The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-18
WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED.

. DR.. Stanton Colt, lately head of the
University Settlement in New York, writes
in the May Forum an article fayoring the
employmeutOf Idle men IN works Of pub
REINFORCEMENT TO be undertaken at State
or municipal expense. His argument is
that the State or the cities could easily
borrow the money required at "a low rate
of interest aud that the works constructed
would add SO much 20 the comfort aud
convenience Of future generations that
they could we'll afforj to bear the taxation
necessary to meet the interest on the
bonds He estimates that an expenditure
of $50, 600, 600 in New York would make
that city as clean and as comfortable and
as beautiful as Paris or Berlin, and he
reckons thatan outlay of So 000, 900 in q
period OF six months, and corresponding
outlay in other cities of 100000 population
or over. would give work TO all the unem-
ployed and would start the wheels OF COM
merce once more. lie illustrates his mean
ing by referring to the extensive system of
public works which were undertaken in
Lancashire to relieve tbs distress caused
by the cotton famine of 1876. The dis
tresS was relieved, and the people of Lam
cashire do not complain Of the extra tax
alton which it has involved.
On the other hand. DR.. MEG. Means
argues that the construction of public
works on a magnificent scale would be a
compulsory waste OF capital, which might
lead to the bankruptcy of cities now fairly
solvent He denies that the volume of
unemployed labor is as large as is sup
posed. and points in proof hereof that the
n6u n MI Of in una
tons in excess of consumption in l 892. He
asserts that the recent distress among
wage-earners was partly due to the med
ding OF Government, and partly to the
resistance of the working class to the
shrinkage of wages caused by q general
reduction in values Taking New York as
an example. DR.. Means argues that the
chief distress has been among persons en-
ployed in the building trades. whose unions
maintain wages at the figures of the boom
period. His idea is that matters will right
themselves presently on a readjusted scale
OF labor values, and that it will then be
found that, taking the country through,
private EMPLOYERS will have work TO give
to all industrious applicants, and that in
the meantime the charity organizations
should bestir themselves to relieve all cases
OF genuine distress.
We d. net know how it would be in New
York. but in San Francisco a proposition
to mortgage the future for ten or twelve
millions OF dollars for the construction of
works of improvement which are not
needed would not command popular as
sent. The present generation is not pre-
pared to take burden on its shoulders for
the benefit of future generations. And the
bare proposition to embark in such a
policy would be so fragrant of Doodle that
it could not get any support outside of tn
ranks of the City Hall boodlers and the
contractors. The mouths of the "preda-
tory rich" would water at the prospect:
politicians would see fortunes in embeI-
lishments, and the class of sturdy beggars
who cannot work ia the heat Of the day in
orchards. but insist that society owes
every man living. would enjoy a fore
taste OF a lazy paradise.
The cardinal flaw In the argument of the
Industrial Armies and their confederate
in Congress is surprising that providence
has charge of the idle, the shiftess, the
short-sighted aud the helpless, and that
when beefsteak does not drop into the
lazy plate something is rotten in the con-
dition of Denmark. The truth is that the
conditions OF life are constantly fiuctuat-
ing; sometmesa little work ensures a good
living, sometimes a great deal of work
barely secures good living; at times there
is not labor enough TO 60 round, at other
times there is more labor than can be
placed without energy and git-up-and-git:
sometimes the man of toll commands high
wages and sometimes he has to stir round
to get any wages at all. These vicissitudes
are in the nature of things, and men Of
sense willacceDt them as they come, with
out pulling and getting help from Govern
meut, which after all is only committee
of the wage-earners themselves There
was once a man who. after trying many
shifts TO make both ends meet and failing
in all, turned to his companion and groanei
despairingly: Now, Providence, mend
ALL! Nay" replied the companion, who
was tough old Scotchman, I'VE must
helm him to mend II -