The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-22
TRADE AND LABOR.
Workingmen Discuss the Pros
poets of the Season.
MORE INDUSTRIES WANTED.
Capital Should Go Into Production. Not
speculatIon--No Labor Lsgis-
lation Expected.

II Is interesting for one who studies economic
subjects to visit the Central Labo. Union naii
for an hour or so most any day now while the
mechanics and workingmen, who make tnis
place q sort of resort during the dull season, con-
gregate there daily and listen to the discussions
which take place on the various subjects which
casually come up and on which each visitor, ns
he drops in and listens for q few moments 70
catch the drift OF the argument, adds his opinion
TO the conglomeration of ideas already advanced.
To many and even some of those who consider
themselves intellectually above the average,
such an hour might not be wholly unprontaDie.
Posf-INTELIIGEScER reporter yesterday
saun.ered into secretary Barry's office, situated
at the rear OF one of the halls. took seat ana
quietly listened
..Barry, what Is the outlook for work, this
season. asked q visitor, as he turned his BACK
to the little stove.
ssWelI,'' said Barry, ~ don't know. 1t de-
Ponds great deal upon the industries when
they talk Of establishing here in the near
future. You see there has been large LABOR
population here, mostly employed in the build
ing trades, during the past year and hall, and
now the bulk of the building has been done, fof
a time, at least and unless industries are
established, it will drift away-in fact,
q large portion of it has already gone
and the result of that would be dun
trade, Dull trade for business houses would
and consequently street grading and other pub
lie work must stop, and another large portion OF
our labor population would be thrown idle and
would soon drift away. My union, the iron
molders, has been urging business men here to
patronize Seattle industries. and in this way en-.
courage the establishment of new enterprises,
but 1t appears they do not understand the ques-
ton as we see it,
'sThere is too much real estate speculation,
chimcd in . second listener. ssIf they would In
vest the money that is now invested in real es-
tate in some industries that would pay reason
able return on the capital, they would not need
to advertise so extensively for Eastern capital
lists to come cut here and establish industries
for them. And then when they do come.
the chances are that they will see the
fortunes that have been made in real
estate by those already here, and be in
duced to buy . slice OF 1t themselves
with the money they brought to put into indus
tries. This advertising brings too many me
chanics and woskingmen who read of the high
wages paid here, but hear nothing OF the scarcity
OF employment or the high cost OF living. Ii
generally has more influence in bringing these
classes here than it has in influencing capital.
sThere IS plenty of work putting up build
ings, echoed voice from an unassuming look
ing individual who had just entered and dropned
into corner, scarcely noticed in the heat OF the
discussion 'sThe whole trouble 10 that there 10
stringency in the money market" And forth
with the discussion took q sudden turn, but the
reporter LETT before the question Is to the best
financial policy for the government to pursue
was settled beyond reasonable doubt.