The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-01-19
PASADENA.

Union--Notes.
PASADENA, Jan, 18.-In view of the
fact that go much general interest has
been taken in the tramp problem in this
city. during the past few weeks, the fol-
lowing article from the Star, by M. II.
Weight, chairman OF the committee ap-
pointed by the board of trade to invest
.igate the matter, is given in full:
Considerable criticism and misunder-
,srStanding seems to exist in the minds OF
many of our people in regard to the adj
visibility of the city adopting the plan
of handling the unemployed, as sug-
-gested at the citizens meeting few
days ago and which the council has
favorably considered.
| can best answer their arguments, as
! have heard them, by aBking few
questions, which l trust will be care
r. fully considered and clearly and salts
factorily answered: If it can be shown
that the plan ia impracticable; that it
will not give protection to our people !;
that it will not purify the city of dis
reputable persons; That's it will not re-
leve many of eur citizens of the sense
of obligation to feed hungry applicants /;
that it does not embody a spirit of
=, humanity in 30 far as giving temporary
relief and firmly requiring labor, when
it ia possible to do 80, in return for the
offered assistance il it does not assist
in method of discrimination in favor
of honest labor and self respect; and if
it does not reduce the expense of such
assistance to minimum. while an equal
opportunity is offered for men to do
better, or to go as they came, we will
gladly accept better one and assist in
its execution.
First, permit me to ask of those who
are in doubt if you fully comprehend
the situation with which we are forced
to deal?
Do you believe in permitting a sys-
tenn of begging over the city as it now
exists?
Do not those who beg come here
largely for that purpose?
Do you feed them, and if 80, why?
Do you not feed them because you
could not rest ii you were to refuse 6
man food, especially if he were worthy
: Are you able to ascertain if he is
worthy or not?
Do not many applicants receive money
" in order that they may buy food at a
public house?
Do not the sympathetic poor or labor
= ing class Of our city largely supply the
men who ask for food?
So long as no place exists where food
may be served systematically and Under
proper conditions and regulations, and
with view to reducing the expense to
=, o minimum, will you not feed them?
Should you continue to feed them who
lie the gamer thereby?
!. Is 1t greater philanthropy for you to
feed them at your home than to have
them given food at public headquarters
) at one-fourth the expense, and that
given only upon the condition that they
shall work?
: Who can judge better of the charact-
ers OF men than the officers who are con-
tinually with them, as against your
opportunity to know anything about
them, or OF their desires and intentions ?
If you are determined to feed them,
why ia it not better to concentrate the
whole business in the hands of the
g proper authorities, giving them the ad-
J, vantage Of the situation, to the extent
of extending temporary aid to the
hungry and banishing the sponging, de-
ceptve character from the city?
Which plan do you consider best, to
tolerate the impostor for a day under
the eye of the law, at cost of a dime,
or to permit him to remain roaming
over the city, asking for aid for week !?
Will not criminal fight shy of the
law and its officers, and If so and you
~ do not feed him, will he not leave the
City rather than report at the headquar-
ters?
Do you not believe that an honest or
worthy man out of employment and in
need of food will recognize the advan-
tage of such an arrangement and accept
the temporary relief it will afford?
Do you believe that many really
worthy and responsible men are tramp
ing from place to place and subsisting
upon the charity of those who will not
turn man away hungryP
Do you not believe that the difficulty
should be met with great irmness, and
yet in spirit OF charity, with due regard
for our own and the city's interests2
" lie it not better under the present con-
ditions to expend 81 upon 10 men for
one day than to expend 81 upon one
man for one day?
To feed them at one place and under
one management, does it not lessen the
evil, and save to the class who sympa-
thixe with and feed them at their homes
much trouble and expense?
A number of our people are of the
opinion that work should be furnished,
and that wages should be paid. Others
think that they should not be paid at
all, but let them 90 their way. Still
others think changing should be put
in operation, and all who will not work
to be placed therein.
Does not the plan proposed cover all
OF these propositions, without the obiec-
tionable and impracticable features that
present themselves in endeavoring to
solve the question by adopting either OF
them as remedy?
Wages. should they be paid, would be
4 necessarily low and would undoubtedly
tend to demoralize the present price Of
labor in this city. Better keep our cash
for legitimate purposes in behalf of the
privileges and advantages of our bona
fide workmen. Were we to make an
effort to have the citizens cease feeding