The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-02-06

ia the main purpose CT this Introductory
article to Cnforce-viz, that the ne,r
can receive fair treatment only by re-
moving so far as possible (it cannot be
wholly removed) the handicap that is
placed upon it by prejudice in favor of
the existing order.
FREDERICK M. CRUNDEN.
st. Louis, December, 1895.
NUMBER 1.-THE MAN OUT OF EMPLOY
MENT.
The unemployed are found in places
where machinery is in use and in places
where machinery is not in use; where
gold is money, where silver is money
and where paper in money; where there
is free trade and where there is protec-
tion; where government is corrupt and
where government is honest; under
monarchies and under republics Neither
the quesNon of machinery, relied upon
by Socialists, nor the question of money,
relied upon by Populists, nor the ques-
tion of good government relied upon by
political reformers generally, can solve
the question of the unemployed. The
most significant figure of our times is
the man out of employment. Yesterday
he was regarded-so far as regarded at
all-with alternating contempt and
pity. Today he is regarded with con-
Germ. Tomorrow he may be regarded
with terror.
On your way home tonight some of
you will see, coming out from the shad-
ow of an alley or building, a man alb
ject and unkempt. He will not venture
to stop you; he will walk along with
you, and, in subdued voice and with
cringing air, will ask you for the price
of a nights cheap lodging or a cheap
supper. Who is he? The man out Of
employment. You have seen him be-
fore. He has called at your office. He
has been seen at your kitchen door.
You have seen him in crowds before the
bulletin of employment offices. You
have seen the crowd stream all day long
into some factory or office which had
advertised 'help wanted" You have
seen him wistfully watching more for
building or excavation. You have seen
him on the country roadside. You have
seen him crawling from the trucks of
railway train. He is known to fame
You can read of him in the newspapers,
where he appears in the column of
crimes or in the column of suicides.
This is the day of Labor problems, "
60
the dark shadow of the man out of en-
ployment Who keeps wages down? The
man out Of employment.
Who reduced the wages of Pullmans
employees? Not Pullman himself, not
greedy corporation, but the man out of
employment. Who ordered the great
strike Of 1894? Not the American Rail-
way union, nor Debs, but the man out
of employment. Who is it that was
feared by the strikers? Not the railway
magnates nor the courts, not the in
functions nor the troops. but the man
out of employment. Who broke the
strike? The man ont of employment.
Who compels organized laborers to stand
together shoulder to shoulder? Not the
labor agitator, not the walking dele
gate, but the man ont of employment.
Protean in shape, the man out of en-
ployment is here tramp, there hero;
here spiritless, there proud; here re-
vengeful, there patient; here mendi-
cant, there martyr. The man out of
employment is the constant menace to
our civilization. Today the army of the
unemployed Turks in the rear. Tomorrow
it may be at the front, barring the way,
more terrible than an army with ban
ners. Once mustered into that army,
the man out of employment never mus
ters out unless he furnishes substitute
from the ranks of workingmen. Why
are men unemployed? Yesterday society
answered, Because they wish to be. I"
Today society answers, "We do not
know" What shall be done with the
unemployed?
Yesterday society answered, "We do
not care" Today society merely echoes,
"What can we dor"
CLARENCE A. MILLER
Los Angeles, December, 1895.