The Washington times., 1894-06-02
ONE DOLLAR A DAY!


Dante. on his entry into the internal regions,
saw written over the gates thereof, abandon
hope all who enter here" The following
order, issued by the District Commissioners,
has somewhat of the ring of despair con-
tanned in that inscription:
That on and after June II, 1891, until other
wise ordered by tho Commissioners unskilled
Iaborers employed by the District of Columbia
shall be paid at the rate of 81 per day OF eight
hours.
The unskilled laborers employed by the
District now receive the munificent pay Of
S1.5O per day, on which they are supposed to
renew their Drawn from day to day, and also
make at least meager deposits of gray matter
In their craniums. But on this large salary
they have been indulging in numerous ex-
travagancies; some of them no doubt have
INDUCED in cake walks, and the Summer eX-
cursion season and watermelon feasts are
close at hand. The Commissioners will have
none of these.
And, by the way, the funds are getting low,
and the District of Columbia must econo-
mizel Who so well able to contribute to a
depleted e1chequer as the monopolist draw
ing a dollar and half per day? Nothing is
said about slicing of modicum from the
Commissioners $1,000 to help out the fund; :;
even the high-priced clerks are not asked to
"chip in" nickel to save our triple-gov-
erned municipality from going to the dem
milton bowwows.
But the laborers are paid too much. and
there is no reason why the District should
pay so per day for eight hours, when con-
tractors all over the country are paying 81 for
ten hours" Great Cesar's ghostl If posi-
tions in Washington were to be auctioned off
TO the lowest bidders, we could get armies of
Commissioners to serve at 81 600 per year,
and il we were Indifferent as to quality We
might get them at 5000.
Surely the Commissioners must have mis-
taken the calendar, and placed their pencil
points on April l instead of June l. But the
decree is issued-signed and sealed. The
District laborers, on and after June IL, must
take his ten dimes, and in many instances pay
out two OF them TO go to and return from his
place of labor.
That private contractors in some cases pay
only 81 per day is no argument for paying
the same for government work. If any pay
master can afford to set the example of paying
healthy and living wages, it is the District of
Columbia. One dollar per day means but
fifty cents out of the Golfers of the District.
and the people of this community are very
solicitous always about that moiety from
Uncle Sans strong box.
1t is difficult. extremely so, to comment on
this order. 1t is so infinitesimal in concep-
ton, so unexpected in PRONUNCIATION, and SO
cruel and uncalled for in execution, that it
hardly needs comment-simply execration
and condemnation.
The Commissioners no doubt honestly con-
slider this duty. Under the old political econ
omy labor is a commodity to be bought in the
lowest and sold in the highest market. Men
are nothing. manhood is nothing, the COM
fort and well-being of humanity are nothing.
If one-third can be cut off from the labor
er's pay, it ia TINT much in hard cash saved.
But how much is lost in nourishing food,
In proper clothing, in healthy and comforta-
BILE living, in self-respect, in good citizen
ship?
We trust this order will be speedily re-
pealed, and some other way found to revive
the dropping fortunes of our District
treasury.