The herald., 1893-11-01
TWO SOLUTIONS OF TRR SURPLUS
LABOR QUESTION.

Governor Markham contributed an ar
ticle to last Sundays Examiner in which
he deals with the labor question, and
how we should treat the great number OF
unemployed who are now in our midst.
He takes substantially the position that
charity begins at home, and that our
leading aim ought 10 be to provide for
our own unemployed. This lie doubtless
true, although it has very narrow and
selfish look. He thinks, and this is
true, that something ought to be done
to notify working people from abroad
that there is no use in their hurrying
to the coast in search of employment,
and gospel truth is not stronger than
this proposition. But it is about as
easy to stop the flow of the Mississippi
river, or to dam Niagara, as to prevent
the mad rush of those who have neither
work, food nor shelter, to the pleasant
lands of California.
We have them, and will continue to
have them. on our hands. That is sure.
And the question is, "What Shall We
DO With Them?" in the spirit of the
refrain of one Of Bulwer's novels. While
it is very true, as Governor Markham
argues, that the preference should be
given to the workingmen of California,
notably to those with families. we cer-
tsinly cannot permit the unfortunate
wanderers to this state to sterve, nor
viii they consent to stsrve. The mere
fact that they come from abroad in no
whit diminishes the claims of com mon
humanity, whether man halls from
Maine or Washington or Colorado.
There is scarcely any point in telling
him not to come here, for he is here
already. The plans which are suggested
with regard to this army of tramps are
as various as those which have been ac-
tually put in practice. The people of
Fresno were helped out in their solution
OF the problem by the circumstance that
they were surrounded by raisin vine
yards, and could replace the Chi
naman by the Caucasian wanderer.
In San Francieco the genus "hardup"
is encamped in multitudes on the new
postoffice site, and depends on the soup
houses for his rejection. The general
plan is to start him toward Los Angeles,
Arizona and Texas. Here, when he
arrives, we feed him, give him our bene-
diction and start him on his way re-
joicing, bidding him 60 anywhere so
that only he may happily relieve us OF
his presence. The railway officials are
uaru acoomp, ,cdo @ fino i,.l laftirp HI m n a No
the use OF their freight trains and brake
beams. What becomes of these poor
fellows when they at last reach Arizona
or Texas the good Lord only knows.
Governor Markham is not the only
parsonage who has plan for solving
the labor question. Mr.. Arthur Me-
Even comes forward in the San Fran
cisco Wave with the suggestion that the
right way to dispose of the supersbund-
ant laboring man is to chloroform him.
This ie intended for sardonic joke, and
ie in questionable taste. According to
McEwen, each municipality ought to
provide itself with lethal chamber,
and put the man who cannot find the
wherewithal to live to painless death.
This is something in the line of the
Duchess of Lambale, who fourshed at
the time OF the first French revolution.
This lady, on being told that the people
were starving, remarked, ''Let them eat
grass" The head of the beautiful
duchess. with her long, streaming
blonde hair, made particularly strik
ing spectacle as the mob carried it
through the streets of Paris.
The surplus labor question is forcing
itself with great pereistency upon the
attention of all right minded people.
Some humane solution must be found
for it, and it will doubtless engage the
active interest of our best minds. Like
Banuuo's ghost, it will not down. He
who shall succeed in striking the right
solution OF the difficulty will be easily
the fret benefactor OF the age.