St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-01
The License and Bonds of Min
neapolis Employment
Agents Raised,
And the Agents Are Not
Tickled to Death as a
Result.
The Torrens System Endorsed
as a Method Of Transfer
ring Land Tenures.
A Burglary Neatly Stopped
A Newspaper Man Sued
for Divorce.

The council committee on legislation
met yesterday morning for a session that
had in it considerable interest for the
people of the city engaged in one voca-
ton. City Attorney Russell had
been instructed at previous
meeting to draw up an ordi-
nance regulating the employment
agencies. He came fully equipped with
the ordinance, which. after being read,
was referred to the ordinance commit
tee. The new ordinance sets the fee
for doing business in Hennepin and
Ramsey counties at S25. Those sending
nell outside of these counties will have
to pay q license of $500, an increase over
the old fee of $500. The council will be
obliged to pass on the written applica-
ton, and it must be flied with the city
clerk. A bond of $4,000, instead
of $1,000, is required. If a man
is sent out to get work and does
not get it, he can recover 81
a day as well as expenses. The
penalty for violation would be 800 or
less, or ninety days or less imprison-
ment. Since the meeting a glance at
the intelligence and employment Office
taken by GLOBE reporter. E. Doug
las was the first man to come under in
spection. Its all nonsense" he said,
II would drive every man now engaged
in the business out of town. l think
that the license of 500 now paid, is
fully sufficient for every purpose
that can be reached by $500. If it is in
creased 500, and any one does stay. in
the business, they will have to take just
that much more out of the laboring
men, whom they are trying to protect.
| think that question OF there being
fraud has been exaggerated. l do not
know of any. The law that now exists
is sufficient if it was only enforced. A
man is under bonds for $1,000: if he
commits crime why do the proper
officers not prosecute him, instead OF
making the innocent suffer for the
guilty. Very often the fault is with the
men who apply for work. They get to
the place we send them and will not
work. though there are good places for
them. In regard to the bonds, would
just as leave give $4,000 as $1,000.
G. F. Eagle, the manager of the Os-
born q Johnson employment office,
said: 1.-The law is all right as it is, if it
were only enforced. | know my firm
l.
every laboring man in town. and we
would Just do all of the Minneapolis
work in St. Paul. | could take the men
over there. l think it would drive
every employment Office out OF town.
These aldermen have no idea of the
magnitude Of the business we do. or of
what moment it is to the city. We want
to see the business regulated but that
is not the way to do it. We sent $500
men out of this city last summer to
work."
81 am the originator Of the business
her and in St. Paul" said William NJ.
Moore" and have been at it over nine
years. In that time ] have never seen
anything out Of the way in it, or any
chance to commit fraud. / don't
see any more reason for my
paying license any more
than the real estate men. | am sure
there are not so many eases of fraud
with us. The greatest reason that the
license should not be increased is be-
cause every dollar that is paid in license
comes right cut of the laboring men.
This question has been discussed by
people who don't know what they are
talking about. If the license is raised
and every employment agent leaves
town, as they certainly will, the alder
men will find out what we have been
doing. We furnish means by which
idle men get good positions,
and it not only gives the
men work but it clears them
off the street and out of the way. l
don't kick on the 500 license, because
it keeps out men who might take in a
big crowd one day and bleed them and
then skip the next. The bonds really
protect the people, for if the law is en-
forced fraudulent agent can be prose-
cuted on the bond. II it is not good,
that is the fault of the mayor. l am
perfectly willing to apply to the coun-
ell, so far as that Is concerned"
The general sentiment of the other
agencies was much the same as the
foregoing. They say ''if they want to
prohibit us from doing business, why
don't they do it in straightforward
manner. A good deal of the fraud is in
two men who were never known to
work, who are sent to positions.
After this ordinance was referred to
it's committee Mr.. Russell brought up
proposed change in the liquor license
laws, making it possible to obtain a Ii
cense for the last half of the year on
payment of one-half the regular fee.
He also presented a bill which will
turn the per cent now paid direct into
the state treasury by the street rail-
ways ON their gross earnings through
the city treasury into the treasury of
the state.
Aid. Reeve. of tie Tenth ward, sug-
gested that bill be presented to the
legislature limiting the amount of in.
debtedness of each ward to $1,000. 1t
was referred to the city attorney for in
vestigation.
City Attorney Russell was instructed
to draw up bill to obtain an appro-
priation of $4,000 to reimburse the cit
liens for the illumination of Hennepin
avenue during last years exposition
and the opening of Como avenue to the
city line.