The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-05

much time to think about this import
ant question:" he said, when asked how
he would handle Dustry Rhodes and his
compsdres.
Il think, however, that the city
should make these men work." he con-
tinued. Perhaps it is little harsh to
call them trsmps. There are no doubt
many worthy men among them. 1t
seems to me as broad SO it ia long. 1t
will cost about the same to provide food
and shelter for the men for work they
will do the city as 1t will to arrest them
and give them food and shelter at the
city Jail. You may say that think the
city should prepare to spend money in
handling this question. 1t may become
necessary for vigilance committee to be
formed if things go on as they are now,
when there is such great activity in the
criminal classes. The suggestion for
the building of barracks in one of the
parks think is good one. The ques-
ton is serious one and we will have to
meet it,"
VIM. PRIDHAM's FRANK TALK.
VIM. Pridham, superintendent OF
Wells, Fargo q Co. and president of the
Associated Charities association, who
has given this question serious consider
alton from q business standpoint, felt
, very much like saying. 81 told you 3d."
when questioned about the menace to
the city of the horde of tramps now
here. His association has been trying
to get the council to act for some time
past, but it was hard to bulge it.
Judging from the Ontario bank rob-
berry, the tramp question is getting
pretty close home." be replied to the
HERALD representative.
If you had followed up the action
proposed some weeks ago by the assoois-
tion," he remarked, II believe the pos
lice department would have had the
whole thing we'll in hand by this time.
We consulted freely with Chief Glass
before making our proposition to the
| city council to place the tramps under
the control of the park commission for
work in the parks. Our idea was to
| have the tramps or unemployed put up
their own barracks. and have their own
cooks for preparing the food the city
would furnish. Let them be under
some discipline. answer to roll call, and
work in the parks. II the men will not
work willingly reasonable hours for
something TO eat and shelter, they have
no just claim on US for charity.
"The city council appointed a special
committee to meet with us on the prop
osition. but we were never able to get
them together. Their excuse for not
acting was that they did not think it
would be right to formulate plan for
the new council &c be bound by. Still
they had two months at that time, and
do not know whether their excuse was
sufficient or not"
II believe" said Mr.. Pridham, en-
phatically, that if the work test was
applied to this matter, it would solve
the tramp question, as far as the city is
concerned, in 80 days. These men have
O way of communicating with each
other, and we would be advertised all
right, without expense. Ii would stop
this influx If it was generally known
that to eat and sleep, in Los Angeles,
the tramp would have to work. 1t is be-
yond our capacity to take care of them.
l do not hold that every man coming
here without means is bad man. Not
at all, l think there are many bad men
in the crowds who do come, but that
there are also many good men among
them. The work test will be the means
of discrimination. When an honest
fellow comes along and has this proposi-
tion put to him to work, he will say:
This is good deal better than asking at
house for something to eat. III 60 out
there And such man will do all
right and should be helped. We don't
propose to make them work so long that
they would have no opportunity to hunt
for permanent work, but ask OF them a
reasonable amount of labor for the food
and shelter furniahed them. II strikes
me that this ia the proper course. |
have converted with number of our
ctizena about it and they have told me
that they think we have started on the
right course. Some people have sug-
gested that we would deplete our treas
ury, but that ia bugbsar. The way it
ia now ii you give man anything on
the street. who is hungry, it ia seldom
less than quarter. Well, with a quar-
ter by our plan man would have food
for whole day. We want these people
to show that they are unfortunate and
not bad. don't wonder that the Sac.
ramsnto people have organized vigil
ance committee. In our city at the
present time. one is not safe after night
on the streets away from the business
center. Sac how Mr.. MaginniB was
held up the other night. IT is
getting to be a desperate case
alarming. am not prepared
safety "a necessary at present. but there
is certainly need for immediate action
in handling the unemployed in this
city. AS they are coming in now, the
police force as constituted will soon be
unable to handle them. am disposed
to be charitably inclined, but l do not
wonder that the council is staggered by
the problem that confronts it. l know
from my experience "a chairman of the
labor commission last year what it is.
1t les grown beyond the power OF the
Associated Charities to handle. We
cannot cope with it. Something has
got to be done by the city govern ment.
| am going to call meeting of the asso-
citation and see what we shall do in the
matter. We may have to go all over our
work with thu new council. will do
ali can at any time to help in the solu-
tioxt the problem.
PERRY A. HOWARD.
The street uperintendent.elect Perry
A. Howard, was secretary Of the labor
commission of the council last year,
when so many unemployed we're given
work, and gave the question much
tbonnht VVha0 ut,out1oraI ,,o.<a.d.~