly upon the workman is
heavier to him than the burdens which a Van
derbilt or an Astor bears. Every workman
CmDlONcu mere Has IL IISut 10 uOlu his pOsltlOu
if lac can, without the interference of a blum
dering Government inviting hitler in the hope
of municipal work the unemployed from a
dozen States. 1t is not just to those who are
struggling for a living here to make New
York the place of refuge for everybody who
gets out of work elsewhere, nor is that the
way to prevent disturbance
Human bcneyOlcnce never works out good
results when it tries to set aside natural laws
instead of acting III harmony with them.
Absolutely the only protection which we can
have against the dangerous tendency of labor
ers to crowd into the large cities is the sure
punishment which nature brings, III want of
work, suffering or starvation. If a workman
is wise he will quit city whenever he finds
no employment, as he would quit house in
tested with fatal disease But many are not
wise. 1t is pity to see worthy citizens en-
couraging and excusing their unwisdOm. Many
stick to city because they like the excite