The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-16
ABOUT THE UNEMPLOYED.


AS we dislike to deny any one a
hearing when he has a grievance, or
desires to say something for the bene-
fit of the public, we give place by re-
quest, to the following, which was de-
clined publication by our morning con-
temporary. We have made no change
| in it except to erase the name of an
individual with whom the writer of
Inc letter seems to be in dispute. The
Herald cannot spare space in it's col
umns for personal quarrels, and those
who engage in them may as we'll save
themselves the trouble of writing them
up for The Herald, because they will
invariably go into the waste basket,
unless their purport happens to be
overlooked. The following communica-
ton may as well close the controversy
on the subject touched upon:
Some explanation is undoubtedly
necessary regarding the last meeting
OF the unemployed at he Walker Pa
Vllion. The first two meetings were
undoubtedly
some good. But when it was left en-
urely in the hands of the working
classes, through want of knowledge of
circumstances of the case, they made
middle of it. That resolution to
lamalgamate the three committees into
one, and that one was a sad mistake,
as well as that useless parade of work
ling men to the Legislature. At best
| II was only piece of demagogism
Of thN a,.t T
TOOK in opposing that resolution, 1
may say that it was impracticable in
the llfSt place, and uncharitable in the
second. Every honest, unprecedented
and thoughtful workingman knows.
ana knows full well, the difficulties
those committees had to contend with.
ana, as one of the UNEMPLOYED nv
self, and speaking for hundreds Of
others, may say that we are grateful
Tor the interest which others have
taken IN our welfare. The Young La
dleS Aid society, the Relief committee
as well as Bamberger's committee and
mat at the Galena block, [ believe
nave ali done their very best to relieve
the distress which existed in this city.
ana as one of the legislative commit
tee appointed by that mass meeting on
the first occasion, on retiring from that
committee, ! consider it to be my duty
! 10 make few observations upon the
existing condition of things as regards
the unemployed
In the first place it was utterly i'm
possible to find work for all the l1nem-
ployed OF this city. Many men made
complaints because they could not get
work, and thought they were not get
ting their regular turn of work. Others
again were taking every advantage by
giving false information and entering
IN different names at different places.
| strangers also We're rushing into the
city, many of them lazy, worthless
characters, and lied as to their resi-
ldence here, and unfortunately they
look a great deal of work from the
bona fide residents
All this was difficult to contend with.
The various committees had indeed a
very arduous task to perform, and for
which they deserve the praise of the
people for whom they worked. In re-
gard to the soup house, many work
ingmen have said to- me that it did
more harm than good; it brought into
TINS city all the tramps, etc, from sur
rounding places. And again, others
lhave said, What shall we do. now
they have closed the soup house ?
There is not work for us all; we must
Ieither beg or steal" So you see how
difficult it is. to please every one
MY sentiments are these: Give Salt
Lake work to bona fide residents here.
land let those tramps and outsiders live
upon the soup house. 1t is better so
than they should beg their food from
door to door, and sometimes insulting
| the giver Hundreds of tramps have
rushed into this city the last few weeks
and we ought to be careful that they
do not get that work which ought to
be given to deserving citizens.
Yours, etc,
JOHN STJRRS