Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-05
UNEMPLOYED LABORERS.
Two Hundred Thousand Of Them Now in
Chicago.
An Interview With One Who Was
Bread Riots Feared Before Winter.

Mr.. A. N. Dewey. formerly editor Of the
official Journal OF the Knights Of Labor at
Philadelphia and at present employed In
the government printing Office has Just re-
turned from extended trip to Chicago
and the worlds fair. Speaking Of the re-
cent labor riots in that city Mr.. Dewey
said: THE working people of Chicago are
indeed in a most deplorable condition. /
met and talked with many of them and
their tales Of suffering would make angels
weep. The building incident 10 the fair
brought tens of thousands of worknen
from other cities, all Of whom seemed 20
prosper until the fair was completed. Then
they were idle. To add to the general dis
tress about that time the fnanci1l panic
commenced and there are now said to be
at least two hundred thousand unemployed
men and women in Chicago. Meetings of
labor organizations are being hell daily,
trying to devise ways and means 20 keep
their members and families from starving.
The unorganized workmen consregate on
the lake front and hold such meetings as
you have been reading about during the
last two weeks I attended two Of these
meetings and must say that when their
condition Is taken into account the speeches
were moderate and the counsel generally
given was wise. Occasionally a hungry
man would suggest that they make n raid
on a fruit stand or a grocery store in an
found many willing followers, but the po-
lice were able to check any serious out
break
Bread Riots Feared.
'Unless the mills and factories are opened
and the unemployed of Chicago furnished
with some means whereby they nay be
enabled to provide for their families pretty
soon I fear that city will witness Sc
rious bread riots before snow flies. And It
Is not the so-called anarchists who will
do II, either. Much of the rot sent out
from that city about the red flag element
Is purely sensational and without founda-
ton In fact. There are a goody number
Of them In Chicago, but they are not IN
control of the labor organizations and VIII
not be permitted to create disturbances in
the name of labor. The governor Of the
state has called a special session Of the
legislature to consider the advisabi'ity Of
undertaking great public improvements on
the highways of the state for the purpose
of giving employment to labor. Several
labor organizations. notably the Topographic
cal union. have fixed rule allowing men
to work but four days a week. thereby CIV
ing an opportunity to others to earn some
thing. This Is a ccmmendable and practi-
cal way of affording relief and might we'll
be followed elsewhere.
No Extortion at the Fair.
THE worlds fair? Words cannot de-
scribe my appreciation of the exposition.
wonderful in its execution. I douDt IL any
other city in America could have done so
well with 1t. With hundreds Of thousands
of visitors daily there is no crowding. and
all the details Of administration seem to
move like clockwork. Hotel rates are as
reasonable as IN Washington ami there is
no extortion, even on the grounds. While
liquor Is sold DID not see a single case of
drunkenness. nor a single disturbance of
any kind. The average attendance of less
than twenty thousand on Sunday Is a Gis-
appointment to me, for the rea son that
always advocated that the gates be kept
open on that day for the benefit of Chi
cago artisans. who do not appear to ap-
preciate their opportunity to see the fair
without being compelled to lose time rom
their employment 1t Is accounted for in
part By the fact that most OF .herl now
have all the time they want and more too
and having no work. are without the
necessary means.
One Criticism.
ct have one criticism to offer of the fair
management. The official catalogue is so
full of errors and blunders as to render It
well nigh useless. Many of the foreign ex-
hibits have separate catalogues of their
own and the two sets of numbers are also
confusing. Some exhibits cataIoy,ed are
not on the grounds at all, while others are
not IN the division or section indicated.
Either the preparation of copy or the proof
tSoons Is posilVeiy PAD, and altogether
the work seemed to me very ,,nsartsfac-
tory. On the other hand. the official guide
DOCKS appeared to be about all thai could
be desired and the price 25 cenIs) is not un-
reasonable But taking 1t all together the
fair Is to my mind a great success and no
american citizen can afford 20 miss seeing
u mad formed an exalted opinion of the
exposition before leaving Washington, but
CONFESS that had really no conception OF
Its magnitude or dazzling splendor A view
OF the electrical building at night would
alone repay any one the cost Of the trip to
chicago. 1t Is simply wonderful"