The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-07
sg4rTLE. srsDAI. JAs 2.
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Inc Reports OF the s&sSAtaNS me1sEsEs
OF charitable relief associations in all the
Rrea. cities Of the East comment upon
the fact that worthless. indoient profess
sional tramrs form AZ least one-fourth OF
the persons who apply for aid they have
no business within the city limits. bat
they come in with the idea that they can
live on the provision made for deserving
persons, and can hare comfortable sin-
ter without work.
In New York city these vagabouds come
30 the charitable relief association rooms
where the tieget books provide that for
ore ticket = homeless man can receive
supper, lodging. a bath. and also have his
clothes samigatei. These vagabonds viii
take the supper willingly. and afterwards
apply for permission 70 go out 10 smoke:
then they disappear.
The secretary OF the Central Relief and
AID Association in Chicago reports that
food and lodgings we're rendered 90 so
men on condition of their doing three
hours work on the streets. Only 37s were
willing TO comply with the condition: the
remaining l.is6 preferred 10 take their
chances of getting food and shelter for
nothing. Just one-fourth of the unem-
psoyed are willing 10 work." Is the conciu-
sion of the secretary from this experiences.
eve have been perfect idiots In our man
ner Of bestowing charity" he adds.
In New Haven, Conn.,. . woodward was
established where men might work and
receive cash 20 pay for food. One hun
dred men seeking aid were directed to this
yard. Less than twenty Of the hundred
visited the place, and OF these all but two
the opportunity for work. As one man,
they refused to labor. complaining that
the wood was too hard" the sticks 'too
crooked" or the tools defective.
These facts make it very plain that there
Is large element in the population of the
East which Is too lazy to work IL IL Is pos
sible to get food and shelter without work.
II this class Is large at present. 1t would
become Of enormous proportions IL We
once accept the principle of the resolution
Endorsed by the American Federation of
Labor recently at Chicago that 1t Is the
business of the state to provide for every
mans wants; that society must furnish
him with work IL he is willing TO work,
and with food whether he is willing TO
work or not.
Once accept this principle that II is the
business of the state TO provide for every
mans WAITS and there would be no dread
fpoverty to make men and women work !:
there would be no feeling of senslbiity to
the present social stigma which rests upon
those who are not willing TO work in order
% eat. Given q social system where the
person, who will not work. need have no
fear that he will suffer distress or disgrace.
and little work would be done Atari recent
meeting Of delegates from labor unions
held in New York city il was voted by a
great majority that whomsosver the city
employed 1t should employ st the rate of
wages the unions demanded for that class
of work. In the same spirit one of the
speakers said: eve ara going to be par
ticular. too. about the work We get. There
are tallors out Of work They must n OF hs
put to building bridges and making roads
and parks"
OF New York provide. work In an emer.
eency, solely 10 remove distress, these
labor unions demand that the city shall
pay the highest wages extoTted by the
unions from their employers in the most
prosperous times. The experience of the
present winter Is likely TO make the think
Ing men Of the East heartily siek OF So
ciatisn. The greatest OF the apostles.
Paul, in one of bis epistles TO the Thesss-
lonisns, breaches a sound sermon when
he sAyss
"kor yourselves know how re oaeht 10
initiate as; for we behaved not ourselves
dssorsierly among yea; neither did NC ca.
bread Tor nooght AZ any mans hand bur
w labor and travail. working night and
day. that we might net burden any OF
you; NOT because sc have not the right
euf TO make ourselves an ensampls unto
yon, that ye shoald initiate U.s. For even
when We were with ven. this we com
nAndsd you. II any Will not work.
neither let him eat