St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-15
The Abolition of the Contract System on
Public Works Inteligently and
Earnestly Discussed.
Teipner Makes Studied Plea for Glenn
ency and Gets Ten Years for His
Horrible Crime.
An Animated Meeting of the Associ-
ated Charities Organization
Board of Trade.
Assault On an Officer by a Demented
Woman--W Warehouse Burned
Other Matters.


The Contract system.
Harrison hall last evening was crowded
far beyond its seating capacity by an audi
ence composed Chiefly of workingmen, who
came for the purpose Of discussing the aboi-
ton of the contract system, and III connec-
ton Herewith the proposed eight-hour law
and other movements looking to the I'M
prOvement of the condition Of the working
men. The addresses OF the evening met
with hearty appreciation and all the speak
erS were greeted with enthusiastic applause.
j. P. McGaughev. the chairman, III calling
the meeting o order. defined the resolutions
before the council. namely, for the abolition
of the contract system, by Aid. Lawrence;
for the eight-hour law, by Aid. Gibson, and
to make 81. 80 the minimum for wages paid
to common labor on city Improvements, by
Aid. Walsh. These resolutions, he said
had met with the endorsement of all
classes of citizens thus far save
the politicians and saloon keepers
REV. j. L. sCUDDER,,
was introduced as the first speaker of the
evening. The reverend gentleman showed
himself to be in full sympathy with the
movement for the improvement of the work.
ing classes, and made an address that was
often interrupted with applause. Touch
ing upon the contract system he said he
thought at times that the profits
made by the contractors should be divided
among the workingmen, and thus benefit
the many instead OF the individual. 1t is to
a contractors interest to rush his work. and
get as much work out of the men he hires
as possible. The city does not get the bene-
hit of this rushing, this grinding of men, the
contractor does. If the men are hired by
the city directly, and are paid better wages
they will do more and better work even if
employed fewer hours. In closing he con-
graduated the workingmen of the North
west for the moderation and good sense
they display in their efforts to secure meas
ures for their benefit. and warmly COM
mended the organization known as the
Knights of Labor. which appeals to reason
and not to violence.
REV. DAVID MORGAN
said he had enjoyed an extended experience
with the contract system and heartily de-
tested it. He had lived in the numbering
districts where men are brought from the
old country by contract, are fed and clothed
by contract and never see a dollar. This
system is supported by two elements, the
capitalists who lend their money to 1t and
the damnabIe saloons. He heard a man
with only tifty-three men in his employ had
cleared $4,000 lat year. At least So 900
of this money came out of the wages of the
men. The contract system is oppressive.
The contractors in order to compete force
down the prices paid to their men. Often
times they are driven to it.
For instance a builder will go
to manufacturer with the
price list of blinds and doors manufactured
under the contract system at the Saltwater
penitentiary. The Minneapolis manufac-
turer must come to these prices or he will
lose a sale. To do it he must cut down his
payroll to compete with concern which
hires convict labor at 43 cents a day.
There is something wrong with the system
which compels men to accept less than 81
for days work on the streets for the city
of St. Paul. AS for the eight-hOur move
ment, he heartily Endorsed it, for he had
worked sixteen hours and knew how hard
it is to go to bed tired and get up tired; to
be so worn out by Sunday that he had no
desire to do anything but sleep. Give men
eight hours for work, eight hours for sleep
and eight hours for improvement, and you
will elevate them morally, physically and
mentally.
EE-MAYOR AMES
was called for and as ne came forward was
greeted with cheers and applause. After
returning thanks for the kindly reception
he said that the workingmen should have
first a desire for education; second. an in
clination to study the problems of their con-
dition, and third, moderation in what they
demand.
While he was mayor in 1876 and again
later these same questions came up. The
contractors finally dubbed together and had
law passed by the legislature compelling
the city to let lis work by contract to the
lowest bidder. In some instances the city
had actually disobeyed the law and laid
miles of sewers by days work, and he knew
that there was a saving of at least SO per
cent. where this was done. OF course this
effort to aid the workingmen was done I'M
der a corrupt Democratic admin
istration' and it don't count.
but it was sufficient to convince him that
there was economy in doing away with the
contract system. There is one necessary
step, however; elect honest men to the leg
lature who will pass law that will make
it possible to send any city official who re-
ceives a corrupt dollar to the penitentiary
Tor a period of not less than five years.
c. W. STEVENSON
of st. Paul next spoke. He had feared that
he would not live to see the contract system
abolished, but after witnessing the enthu-
siasm of the meeting, did not doubt that
the day is near at hand. A contractor in
St. Paul, who two years ago was a poor
man, is now worth $50, 0O0 with his
house on st. Anthony hill. Where did it
come from. The speaker criticised COM
munication from n. 7. Hauser in Monday
GLOBE in which it was said that the move
ment against the contract system was for
class legislation. He denied this and
claimed that the contract system is the
child of class legislation. He believed that
united action resulting from intelligent dis
cusSion will eradicate the wrongs against
the Industrial classes.
Aid. Swenson was called for and said he
did moi. hesitate to put himself on record in
favor of the abolition of the contract sys-
ten. This was out of principle and not
because he had any political axe to grind.
DIR. GIBSON,
alderman from the Seventh ward, was in
trOduced as the father of the eight-hOur
resolution and was enthusiastically
cheered. He defined his position, and eX-
pressed his desire to do what he could to aid
in helping the workingmen to receive the
recognition they deserve from the city cOun-
Gil. He said that Aid. Walsh had been I'M
justly denounced Dy certain Workingmen
because he had expressed fear that cor
ruption would creep in if the contract sys-
TEN was abolished. He thought there was
good ground for this fear. and. as DR..
Ames had said. there would be need of
constant watchfulness and the necessity for
careful restrictions.
DR.. Emory. who followed. commended
the remarks of the preceding speakers. He
urged further that resident workingmen
should be shown Partially in the matter
of the distribution of city work. R. H.
Shadriek was called to the platform anC