Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-10
THE UNEM PLOYED
The Commissioners Propose a Scheme
Of Public Improvements.
4 SUBSTITUTE FOR The PETER BILL
A Report Sent Today to the Sem
ate District Committee.
A PROPOSED BOND ISSUE

The District Commissioners today sent
| to the Senate District committee, addressed
| to Chairman Harris. a report on the bill
introduced by Senator PETER on the 25th
| of April, entitled "A bill to provide work
for the unemployed persons in the District
of Columbia" Senator PETERS bill provid-
| ed for joint committee composed of the
| two District committees of Congress, to
| lay out plans for the improvement OF the
grounds of the District by opening needed
| highways, improving existing ones. the
| construction of bridges. the opening of need
ed sewers, ETC., not including, however,
streets and sewers Of the city of Washing
ton. 1t provided for the employment of
persons within the District who had no
other present employment, ct wages of
81. so for eight hours work and made an
appropriation of 100000 to carry into
effect the provisions of the bill.
The Commissioners suggest a number of
| amendments to the PETER bill. in case it
should be considered by Congress, but send
with their report the draft of what they
urge as a substitute for the bill making
| provision for the execution of the plans
made for providing for sewage disposal in
| the District, and also for a comprehensive
| Improvement of the highways OF the Dis
| trict, and in lieu of direct appropriation
from the treasury propose that the expense
be betrayed from the proceeds of an issue
| of District bonds.
The Commissioners' Letter
The letter of the Commissioners to Sena-
| tor Harris says:
THE Commissioners of the District of CO.
lumbia have the honor to return herewith
Senate bill No. 1851, which was referred to
| them for examination and report, and hav-
ing considered the same. report thereon as
| follows: =
The object Of this bill is to provide work
for unemployed persons within the District
| OF Columbia by constructing in that portion
| or said District without the limits of the
| city OF Washington a good and permanent
| system OF highways. bridges and sewers.
The accomplishment of both OF these ends
Is very desirable, and merits the unqualified
approval of the Commissioners. Whatever
doubt there may be to the propriety of
the government undertaking to provide
work for the people a matter of general
policy, there can be no question in the opin-
ion of the Commissioners. as to the wisdom
OF doing work of such importance and press
ing necessity as that contemplated by this
DILL at time when the incidental benefit
to the unemployed would be greater than
ever before. The necessity for the work has
been recognized by the Commissioners in
every one OF their annual reports for sew
eral years; it is being continually pressed
upon their attention and the attention Of
the appropriation committees Of both houses
of Congress by citizens of the District and
by the bad sanitary condition OF the more
thickiy settled portions of the suburbs
which is a continual menace to the public
health. Congress has recognized the neces-
sity OF the work in the passage of the high
way act and in the appropriation for the
construction of sections OF a great system
OF sewerage to drain this territory.
Amendments Suggested.
The following amendments are suggested
to make the bill operative and to conform
1t to existing law:
Change the title by substituting the fol-
| lowing; A bill to provide for the construc-
| ton OF roadways bridges and sewers In the
District of Columbia and carry out the pro-
visions of an act entitled An act to provide
permanent system of highways In Eiat
part OF the District of Columbia lying out
side of cities, approved March >, 1898
Strike out in section all after the word
| Columbia, in line 3, to and including the
word already. in line 5; all after the word
| projected in line ). to and Including the
word like in line q all of said section after
the word Columbia in line H. to the end of
line Is; the word SHALL in line u all after
| the word at in line %, to and including the
word dinner, in line % and the words the
I money, in line 81, and insert the following:
After the word Columbia in line 8. the
| words outside of cities and to improve ex-
listing streets and highways and those here
after after the word projected in line 5,
the words under the highway act; after the
word opening. in line .. the words
| and extending after the word said
! after the word made in line u, the word
may; after the word at, in line q. the
words current wages after the word APP
| propriated,' in line 80, the words of which
| the sum of four hundred thousand dollars
! shall be Immediately available to carry out
| the provisions of the act to provide a per-
manent system of highways in that part of
| the District of Columbia lying outside of
| cities. approved March 2, 1888. and the resi-
| due and after the word and. in line 81, the
| words said residue. amounting to six hun
dred thousand dollars
THE most important amendment sug-
geSted Is the one striking out the provision
directing the Commissioners to employ such
persons within the District as have no other
present employment and who desire to work
| at a daily wage of one dollar and half for
eight hours.
The Rate Of Wages.
THE Commissioners are Of the opinion
that this provision, If enacted into law,
would result in great hardship to all en-
ployers of labor in the city of Washington
and in serious injury to public and private
interests. No such rate of wages has pre-
vailed in this part of the country. even in
prosperous times. One dollar for ten hours
work is the current rate in Washington on
all private work. and thousands of idle men
would be glad to work at this price If OPP
portunity were given. Other thousands are
gardeners In the District and in the adjacent
counties of Virginia and Maryland and by
contractors under contracts entered into
upon the basis of the present schedule of
wages. To establish by law now, and with
out notice the pay of common and unskilled
laborers at one dollar and half for eight
hours work, when there is nothing in the
Industrial condition of the country to justify
il, would ruin many contractors and en-
ployers of laborers here and in the adjoining
agricultural districts
Every laborer employed at a less rate
would Immediately demand the rate estab-
lished by this bill, and IL his demand should
not be acceded to would quit his present EN-
ployDent. Idle men and others employed at
a less rate elsewhere would flock into the
District in such numbers as to seriously
threaten public and private interests, and
thus aggravate the present suffering among
the vi employed-which the bill is intended
to relieve. Such proposition is full of
peril and mischief, and the Commissioners
cannot believe that 1t will be seriously en-
tertained by Congress.
Relieved, however, of this Objectionable
feature. the work proposed could be done
cheaper and with greater benefit to the pub
lie during the present period of financial de-
preston than at any other time. For these
reasons, and in view of its great impor-
lance and pressing necessity, the Commits
sioners feel compelled to urge the speedy