The Washington times., 1894-05-13
Work for the Unemployed.
To the Editor of THE TIMES.

desire to call the attention Of the labor Or
ganizations of the city, as well the merchants
manufacturers, and all other persons who have
TO hustle these hard times Tor a living, to the
fact that In their report on the bill introduced
by Senator Peffer on the 26th of April last, en-
titled "A bill 10 provide work for the unemployed
| persons in the District Of Columbia" the Com
missioners object to that portion of the Dill
| which provides for the payment of 81 80 day OF
| eight hours TO the wege-werkers who may be
! employed on the public improvements which
would result rom the passage OF the bill re-
| ferred 10. quote from the report of the Com
missioners themselves as published in the pa
| pers of Thursday evening:
1.-The Commissioners are Of the opinion that
this provision, II enacted into law, would result
in great hardship TO all employers of labor in the
city OF Washington, and in serious injury TO pub
iic ana private interests No such rate of wages
has prevailed 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 opportunity were
given. Other thousands are already employed
by farmers and market gardeners in the Dis
trict and In the adjacent counties Of Virginia
and Maryland, and by contractors under con-
tracts entered into upon the basis of the present
schedule of wages. To establish by law now, and
without notice, the pay of common and un-
skilled laborers at one dollar and a half for
eight hours work, when there is nothing in the
industrial condition of the country Justify it,
would ruin many contractors and employers of
laborers here and in the adjoining agricultural
districts"
dare say that If their continuance in Office
depended upon the suffrages of their fellow
citizens there would be a change in the Board of
Commissioners at the next general election. But,
aside from this, the rensons assigned by the
Commissioners why the wage-earners should not
receive 81 5O per day OF eight hours will not
count to any purpose. The very object of the
bill itself as designed by Senator PETER is at
variance with the views of the Commissioners.
The fact that an army of men have lived through
the Winter and Spring without employment of
any kind would suggest 10 the minds of all fair
men that they should receive at least wages that
would enable them to live and have a little
something left at the end Of the month to pay
their back accounts to the landlord. the doctor
the coal dealer and the grocer, who have ex-
tended them credit and thereby helped TO carry
them over"
There is no doubt in my mind as to the true
inwardness OF Senator PETERS bill II is not the
first occasion upon which he has shown himself
the friend of the people. That the District of
Columbia could receive as much benefit in the
shape of material improvements in every direc-
under the direct supervision of the District gov
ernment as IL would from labor paid 81 a day OF
ten hours under the contract system, no one
who has observed the advance Of civilization will
for moment deny.
Then again, looking at the matter from busi-
ness standpoint, would not all the people of the
District be far more benefited by having an
army of men employed at 81. so per day than at
81? Most assuredly there would be one-third more
money put into circulation in legitimate bUsi-
ness channels. commend our "city fathers
ing the PETER bill into a law, together with the
amendments and additions made by themselves,
but do object to the paragraph quoted above
One of the principal reasons given by the Com
missioners for the immediate passage of the bill
is that IL would be "a step in the direction of Sc
curing provision for much-needed work, and not
as fully meeting their ideas of existing require
ments" Doubtless the fact that an army Of un-
employed men are clamoring daily for work will
have Its own weight with Congress, and any leg
islation that may ensue from this knowledge
upon the part OF Congress ought to rebound to
the interests of the working classes. 1t there
fore behooves the labor organizations of the
city to take this matter in hand at once and keep
a watchful eye on the Capitol The privilege of
spending s60O0,0O0 for public Improvements
means much TO the wage-workers, and if that
clause of the -Peffer bill providing for 81 so per
day of eight hours is permitted to l.nger and die
for the want of proper treatment, the labor or
ganizations and wage-workers will have only
themselves to blame for It. Without an effort
constant effort-the laboring classes will never
secure their full measure of Justice right, and
compensation. BOzzARIs