The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-04-22
Home, Tenn.
WHY A LABORIEG MAN SHOULD NOT COME
TO AITKIN, MINI.


Editor Representative.
1t is perfectly evident that something
must be done to counteract the unscrupu-
lous and detestable manner in which self
termed loggers doing business in Aitkin
use their employees after working all win
ter. To explain matters so that the out
side public may learn what class of men
constitute the makeup of commercial in
terests in the town 1t is necessary to class
ify:
First-There are those who not many
years ago walked into town with the pos
terror extremity Of their pants in very
d1lapidated condition. who have amasseG,
a competency by very questionable bust
ness manipulations, and who are still en-
desvoring to add to their ill-gotten gains
by imposing upon the laboring class.
Second-There are number of socalled
jobbers, who in order to tide over the win
ter for themselves AND what little stock
hey own make contracts with the first
named parties, who furnish them with
supplies, etc. On the winters work being
completed they issue time checks payable
by their benefactors CO and are quite in
different as to whether their checks are
paid or not, they having managed to get
clothing and food during the severe win
Ter months. In the majority of cases, If
the truth was known enough supplies are
laid away In some convenient locality for
use during the summer. The time checks
issued by those parties are invariably met
n the following manner: well we have
no money to pay those checks at present,
and do not know when we will have any.
The best and only thing we can do for you
under the circumstances is to give you
what clothing you need and o. K. your
board st the hotel where there is a very
convenient gin mill attachment Some of
the checks are presented at the bank,
where exorbftant percentage is charged
Private individuals are also employed and
supplied with money to buy the checks at
80 per cent discount. The clothing estab-
lishment, hotel with gin mill attachment
and bank are all operated by the first
named parties. The gin mill is an indis-
pensable adjunct to the business as tn
unfortunate fly after becoming entangled
in spider web and supplied with innum-
cradle doses Of "tangle foot" Is thorough
~ incompetent to keep tab on his ac-
count, the result is left to conjecture.
Third-There are others who are con-
Quoting hotels and general stores, who, in
order to endeavor to keep even with the
parties in the first class, also make point
of carrying a number Of the impecunious
jobbers on the back every winter supply
ing them with the much needed food and
clothing and other articles necessary to
carry on the logging business on a small
scale. The time checks are consequently
run into the "hoppers' of those philan-
attachments also where the hard earned
dollars of the too confiding laborer disap-
pears like chaff before a cyclone. From
these facts the public can form very lu-
cid opinion as to how the unwary laborer
becomes engulfed in the rapacious and
capacious maws of the astute 90 manipu-
lators. The question may possibly be
asked, can legal steps not be taken to COM
pei payment of the time checks referred
to? Echo answers, no. Not unless legal
advice Is procured from an announcement
distance mourning too much expense. The
local legal lights are sitting on pedestals
built for them by parties Of the first and
third class mentioned, and they have to
concur and corroborate all questionable
business transactions carried on by their
indulgent (0 supporters. Deviation from
the paths Of rectitude mapped out for
them by their supporters is followed by
decapitation-the most approved plan
which means starvation and ostracism
from the community
There are number of saloonmen in
town paying license for the privilege Of
catering to the public wants who are
handicapped by the unerring and con-
temptible schemes Of the parties men
toned aforesaid. It is a duty incumbent
on the local authorities to have the COM
munity rise up en- maSse and devise severe
steps to be taken in order to put stop to
the present mode OF doing business with
the honest laborer Those men who come
into town seeking employment should be
publicly warned against all Of those con-
temptible manipulators, and, if necessary,
boycott them to allsintents and purposes.
If possible endeavor to have the legislature
make the time check business a misde-
meanor punishable by imprisonment only
There are enough of enterprising and re-
sponsible men In the community who by
putting their shoulders to the wheel can
put matters on a good sound basis and
send the we'll known manipulators into ev-
erlasting desuetude. Next fall, when log
ging operations commence, due public
against all firms doing an INSCRIPTIONS
business and by 80 doing the prosperity
Of the town will be insured and an induce
ment offened to all honest labor to settle
in our midHt. Fair Plau