The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-09-01
ACT NOT HASTILY.

meeting to discuss ways and means OF
giving employment to idle laboring
men was fully discussed at the Board
of Trade meeting Monday morning.
and several new unfavorable features
of the proposition were brought out
to which no satisfactory reply could
be given. From the varietyOt opinions
developed, it is highly probable that
no good results could come from a
public meeting. 1t could scarcely fail
to be a calamity meeting, as hard
times would be talked more or less.
If the city was in a position to give
employment or undertake improve
ments about the city the matter
would be different. 1t appears that
the tax levy and all other income for
the present fiscal'ye has beenS eX-
pended, or will be by Oct. l, and that
during the balance of the Eyear ethe
city government must be run upon
borrowed money. The banks will
probably; not be in a position to aid
the city,as they have in past years, and
| if the city can raise money enough to
pay ordinary expenses this is all that
ought to be expected. The city is by
no means bankrupt, but it finds itself
unable at the present time to borrow
money at the usual places.
The policy of issuing bonds lis very
questionable. If sold at all, the pur-
chasers would be from our own city,
as the best bonds are drug on the
market. 1t would be unfair to put an
increased taxation, above which has
already been levied, upon people al
ready sufficiently burdened. Those
who are just able to meet their eXpen-
ses should not be dragged down IN
the effort to afford work for others.
The idle laboring men must be
cared for in some other way. and no
public meeting is necessary to accom-
plish it. What is needed is an effec-
tive intelligence committee, to per-
form the duties of an intelligence Of
fee, and find work for the labOrers.
There will be no lack of work for our
own people until winter sets in, and
then the ice industry will give en-
ployment to hundreds of teams and
men, and wood saving, work in pine
ries, ETC., will tide the poor over sew
eral Of the winter months. A live
committee, which could be selected
by the Board of trade or the council,
could find work for all of our own
people. In this way there will be lit
tie left for charity to do.
In the meanwhile, men with fam
lilies to support and those who are alb
solutely dependent upon their labor
for their daily bread should be given
the preference by employers whenever
a reduction of force is necessary.
This is 10 time to increase our mu-
nicipal Indebtedness. Then, again, if
bonds were issued and money raised
for public Improvements the fact
would be raised abroad and hundreds
of unemployed men would come to
the city and become an additional
burden upon the resources, whether
furnished work or not.
The advertisement which public
meeting called for the purpose would
give the city would be extremely un-
desirable. Successful individuals try
to conceal the unfortunate periods in
their lives from the eyes of the world,
and if our credit is to be maintained
Mankato must do the same. The city
will try to renew S91, 600 bonds next
year row bearing seven per cent. in.
| tereSt at five per cent. Unless the
times improve wonderfully, we must
have the best credit in order to dc
| this.
Let us give up the idea of holding a
public meeting, which at best could
accomplish little or nothing of prac'
tiCal benefit. Let us, instead, quietly
find work for our idle poor in "a man
ner that will not attract observation
Let natural and not artificial means
be taken to afford relief. AS yet there
is no need to do anything, and as The
times are Frightening wonderfully il
may be that nothing will be required
--Thos. H. Dredge, of Lake Crystal
has been granted pension.
Miss Redner has received an in
voice of fall goods.
&. A. r. Encampment, Indian
apOlis, Ind.
On account of the National
Encampment of the Grand Army OF
the Republic, which will be held at
Indianapolis, Ind, beginning Sep
TENDER 4, 1893, the North Western line
will sell excursion tickets at exceed.
ingly low rates. Passengers will be
given choice of routes between Chicago
and indianapolis, and stop-over will
be allowed at Chicago, thus affording
an eXcellento pportunlty for visiting
the Worlds Fair. For tickets and