The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-07-07
AS TO THE UNEMPLOYED.

Icapital of the nation and the attempt
of host of imitators to copy the con-
ceit, exaggerated greatly in the public
mind the magnitude of the masses of
the unemployed. We do not wish to
beittle the distress which has been
felt throughout the land nor lessen the
Importance of the question Of provid-
| ing work for all who are willing to
labor. But we desire that the truth as
it is shall be understood without en-
largement or diminution.
The Coxeyite movement is an unmis-
taxable failure. 1t was wrong in its
conception, a blunder in it's execution
and is almost vanished cloud upon
the national sky. Facts are coming to
light which show that a large proper
ton of the so-called armies, pretending
to be workingmen unable to obtain
employment, We're veritable tramps I'M
willing to work at any price. Others
wanted high wages and short hours at
a choice of labor. and failing in those
considerations, would rather join the
'industrials" and make a fuss. 1t is
also clear that work was ready for
thousands OF those trampers in the ag-
ricultural districts, but they would not
perform it. And the opportunities tc
labor have increased with the progress
of the year 1894, as set forth in the Re
view of Reviews for July
The opening paper in that valuable
magazine, as one mark of ''the progress
of the world treats of "The Vanish
ing Hosts of the Unemployed' in the
/ following encouraging remarks, which
we commend to the notice Of the pes
simists who still croak over the terribly
hard times:
We are inclined to accept CERTAIN evil
! dences that have come 10 our notice
which indicate that turn of the tide
! OF business affairs will soon b. apparent
IN all quarters. a return OF Industrial
prosperity after d period of depression
almost always comes without 5bserN a.
| ton. The good times are upon us even
| while we are still imagining ourselves
IN the midst Of bad times. Our readers
| Will remember that, with perhaps more
| care and thorOughness than any other
| journal in the country the Review OF
| Reviews in the winter and spring took
occasion TO ascertain to what extent
men We're out of employment in the
| principal American centres of popula.
! ton and industry, and what measures
had been devised for the relief of the
unemployed. We have now, just before
lsending this number to press, again
received direct and authorize tive infGr.
nation from nearly all the cities men.
toned in our discussion of relief meas.
ures early in the present year. W.
shall not attempt to report in detail
| but we are glad to be able to state
| that almost everywhere il was found
! possible several weeks ago to abandon
| all special relief measures, and to dis
band the citizens committees under
| which relief was administered ir
most of the large towns. Our Philadel
! phia informant, Mr.. McWade of the
/ Public Ledger, who is one of the officers
| of the citizens permanent relief com
mittee, assures us that after expendine
! over $143, 900, the committee has closed
| its work with balance on HAND
amounting to more than $12, 900. Mr.
McWade gives US the very striking in.
| formation that the recent opening OF
mills, factories furnaces and manufac
turing establishments in general, has
! given employment to more than $4,000
| persons, the greater part of whom haC
| been dependent upon the relief commit.
| tee for help. He declares that "the
committees work would have been KEEP
UP during the summer months hat
there been any necessity for it; bu
matters have improved in almost every
direction" From the New England
towns. where important relief measures
We're necessary, we have received very
encouraging reports This is particu
| larly true as regards such manufacture
| ing places as Lynn, Cambridge, Spring
| field and Providence. The numbers Of
| the unemployed in Boston last winter
were Yariously estimated, as our read
ers will remember, but all reports made
the total very great indeed. In re-
Spouse to our inquiry as to the existing
condition, we have received the follow
| ing terse and satisfactory answer from
| Mayor Matthews: 'In reply to YOU
letter 1 would say that the relief work
| is all ended, as well as the necessity
for it." This short sentence speaks
volumes for the capacity of American
| industry to absorb labor temporarily
out of employment.