The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-13
a REJorsDEK rRom MIR. LAMB.


ne Denies kmployment Agents Impu-
tations and Hits Rack at Them
The statements made by G. W. Crane
and John Rae in an interview in last
Wednesdays Posr-ISrELLreEScKR in re-
gard to the reported abuses in the man
agement of employment agencies TO the
effect that the free employment Office Of
the city was being run by Labor Commits
sioner Lamb in the interest and IT the
dietation Of the Western Central Labor
Union, have called forth q vigorous re-
joinder from that gentleman in the shape
OF communication 10 the Posr-ISTKLLI-
sEScER Mr.. Lamb writes:
ITO THE EDITOR: / would not ask for
space in your columns TO answer the
statements of Messrs. Crane and Rae
printed in your issue of August s were IL
not for the fact that this is q public con-
troversy in which thousands of people in
Seattle feel deep interest.
The feeling against these employment
agents Is universal, bitter and just. They
have been accorded the privilege of doing
business by the city, and they have TO \
shocking extent abused this privilege.
The investigation of these abuses, while
perfectly proper as q basis of public action.
is needless formality as a means of es-
taollshing the fact OF these abuses. The
fact itself IS notorious. Every one knows
II. and il is a waste of time to try to es-
taolish tact that every one knows al
ready.
ITO begin with, the statement of these
gentlemen that the crusade against them
emanated from the Western Central Labor
Union is uosh. That organization, as
matter Of course. Endorsed it, but the be-
ginning of the matter was the successive
lodgment of complaints at the free en-
ploynient office By persons who claimed to
have been imposed upon by the paw
offices. 1t Is true that was Endorsed for
the position of labor commissioner by the
Western Central Labor Union, but from
the day OF that Endorsement until the pres
emit that organization has not interfered
directly or indirectly with me or the office
In any manner whatever. As matter of
fact, | am absolutely ignorant as TO
whether single man whom l have sent
out belongs to a labor organization or not.
No man but an idiot would attempt to run
public Office in such a way. II would be
ruined in two months. In sending out
men / consider but two things-their
character and competency; nor do | test
their character and competency bv the
fact OF their having or not having 81 bill.
''As to,the claim that it is 'uDgenerous
for the city to try 10 crowd them out of
business can only say that, considering
the nature of their business their plea is a
painful mixture OF tragedy and comedy
winch W0uld certainty cause Us 10 weep III
II did not make us smile.
las to the fine Italian hand which they
claim TO have discovered, it is sufficient TO
say that IL is one OF those morbid mental
pictures that arise IN the brains OF
hypochondriacs and others who have
eaten of the insane ROOF that takes the rea-
son prisoner 1t has no foundation in
fact, and fact is always better 10 build
upon than an apprehension without the
fac.. 1t is true that employers would not
tolerate such work, aud. without the
patronage OF employers, the office would
soon be failure.
AS to the written guarantee given by the
agents to refund the fee in case work is
not secured. il may truly be said that this
so-ealled guarantee is fearfully and
wonderfully made. As a document in
tended for serious use it is poser 1t
purports to sell information and, few
lines further on, disclaims responsibility
II the information is not correct. Why
not sell misinformation at once and be
done with itR OF what value is informa-
ton unless ic be correctf Admitting that
the agent has sold information and Is will
ing to return the fee, why should he not
also pay for the time and expenses of the
man whom he has sent nosing about
through the woods in search of Elysian
logging camps which do not exist this
side of Paradise?
AS these offices are at present con-
Quoted there is nothing TO prevent them
from running troops OF men out to any
deadbeat, either with or without 'divvy,'
at 81 head, and when called to task set
up the excuse that they are not supposed
to know anything about the standing of
the men who order help. 1t Is notorious
that they take advantage of this immunity
TO beat laborers under pretense of finding
them jobs. The burden OF proof devolves
on the victim, and lis needless TO say that
penniless men can not follow case
through the courts for a matter of 81 or S.
THE restraint of public abuses must
come from On active public conscience, or
il will not come at all. A nation is
doomed when the moral sense OF its people
has fallen so low that they are Indifferent
to the sufferings and wrongs of their fell
lows, however humble, however helpless
If because the victims of a system are
poor and wretched their rights are ignored
or forgotten in the absorbing struggles of
the rich and powerful, then has that COM
munity begun to rot at the base, however
gaudy may be its plumage at the ton.
Can not the moral and thinking people of
Seattle pause for a moment to protect
from imposition and wrong at the hands
of sharpers the poor, the ignorant, the un-
fortunate and the helpless9