, 1892-02-24
FOR HOME LABOR.
AN INTERESTING MEETING AT CO.
LUMBlA HALL.
DIR. Newell, j. M. swan, Justice
Rathbuns Professor Henderson
and other Speakers Views ON
the New school Building.

and other Speakers Views ON
the New school Building.
Labors cause was well presented at Col
umbia hall last evening, with but few
vacant chairs.
The meeting was called to order by
George I. Smith; DR.. Newell was chosen
chairman and Mr.. Smith secretary.
Professor Brintnal, the first speaker,
argued the necessity for a new school
building, saying that the school enroll
ment was now over 9oo-5O0 in the Wash
ington building, 300 in the Lincoln and
over 100 on the Westside. All the rooms
in the Washington building are in use, he
said, and all but one in the Lincoln. In
the former, recitations are heard in the
basement, where the ventilation is poor
and the surroundings unpleasant, and a
temporary room in the attic. He thought
it almost an impossibility to put the Cen
tral building In shape for the high school
grades. without spending more money than
It would Justify.
Prof. i. F. Henderson, the principal of
the high school, endorsed the expressions
of Superintendent Brintnall, and ex-
pressed willingness to meet his share of
taxes incurred by the expense.
As a member of the school board Justice
Rathbun said stThe city can we'll afford
to pay home contractor who will employ
home labor few thousands more than to
a contractor who will bring his men here
with him. 1t would be better to pay a
home laborer 50 per day than a temporary
one 81. On that platform / propose to
stand if the bonds are voted. [ think the
t.7,s1 IL L 4 IL.
mer than hereafter. To spend $4,000 or
$4,000 on the old Central building would be
practically throwing the money away. In
dividually, it matters very little TO any
member of the board whether the bonds
are voted OF not, but it occurred to us that
the coming season would be a good time
for building"
DR.. Newell treated the subject to the
point. His remarks were concise and elo-
quent, referring particularly to the import
ance of the Workingman educating his
children.
He alluded to the folly Of attempting to
repair the Central school building, and
presented the necessity for giving home la
Dor an opportunity. "NoW is the time, -
he said, ito erect af1igh school building, to
give your hearty, hard-handed home labor
a chance to work, when employment is
scarce. / have not taken part in public af-
fairs since / ceased to be governor. II have
been remanded to the rear by the politi-
clans, thank God But I still take aninter-
est in educational affairs, and feel COM
plimented by your call to preside at this
meeting.
The DOCTORS remarks were greeted with
applause, which indicated the sympathy
of the audience.
d. Ba swan Was called but, ard said.
ttThe question is not as To whether tile
building should be put up or not. There
are very few present, I presume, but would
vote for bonds with the condition that
home labor and home material would be
preferred in construction. Thatis the only
issue. 1t has become proverb that the
people of Olympia do not often patronize
home industry. 1t has been too often the
case heretofore that in making public I'M
provements, contractors have brought in
foreign labor to carry on their work
The ruling element of the nation tavors
the policy of protection to home industry.
The people of Olympia should apply that
principle at home. Applause. People
from outside the city have told me that
should only home contractors be permitted
to bid for work, the local men would bid
too high. Then why not put up the build
ing with day labor2 We have as good men
here as those from Tacoma and Seattle"
Mr.. Swan moved that a committee of five
be appointed to wait on the school direct
ors and demand guarantee that home la
Dor and home material be preferred in con-
the proposed building, as far as
practicable.
Cal Mcclellan insisted that the commit
tee should be composed Of laboring men,
DR.. Newell named Mr.. Swan as chairman.
The other mem bers Of the committee are;
David Liucoln, plasterer; H. B. Smedley,
carpenter; j.. W. Robertson, carpenter;
Simeon Dock, brick mason.
The committee appointed at the public
meeting held in Columbia hall last evening
to confer with the board of directors of the
Olympia school district relative to the erec-
ton Of a high school building in the city,
met this morning in the Office of Justice
Rathbun, and report as follows:
The members of the board of school di-
rectors are unanimous in giving expression
favorable to the employment of local labor
and of procuring local material in and for
the construction of the high school build
ing contemplated to be erected in Olympia
in the near future, in SO far as these things
are attainable or practicable and forwhich
district bonds are to be voted for at an cleo
ton to be held in the district tomorrow.
J. M. SWAN,
Chairman of Committee.