San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-03-31

Incidental and material ............. 800 20
Total .................... ..... 900 5000 90
These figures were accepted without de.
bate.
STREET COMMISSIONERS DEPARTMENT.
Salary of commissioner ............. .. sI,2OO %
Forage Co.,. ... .............. 100 %
Rent ......... ............. ........ - %
Tools and repairs Observation-Disclosures. 500 20
Ten carts per day So; month So ...... 624O 90
Twelve laborers per day Sl2j; month
S32 30. .. .. o.. ........... 1850 90
Two carpnt RS .......... ........ 1000 %
Two plOws and scra ers and two
holders .................:.......... -. 5000 90
nails. .......... 49,. e. 1880 1870. 500 90
Total. .sI7.292 90
In relation 10 the appropriation for Ia
borers. Gallagher said he did not think 1t
enough TO keep the clock wound up, par
ticularly If a man be married. He also
noticed that the amount for the ser
vices of the carts was 50 90. and he did
not think that sufficient, and in that be-
lief he made motion that laborers' pay
be increased to Sl.75 day and that carts
be paid 1928. and that the appropriation
be Increased TO cover Ii.
Lockwood seconded the motion.
Frenoh-That is all very well II the
labor is worth ii, but | think | should
certainly vote against creating a privi-
lege class of city employees. Whatever
are the current wages | think should
regulate the city. Surely we do not
want to have man working for the city
getting $l.75 while q man working for
private individuals gets only SIPS, estab-
fishing, as you may say, a privileged
class; they are certainly entitled to the
current rate Of wages. and that should
be the standard.
LOckwood-There is one thing that is
patent, or ought to be, and that is, la ,or is
not paid what 1t should be. 1t matters
not even If people on the outside can hire
them for one dollar. | cay that
corporations and a Council representing
a community ought to set al example
and pay the labOrer what he is justly en-
titled to. No man can support q family
for Sl.25; give him enough to do SO, so he
can live and even ride in q street-car or
chew tobacco. | am in favor of this mo-
tiOn-that the,pRy be inoreased-and thus
set an example to the outside, and these
private individuals let them raise their
pay.
French-The number is too limited to
be an example anyhow.
Belknap-If the laborer is worthy of
that. all right, but l do not think there is
gentleman belonging to this Council
but thinks that the city pays literally
doing the work we think they are,
1t is possible that we should raise their
wages. As rule there are no foremen,
no bosses, and the fellows go along and
do just as they please. l am perfectly
willing to acquiesce In with the major
ity, but l think we had better clean out
the old force and get men that will be
honest and give us the labor that We
pay for.
Gallsgher-My friend from the Second
Ward speaks about the possibility Of
the workingpen being considered a
privileged class. Another objection Is
that 1t would look bad to pay one man
more than another by the year; for in
stance, the railroads, who certainly IN
derstand business, will employ a great
many OF the employees by the year and
pay them that way. He also speaks
about their being no foremen; from the
Recommendation don't suppose we need
any foremen.
Bsiknap-I think we do.
Gallagher-And what would you pay
these foremen-$1.25 q day?
Belknap-No, sir; $l.50.
COLLABORATION have made an apprs-
priation Of SLIPS; it is certainly starva-
ton wages.
Belknsp-what more could we do;
the rules call for 1t.
Gallagher think when yeu pay q
man small wages you lessen himself in
his own estimation. III you pay him
good wages you make something Of him.
l know when was w0rkingman was
paid well and felt very well; when my
wages were reduced 1t looked like I did
not amount to SO much. Times are diff
ferent now, and the toiler should GER
tainly he paid the most. Now at Gal
weston, our sister city, they pay their
laborers So. The council there did not
wish to pay them that much, and they
brought in a resolution against 1t. The
mayor in his kindness Of heart vetoed
the action of the council, and his veto
was sustained. This being the greatest
city Of Texas, with good revenue Of
SAT 900, and you recommend appropria-
tions Of sos, 200, that leaves $4,000
surplus, why not give the workingman,
the teller, little out OF that?
Conner-l am in favor Of giving the
day, but / know there are more people
in San Antonio to-day working for $I.00
than Sl.25, and don't think It policy to
raise our rate for ten men.
Lockwood-That argument will not
hold good. II 1t Is done for the benefit
Of people on the outside, we had better
cut down the pay tots cents. No, sir, as
a matter Of justice and right. The gen.
tleman from the Second ward says our
labor is rather poor; men frequently
work according as they are paid.
IL you pay a man rs cents q day
he will give 20 cents worth. The
United States government pays them
better and works them eight hours, and
they are going to get that unpaid
amount due them since the law Of 1860
was adopted /; the government Is just.
What is the cause of the strikes all over
the country the poor pay the work peo-
pie receive. The time Is upon US when
the pay Of the laborer lie to be Increased (;
the workingmen here are intelligent to
what they are In other countries, and
they do not intend to stand crushing.
My sympathies are with them. l think
they are right.
French-ln regard to the argument
the gentleman from the FIRST Ward just
made about the standard OF wages in
Galveston, that is exactly my PROPOSE
finn I nrnnnaa that Whan the In hnr In