The record-union., 1893-10-02
THE UNEMPLOYED AND COUNTY
POLICY.

The arrival in this city of nearly a
hundred unemployed men tramping
through the country without means of
livelihood cannot but excite the sympa-
thies of the humane. Let it. be granted
that many of these men are idle from
choice, that many of them are loafers and
will be nothing else. still there are some
among them who have been driven to
hard lines by cruel circumstances; some
who are neither rum -bibers nor thieves,
and who are entitled TO aid from the
charitably disposed. But while our
sympathies may go out to these un-
fortunates, we must apply the true rule of
charity and look to it that our own
worthy unemployed are not crowded
from the chances of obtaining work by
reason of this incursion.
We have enough in our own county,
who make their homes here. who have
families dependent upon them and who
are willing to do full days work at any
time, to engage all our attention. 1t is
for this reason, for one thing, that the
county convention of October 18th has
been called. That body is to meet for the
sole purpose of considering plans to
utilize the labor of the unemployed upon
greatly needed permanent public high
ways, and thus secure the expenditure
and circulation in this county of a large
sum Of money with permanent returns.
The best way to help any man is to aid
him to help himself, and there is no work
that can now be so speedily set in opera
tion and that will give such immediate
return as road building. 1t is work that
the late State Road Convention unani-
people of a county, those in cities and
towns as we'll as agriculturists. II is q
mistake to say that the roads are the
farmers. They are, at least as to main
highways, as much the concern of the
residents of this city as of those of ou1
citizens who live without city bound
aries.
Every man, be he merchant or me-
chanic, is equally interested with the
farmer in the means of transportation be-
tween country and town being of the
very best. If it is profit and comfort for
with least expenditure of time and motive
power, and the largest capacity for his
teams and vehicles, it is of just as much
interest to the city dweIler to have him do
so. What will better rural interests will
enhance trade and profitable employment
in the city. Whatever will invite desira-
ble population, augment values, encour-
age legitimate investment and expendi-
ture, and promote agricultural prosperity,
municipality to which the country is
tributary.
Now, II 1t can be shown, as we are con-
ident can be done, that the borrowing oi
$250,000 on county credit for long term
will insure US permanent roads, and that
all the recounted benefits will follow in
their wake, and that this loan may be re-
paid, with interest, by an annual tax dis
tributed throughout all the county, for
less, or considerably less, than is now i'm
posed upon the agriculturists annually
for patchwork on roads that cannot give
US the desired results indicated, then it is
true economy to make the investment.
But added to this consideration is the
other Of giving to our unemployed fair
work at fair wages during trying sea-
son, and putting into local circulation
the sum of money mentioned, which will
go the rounds and relieve local strin.
gency. But of course if such scheme is
carried out-and it is not new one, bui
has been successful elsewhere-it must bt
written into the contracts for such per.
manent works, that our own citizens whC
are unemployed shall be given the work
to do; that it shall be done under the di.
rection of skilled road builders, and thai
Nhe money shall be disbursed according
to plans prepared by them and approved
by the people, and drawn to secure fol
the county the very earliest and best pos