St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-22
THE C|Ir'S UNEMPLOYED.
4 COMMITTEE REPRESENTING 5000
MEN Calls ON MAYOR EUS7iS.
AN INTERESTING CONFERENCE.

Resolutions to the Mayor, Which
c:l-The Men Must Have Aid
or They Will Starve-A Serious
Situatian-i'raciic Sugges.
tiOns by the Committee.
| The mass meeting on Haymarket
| square last Saturday morning appointed
a committee consisting of the following
gentlemen, whose duty it would be to
call on the mayor in the interest of the
unemployed of the city: DR.. s. W..
Sample, j. ii. Pierce, w. A. Hampton.
Arthur Keep. Emil Writ, DR.. E. f.
Clark. W. e. Gibbons. o. L. Erickson.
| S. A. Stockwell and Sumner Ladd. This
committee, with the exception of 0. L.
Erickson. called upon the mayor yesler-
| day afternoon.
The conference was an interesting
one. DR.. Sample acted as chairman,
and pre- scented the wishes OF the COM
mittee TO Mayor Eustis. I'VE repre-
sent" he said, 5000 men of Minneapo-
| lis who have no employment and are
sadly in need Of work. They are not
trampS, nor buns, nor wanderers. but
hardworking men, who must have work
in order to keep themselves and families
from starving. We represent no party
or organization. 1t is true that the mass
of the workingmen. the laOnrcrs, must
earn during the summer enough 10 sup
port themselves and their families
during the winter We are here in
behalf of flesh aud blood. Relief is
needed this summer, and ii We do not
get it the times neXt winter will be
harder than they were the one just
passed We know that the burden of
taxation is heavy on the people. but the
burden of empty StOmachS is heavier
and terrible.
"While we realize the technicalities
| that stand in the way OF giving the
unemployed employment, yet we are
sure the emergency calls for the getting
around of these technicalties. The
starving men. women and children must
be cared for i'll some way, so we come
to you and the council"
A lengthy discussion followed. The
mayor stated that the cause represented
by the committee was . good and Just
one, and he SympathiZed with it. as did
every good citizen, but the question
was IL practical one as we'll as tleOret-
ical one
The city," said the mayor, has only
so much work TO be done. and it cannot
go beyond the limit. l have absolutely
no responsibility in the premises. The
matter lies entirely with the council
and aldermen. l am OF tine opinion the
aldermen are giving out all the work
they can, as are the commissioners who
hoy mar n,lyn an fI1 nit hall
ami court house"
Yes" remarked DR.. Sample at this
point: but are the hands of the city SO
tied that she must see half of her popu-
latlon Starye? l am of the opinion it is
better to give out work than charity,
for charity III many instances is demon.
aliZing."
A number of the committeeman made
speeches during the conference. and
the result was that the mayor agreed to
submit the resolutions given him by the
committee to the council with certain
recommendations of his own. The res
olutions submitted to him by the com
mlttee are as follows:
TO His Honor William Il. Eustis,
Mayor of Minneapolis.
Sir: We, the committee delegated by
mass meeting of citizens of this city
held at Haymarket square on Saturday
morning, May -. 1891, herewith present
to your honor copy of the resolutions
adopted by said mass meeting. as fol-
lows:
Whereas. 1t being well-known fact
that the laboring men of this city must
earn enough i'll the summer months to
sustain them during the winter; and
Whereas, The people of this CITY have
just come through severe winter. in
which work was scarce and wages low,
thereby causing much want and misery;
and
Whereas, Said severe circumstances
have i'll most cases led to the spending
of the savings Of the people, and in
other cases to their running in debt;
and
Whereas, There are at present many
men out of employment. and there
seems no hope Of employment for them
in the future unless means be provided
to furnish them work: therefore. be it
Resolved, That we. citizens of Mimne-
apoliS, i'll mass meeting assembled, do
urge and request the mayor to send a
communication to the city council rec
ommending that measures be passed for
as many public improvements as posi-
bic; and. be it further
Resolved, That all work which may
luti0ns shall be done without the inter-
vention OF contractors, but by the city
direct.
We further present for your further
consideration. and kindly ask you to
submit 10 the city council, the following
suggestions adopted by this committee
in session this day:
That the wages paid common laborerS
in the employ of the city be increased
to 81 per diem of ten hours. the men to
work five hours per day, and receive
therefor 81, the additional laborers
needed 10 be secured from among the
unemployed, who shall be residents of
the city; heads of families to be- given
preference. and no favoritism to be
shown; the names of the unemployed
to be furnished to the council by the
various committees now at work en-
rolling the same. And that the city
comptroller be authorized to pay said
employees weekly, each Saturday.
That the practice of annulling special
assessments be discontinued and the
work covered thereby be ordered DONE
While we realize that the payment of
| this tax will be burden upon the pay
ers i'll these times of depression, we fur
| ther realize that the needs OF hunger
are more urgent. That investigation lie
maze as 10 the amounts or money on
hand in the various city funds avail
able, and the expenditure of such
| money be Immediately begun.
That there is need of additional sew
| erage in Elwelfs addition. and new
| pavement Oh Hennepin and Nicollet
| avenues and other streets in the bust
ness center of the city. And if there is
no money with which TO carry on this
work, the ACCESSIBILITY be considered of
issuing city certificates in payment
| therefor which certificates shall he re