The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-11
Tacoma Unemployed Follow the
"Ledger'ss Bad Example.
WANT TO LOOT THE TREASURY.
The Council Orders Warrant Buying
With City Money stopped.
Samuel Ccliyer. Cashier OF Nelson Ben
nsst's Wrecked Eank. Indicted for
Selling . wersaiess Dran-ceansy
Grand Jnry Negiecssng Its Duty.

hASoEs, reo- H. -- pcckass - James
6ordan appeared hsfore the city council
last evening and demanded that S. 600 he
immediately drawn from the city treas
ury and s. paid 20 each of 800 nnem-
ployed whom he represented. Gordan.
addressing the council. with the lobby
crowded with 100 unemployed, said
Il will not be responsible fer what may
occur II this s. for one week il not dis
tripnted at once. The board Of puhlie
works reports that 500 men have regis
lAe men viii not starve. The money is
in the treasury. lie. il be paid out, s. for
one week to each man.
The unemployed held mass meeting
before coming 10 the council chamber.
Gor6an embodied his views in the form OF
resolution. which was read by Council
man Grstsan. Ii was referred TO the city
attorney for sn opinion as TO its legality,
that being an easy means of dodging the
issue. as some Of the corncilmen were in
favor of taking severe measures to put
stop to this sort Of demand upon IL, mas
much rs IL Was held to be detrimental TO
the city TO have such acts made known
throughout the land. Thessremarks were
not announced in The hearing Of the nn-
employed, however.
Mr.. Gordan says he was formerly a
councilman in Boston from tho Fifth
ward. and when Ben Butter told him
twelve years ago that the world was drift
ing To the present pass. where men were
out of work and starving he didn't brlieve
it. He Is a Scotehman, with Popuiisi
ideas. He has been In the beer bo,tling
business here, and has been several times
arrested tor selling liquor without IL
cense
To reporter OF the Tacoma bureau of
the PosT-ISrELIisEScER Gordan. speaking
for the unemployed, said:
"The officials, our servants. as you
might say, do nothing bat hasgle. They
are holding back the money which cught
10 be distributed Among the people. They
are boarding up the money to keep this
detestable ring in power. They are hold.
ing back the money, keeping IL away from
the laboring men. Men can get no work.
l would not wonder II some great mis-
chief would follow this vary night il the
81 for one week 10 not turned ovar to them.
They will not starve entirely. They will
live. This financial trouble 10 not alone
in this country. II extends all over the
world. When / was councilman in Bos-
ton. from the Fifth ward. Ben Butler lived
near me, and had many talks with him.
He foreshadowed the present trouble
twelve years ago. conldn't believe it
then"
When asked If the unemployed would
rob or steal or break into storehouses. or
what not, IL they did not get the 81, Mr..
Gordan intimatsd that they would secure
food in some way. but predicted nothing
wos sc. He did not seem intent upon in
sisting on the 81 at once after he was told
the matter would be referred to the city
attorney. Then 1t will have to 60 over
until next week" he said. After Mai.
Graftan had read Gordan's resolution ask
ing formally for the e per head for the un
employed. he said, turning 10 Cord an:
Want this this evening. Mr.. Gordan ?"
AS quick as possible" Gordan replied.
There was a ripple of laughter. which the
unemployed present did not seem to APP
preciate.
Gordan got up again--he was inside the
railing--and said:
This thing must not run along from
week 10 week and nothing done. Some
action must be taken right away"
Before making his demand for the 81 per
head for the unemployed the following
wss presented on behalf OF the unem-
ployed:
"wHEREas, IL has been clearly shown
and not denied thar the Daily Ledger has
been oscrcharging the city for work per
formed on contract and in violation OF
said contract. and.
.WHEaEAs. The regular contract price Is
In excess of what the same work could be
done for by other papers. thus entailing
an additional burden upon the taxpayers
in order TO sustain the aforesaid Ledger:
and,
"wHEsEas, We believe il to be the duty
OF All good citizens TO chech extravaganec
and rebuke dishonesty wherever found;
therefore. be IL
"Eesolued, That We, as citizens and tax
payers OF the city OF Tacoma. do hereby
demand that the city council Immediately
annul the contract of the said Daily Ledger
and readvertise for doing the city adyer-
tising- JAMES GoRDsS,
JAMES JOHNSON"
Ii was tabled. Later the opinion of City
Attorney Murray on the proposition 20
annui the Led9er's contract came up. The
oplnion seemed TO justify the sarcastic
aIiusion made last week BY Councilman
Harris. When the matter of annulling
the contract was referred 10 the city's legal
department Harris said; "That settles
H." And the attorney reported that there
was no legal question involved, aud there
upon Maj. Grattan declared that he had
not answered the question asked ~ all.
But after long wrsngIe the expressed
sense of the council was that the contract
be annniled, aud the vnots matter was
again referred to the city attorney and the
judiciary COMMITTEES for a report after
inquiring into tie legality of the PROPOSE
ton.
A resolution wss adopted ordering future
complaints of the unem mpioyed to be made
before the proper committee and not in