The herald., 1894-03-19

biltty for the sentiments expressed.l
The UnempIoy eds Wants.
EDITORS HERALD: have always taken
the HERALD when took any paper at
all, because l believed 1t to be the work.
ingman's friend. / believe so yet, but
from reading Wednesdays HERALD on
the "On to Washington delusion,"
where you say What we want is pa
tience and good will," think you do
not quite understand the case and am
more fully convinced that you do not
when l read that you recommend THAT
everybody help everybody else to bridge
over the hard times by the exercise OF q
broad and liberal charity"
After reading this article went down
to the barracks on San Pedro street and
standing on a -four barrel, spoke to
those men, my brothers, and as looked
over that sea OF faces l saw old soldiers
who had fought for our country, who
had upheld the dear old etars and
stripes on the battle field. with tears
running down their faces. and | thought
"My God The idea of Offering these
men CHARITY"
o, men and women, citizens have
our hearts turned to atone? Can we
look calmly, patiently, on a state OF
affairs where the men that have made
the nation what IL is, where the wealth
producers OF the greatest and wealthiest
nation in the world, are actually home
less and starving? In this months
Arena is said "a recent iHsue of the
Sociological News contains the following
extract from press dispatches from Cali
fornia. 1t Is as significant in character
as it is tragic in it's Implications
"Adjutant-General Allan, of Califor-
mia, with the consent of Governor Mark
ham, has issued the following circular to
the various regiments Of that state:
What ie the condition OF the arms in
your regiment? How much ammunition
is on hand? State the number of
rounds, What is the cost of s. r. cart
ridges, 45 calibre? What are the stand
ard weights, powder, ball and rifle cart
ridges? Has your regiment reloading
tools? How many men are qualified for
immediate service? What is needed
Reply promptly. The trouble will not
come until after January, after the
fruit, hay and grain crops have been
gathered, when an army of men will be
out OF employment"
What do you think OF that? That to
the cries OF hunger and distress, the
with bullets, bayonets and Gatling guns,
instead of bread or work.
These unemployed do not ask for
charity. They want justice. They do
do not ask for food and clothing. They
ask for work. They have no food.
They are hungry. They have no cloth
ing warm enough to protect them out of
doors all day and sometimes all night.
They are cold. What are they to do
Wait with patience and good will until
they starve or freezer You can not
blame them for not doing that. Are
they to steal and pillage? No, thank
God; they are men, with as brave and
true hearts as ever beat on earth.
Shall they beg stand around on street
corners and beg or go from house to
house? II they did they would be called
tramps and hobos. 1t would be said
they we're idlere, lazy, and would not
work if they could get it to do.
Do you ask an American citizens, free
and equal born. to accept charity? No,
say. thousand times no. am but
wesk woman, but let me tell you, ii a
man should propose charity to me, even
though was starving, if was willing
to work l think If I didn't knock him
down it would be because couldn't.
And now, fellow citizens, can you
blame this army Of the unemployed that
they are trying by peacabls means to
reach the Heat of government and ask
for redress of wrongs; ask that work be
provided, not only for one, not only for
10000, but for 1000 0e0 of honest men
out of employment in a country where
plenty OF work is to be done, and il
there ia not plenty of money to do it
with, our constitution provides way to
make money? Our government issued
greenbacks to free black slaves-or to
help to free-back slaves who were fed
and clothed and comfortably housed,
and who in great many cases did not
want their freedom. Can it not provide
money to improve our country and give
work to American citizens, who, many
of them fought for the preservation OF
the United States, and who are out OF
work, cold and starving? l am but
woman, but if man, L would be proud OF
being leader in a movement for justice
and right. BERTHA E. MYRICK.
StationD.