The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-16
HELP FOR THE LABoRER.

In spite Of the opposition to the bill
appropriating $4,000 for work on Cap
itol hill it has passed the legislature,
and we believe it will be signed by the
Governor We hope So The hostility
to its passage was not so much to the
relief it win afford to the unemployed,
as to the expenditure of money in
such a way that it will tend to fix
Salt Lake city as the capital of Utah.
It is true that some members from
the country districts or from cities
other than this, objected to territorial
money being spent for the Salt Lake
city poor. And yet a few OF them
would not have opposed the bill if it
had been so framed as to be charity
measure direct. But behind Vail that
was an indisIasition to confirm the
position Of Salt Lake city for the. cap
itol buildings of the new state
We do not think our friends from
Provo and the south will. accomplish
anything by such attempts to
strengthen their project for the re-
moval OF the capital We believe they
are wasting their time and strength
Salt Lake city is naturally the spot
for the state buildings and the state
capital, and we do not think 1t is
worth while to debate The question ser
iously. OF course if other folks please
to do so The Herald has no objection.
The sum of $1,000 will so "a great
way to help the unemployed in this
time of struggling to live 1t was
right to make the appropriation in the
way it was accomplished. 1t is public
money and it is to be expended for a,
public purpose. That principle ought
ever to be kept in view. The excava-
ton for the foundation of the capitol.
building can be commenced at once.
With the work provided by the city
and county it will give many idle
hands employment, and cause JOY in
many a now despairing household. At
the same time they will not receive.
the bread of charity" but will earn
what they get and there will be no
donation cut of the territorial treasury.
This suggests another idea. There is
too much of disposition all over this
country to demand and concede higher
prices for public work than for private
work. That we believe to be wrong in
principle and injurious in practice. Not
that we would advocate cutting down
wages below a proper figure, or TAX
ing advantage of the dull times to
make men work for starvation prices.
A fair days wages for a fair days
work should be the rule everywhere.
But just now it will be easier to OBJ
tain labor at fair rates than it would
in times when workmen are in great
demand. And they should not expect
from the public treasury greater remu-
neration than they would be entitled
to on a private enterprise
The unemployed, save for the little
squirt which was urged on by hot
headed and loud-mouthed men. not real
of the masses, have
conducted their movement to attract
public attention to their condition with
great moderation and with good sue
cess. Everything seems to be moving
forward satisfactorily and we hope the
measures that have been adopted by
the territory the county and the city
viii provide work for most of the I'M
employed until spring fairly opens and
the present distress is past. But the
efforts of the benevolent should not be
stopped, for the aid societies and relief
have still a big burden
upon their hands,