St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-20
laid at the statesman's door, or arose
from his wife's jealous disposition will
always remain a moOted question.
A GRAVE EMERGENCY.

Chicago is confronted with problem
of far averimportancet than any she has
yet encountered, and upon the satisfac-
tory settlement of which mnch of the
veal or woe of the future will depend.
The worlds fair has attracted to that
city hundreds of thousands of people of
every class and condition, who have
become practically part OF the perma-
nent population. There was a demand
for their services in planning and exc
cutting the great work of construction.
Not Only did the fair buildings them
selves call for the labor of thousands,
bat preparations for the entertainment
of guests and their care after they ar
rived have demanded ceaseless activity.
Additional help has been required III
the hotels, the stores, the restaurants
and in other places where the crowds
have congregated. while almost every
family has required the services of from
one to half dozen servants.
The question arises: What will be-
come of this great army of workers
after the close of the exposition? After
the first of the coming month the crowds
will vanish from the streets, and all
places of entertainment will resume
their normal status. Private families
will be compelled to dispense with the
extra help employed during the season
of activity, and in all lines Of business
there will be call for reduction of
the number of employees. 1T is safe to
say that before the middle of next
month at least a hundred and fifty
thousand people will be thrown out of
employment i'll Chicago. What will be
done in behalf of these people? Few
among them are forehanded. They
have PROBABLY spent all they have
earned as fast as they have received it,
and will be left practically destitute
among a strange people in a strange
city. Many of them may return to the
places whence they came, but the great
majority will be unable to do so for
lack of funds. while thousands who
may have saved pittance will remain
i'll the city in the hope of obtaining fur
ther employment until they become
financially stranded.
Winter is approaching, and these des-
titute thousands will have to be provid
ed for. But how? The city is bankrupt,
and has been compelled to suspend pub
lie improvements until after the next
tax levy can be collected. Besides, few
street improvements or other public
works can be prosecuted during the cold
weather. For the same reason private
enterprise will be temporarily checked.
No building Of any consequence can be
done in winter, and, besides, the enor-
nous number of buildings erected for
the temporary accommodation of worlds
fair visitors and business have antici-
plIed the legitimate and ordinary de-
mand for all purposes for many years to
come. Practically all that will be done
for the next few years in the line of
buildings will be in the direction of
Transforming hotels into flats and apart
ment houses, in the hope that they may
secure tenants. This work will give
employment to comparatively few, and
the distress, insJead-of decreasing, will
augment for a considerable period to
come.
Chicago will have her hands full with
this multitude, and there will be
great suffering. The workingman never
resorts to crime and seldom to mendi-
cancy, even in times of the greatest dis
tress. They will, however. require as
sistance of some sort. If the endeavor
to sustain them IN Chicago shall prove
too great an undertaking. which seems
probable, they will have to be trans
ported elsewhere-to cities that can offer
them a subsistence, if nothing more.
Even this will be severe tax upon the
generosity of the people, land will try the
wisdom of the authorities to the utmost.
The emergency is one of the near
future; it is almost present. 1t is sim
cerely to be hoped that it will be met i'll
becoming spirit of generosity, and
that the suffering. which now seems
inevitable as result of the peculiar
economic condition of the city. will be
reduced to the minimum.