The Indianapolis journal., 1895-02-02
WHAT LABOR WANTS
REPRESENTATIVES, HEARD BY LEG
IsLATIvE COMMITTEES.
Ask that the City He Empowered to
tervention of Contractors.

The committee on affairs of the city of
Indianapolis met, last night, in the Speak
er's room at the Statehouse A committee
from the legislative council of organized
labor was present, consisting of d. r. Ken
nedy, Roscoe Barnett, Robert Croft and
William Hugo. Mr.. Kennedy submitted two
amendments desired by the labor committee
and made short address in support of
them. He said the first embraced the sub
ject of contracts for public work. The colin-
Gil and the body of citizens which he and
the committee represent desire, he said. that
the charter shall be amended so as to per-
NIT the city officials, when occasion justifies,
to do work through the street commissioner,
in order to provide wages for it's suffering
citizens
He instanced such an occasion as devel-
oped in the winter of 1S93-94, when there
were hundreds who were out of work and
We're actually suffering for the necessities
of life. They did not ask charity, he said,
but some means whereby they could earn
living and yet, when their leaders pressed
the necessity of action upon the city Off
Gals, when there was public work that could
be done, it was found that the charter tied
the hands of the officials and made it i'm
possible for the city to undertake any work.
1t was a season when contractors would
49,
as IN summer time. and hence, under the
contract system, no relief could be obtained
in that way. These same contractors as
many did, could bring in laborers from a
distance. The organized labor of the city,
MI. kennedy said, feels great an inter-
est in the development and welfare of the
city as the wealthy citizens in it. and they
want conditions made possible whereby the
working people may always have work
The Sommittee on the affairs of the city
nights to the consideration of property
rights and he thought it more Incumbent to
give time to the rights of the humble cit-
zen VINO works for wageS--it Is a greater
question, he said, inasmuch as life is great
er than property
Coupled with this amendment permitting
work to be done by the city the council
desires strict civil service law incorpo-
rated in the charter, else, Mr.. Kennedy
public work direct would be used by each
party just before elections for the purpose
Of the party giving the employment. Mr..
Barnett and Mr.. Croft were also heard.
Mr.. Adams asked the committee for some
practical suggestion as to how the city
could proceed with its own funds for such
purpose when it is already. loaded to the
Informed of some plan by which the plan
proposed by the labor committee could be
made consistent with the provisioa of the
Barrett law. Mr.. Kennedy explained that it
was not absolutely necessary under the
amendment asked for that the contract sys-
ell he said. was only asking that the city
should be tree to do as the occasion made
expedi ent. 1t would still remain for the
city, officials to find the way, when the
oeeasienoagain comes. il they can. At pres
enta Rej matter how urgent the case, they
cannot move in the line of relief but are
bound hand and foot. For another answer
to Mr.. Adamss question he said the coun-
ell desires the constitutional limit of tax
alton to be removed. He expressed no fear
of a debt incurred for the relief of the
people for. such purposes as purchase of
1iuh ,rili ax,l
car lines. Mr.. Adams suggested that the
limit in the Constitution perhaps saves the
owner of a small home from degree of
There was not the cearest understanding
on the part of the committee as to the
legal power of the city to do public work
any way except by contract, when it is to
the Barrett law and the labor representa-
tives left promising to take legal counsel
on the matter.
DR. w. H. Wishard, who was once cor
oner, appeared before the committee on
the subject of the proper fees for the
coroner OF the county of Marion. He said
that his predecessor had made 5000 q
year out of the Office by charging for all
sorts of visitations and verdicts and that
when he left the office the cost to the
county had been reduced over one-half
only $500 or $500 He said that sl.5oo ought mgft
to be all the Legislature should allow to
the coroner of the county
Judge Martindale addressed the commit
tee on the subject of the charter amend
ments. He proposed the plan that was
under discussion before the city commit
tee relative to 1 the charge for improving
the intersections of streets. He proposed
to amend the bill as to make the city
pay for orle-half of the street crossings
He also argued in favor Of charging the
cost of main sewers to the city, including
all sewers which have been built since the