The record-union., 1894-04-28


should go.
Some of these experts are very interest
ing men. II never have seen any of the
women almoners.) Mr.. Blake, who sits
and listens daily, as he has for sixteen
years at the gate of the alms-house of
.BlackwelPs Island, is one OF the char
acters of the city. In his eye and face is
still the expression of the inextinguisha-
Bile sense of others woes. But his man
ner of dealing with the poor wretches
who apply for support from the city Is
firm and business-like- a soft glance o.
sympathy is followed by keen look OF
understanding. Detecting lie, he Startles
the imposter away with the suddenness
of a business man dealing with book
agent; or, very often, he will smile SO
shrewdly at the inpertinence that would
fool him. that the novice, who doesn't
know "Mr. Blake'' las he is known far
and wide, even, no doubt, in the ranks Of
CoXey's armies) will laugh, too, and
glide away unmarked.
Men who have such work as Mr..
Blake's are at the doorWayS OF every local
society that deals directly with the appll-
cants for help. They have difficult job.
All the releases from prisons and work
houses are named and discussed to them
weekly. They often 20 TO these institu-
tions to see the men leave them. The first
time | met Mr., Blake was one Sunday in
the office of the workhouse on the island.
He was reviewing, questioning and pic
turing in his mind the wretches who were
to be let out during the next week. Many
of the men knew Mr.. Blake and grinned
their recognition. He kept up running
lecture OF good humored advice, which
he treated lightly himself. because he
knew it would have no effect. But when
| asked him if he was getting the records
of these men so as to be able to deny them
help in the future, he replied:
''Oh, no! ! want TO know them IN order.
When they apply to me for money for
bed, | can send them to some society that
specialiZes in help for eX-cOnylcts, etc.,
and not to some society for the support of
broken down ministers, ETC. See? Then
| have TO look out for men who come to
me and pretend to be icket-of-leave men,
when they never got that far in their pic
turesuue careers. We must see that the
eX-prisoner is not imposed on by liars
who have preference for the homes for
convicts.''
While capital and its agencies in chari-
table work have been meeting the crisis
thoughtfully and practically, with an
eye to present needs and future dangers,
the conspicuous activity of labor has been
such as to injure it in the estimation of
those who stand between the two great
factors of industry. Discreet counsel has
prevailed in organizations OF the more in
telligent tradesmen, such as machinists,
engineers and other skilled trades. But
they have not yet been heard from.
When their influence is felt, labor Will
get as much credit for the winter OF trial
as have any other groups of society. 1
shall have much TO say Of this subject
when I have completed my inquiries
among the unions. But in the meantime
the world is hearing Of strikes begun to
compel mines and factories to reopen at
full force and to resume the production
Of commodities for which there is no
market. Note however, that these Jer-
sey rioters, for example, are foreigners as
ignorant as Chinese, and not one-tenth as
shrewd. Labor leaders whom / like to
get my information from condemn Bit
terly these reckless, preclpltous aglta-
tions. They say they will have fights to
make, but not TIL they see that the own
ers are not doing their best.
Meanwhile we have Coxey's army re-
cruiting from all over the country. This
WondrouS sociological phenomenon is
the cause of much merriment in this city.
More serious observers, however, have
avoided the error of letting this ridiculous
demonstration count against the indus
trial army that does not march. Some
men have made the mistake of foreseeing
great future danger in this cloud of row.
dies and buns. 1t is said that it may
prove to be the first appearance of,a new
tendency of mal-coDtents to take up as
arms their force of number and attempt
to intimidate legislators. This were, in-
deed, anarchy.
But a CoXey's army never could be-
come powerful in this country until it is
made up of the really earnest, sincere
seekers for employment When SO con-
stituted, movement from place to place
would be the very best thing possible.
For capital has recently (within twenty
years. learned one great lesson, which
labor has vet to learn-that is, TO move.
When an army Of working men learns to
move about in search of work, it will
have learned one of the great secrets OF
capitals success. Let me exemplify:
/ had occasion during the late panic to
make inquiries concerning financial in
stitution in Omaha. See President
Williams of the Chemical Bank" said
broker whom | asked for advice. Mr..
Williams thought moment after l stated
my business, then from memory told me
all about the institution, its capital, the
quality and market value of its invest
ments, the personnel of its management,
the town, the region, the Industries,
prices OF real estate-in short, all the details
that he could have told of his own bank
and it's investment province. With my
his friends further and learned that he
knew intimately the business standing
and the financial environment of hun
dreds of cities, towns and counties
throughout the country. He is, in fact,
one of the New York tnancers who
make mouey by moving capital to places
where it is needed and well-paid for
literally national banker. The stock of
the Chemical Bank received a dividend
of 300 per cent at the close of the panic.
This was recalled emphatically to me
when, last Saturday, it was discovered
that the New York Employment Bureau
for Immigrants, with dearth of imlni-
grants, could not supply the demands on
it for labor. From all over the country
came requests for men 10 work at all
sorts of trades and industries, but with an
army of unemployed besieging the
charity organizations and others march
ing like madnen over the country, these
demands could not be supplied. Mr..
Williams could shift his millions to where
they were wanted, because he knew where
they were wanted aud because he was not
afraid, with his knowledge of facts and
men. to move them. But there were cap
italists in Wall street who, lacking his
information, had to shut up their money
in vaults. And, in the same way, work.
men sat idle here, because there was no
work in New York. They did not know
there was work elsewhere; they would
not move from the city if they did know
where work was waiting. They and
labor generally, except the lowest sort
that is moved by intelligent contractors,
have not learned to SHIFT with the mar
ket When Erastus Winans, that crimi-
nal, worked as a syndicate writer because
he was thrown out of employment as rail-
road builder and manager, he gave lesson
to labor-to change the trade if necessary.
When President Williams withdrew
three millions from Michigan and two
from New York to cities that were not
storm centers he taught another lesson.
Coxey's army may bring home the
knl u