St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-16
POLITICAL ECONOMY.
The County and City Building Commits.
sion as a Debating Society.
BOARD OF TRADE IGNORED
No Contracts for the Foundation Are
Let---An Interesting Dis
cussi0n. !

The court house and city hall com
mission is not exactly at deadlock.
but yesterdays meeting amounted TO
nothing more than an oratOricai display
and an interchange OF views on poiltical
economy. The contractors were preSent
in force, and choice assortment OF
samples of building stone were pre-
scented for inspection. Commissioners
Chowen, Clough and Swanson, how
ever, were absent, and no effort was
made to touch upon the bids, nor was
any action taken to Indicate that the
commission is likely to go back on rs
resolution to have the foundation laid
by day labor. The certified checks
were returned to the contractors, but
with the understanding that they shall
be furnished if required, so another
effort will doubtless be made at a more
suspicious time to have the work done
by contract. j. B. Basset, backed up by
8. F. Nelson, appeared with the board
of trade ukase in the shape OF resoiu-.
tons sternly calling for the letting or
the work by contract. Maj. Bassctt
acted as spokesman and read the reso-
lutions impressively. and after pausing
to note their effect proceeded to make
some remarks. He did not think a
single instance could be cited of the
erection by any corporation OF build
ing of any size by days work. The
mere announcement, even. that the
commission contemplated the adoption
of the day work system has already in
iured its credit, and the commission
will find it out when it comes to nego--
tiate its securities. He had inquired
concerning the result of having
the city work done by the day,
and found that it had exceeded the
cost by contract by % to 3311ss per cent.
Men will not work for the city nor
for corporation as they will for an in
diviiual. Mr.. Bassetu went on to de-
liver quite little lecture to the COM
mission on
POLITICAL ECONOMY
to the effect that the consumer is the
tax payer, and that if the workmen i'm
agine that they arc not obliged to bear
a good share Of the burden of taxation,
because they are not property owners,
they are mistaken. The taxation in
Minneapolis is so high, he claimed.
that while lnmbermen here pay $l.75
for help, as against S1.25 paid in Eau
Claire, eapurchasing Of $1.25 in Eau
Claire is greater, and the cause Is the
difference in taxation.
GEORGE A. CHASE
believed that Major BasSett was mis-
city in doing work for by the day had
been an increase of fourth to a third
over the contract system. He said that
pipe had been hauled cheaper for one
thing, and instanced the saving OF
s. 600 by the Third ward in having its
sprinkling done by the day. He thought
the duty of the commissioners was to
legislate for the benefit of the whole.
The trouble With this country is that
legislation is not for the many but for
the few. This last remark had the
effect of bringing up lengthy discus
sion upon economic subjects. Major
Bassett. armed with statistics furnished
by Edward Atkinson, claimed
that higher wages are paid
to-day and the purchasing, power of
dollar is greater than ever before. Mr..
Chase, fortified with the statistics of
Carroll ID. Albright. United States COM
missioner of labor, combatted this.
While the discussion was interesting, il
drifted widely from the mark, and it
wound mp in dispute over the price Of
coal. Finally ~
COMMISSIONER ERICKSON f
brought matters to head by the follow
lily 1OTCiDlc ICuldIh.
THE whole world seems to revolye
about this board of trade. 1t tried to
run the city council year ago and got
sat down upon, and think we'd better,
do the same thing. If the board of
trade is going to run our affairs want
to find it out as soon as possible, but if
the other members vote as do it will
be cold day when it does"
Commissioner Swift aired his oratory
too. He thought that it the board of
trade of Minneapolis should learn that
work was done in heaven by day labor
it would petition to have it done by con-
tract. He thought the commission
could secure just as good superintend-
ents and fOremen as contractors and
could get the work done as we'll and
cheaper.
Commissioner Erickson said he re-
garded the board of trades resolutions
a rank insult. 1t he acted in accordance
with his feelings he should move TO lay
the table. However, he
moved they be accepted and placed On
file.
The only business transacted by the
board was to pass bills amounting TO
s4,5S1 and authorize its secretary to pur-
chase letter file. The treasurer re-
ported SS,345.41 on hand Oct. 81.