The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-22
UP AGAINST IT.
The Problem of the "Unem-
plOyed'' In Denver.
Four Thousand WOrkingmen
Out of Work
HOLD "A MASS MEETING
And Ask the City to Start Pub
lie Improvements.
Rev. MyrOn Reed and Others
Address the Meeting.

Denver, Dec. 22.@The problem of
taking care Of the unemployed in Den
Yer has become serious. Sunday after
noon four thousand alleged starving
workmen, clamoring for something to
occupy their time and enable them to
keep body and soul together for time
longer, filed Coliseum hallsin response
to a widely circulated call for a mass
meeting of the unemployed.
The attendance was a revelation to
those who have been sounding the
praises of Colorado as an elysiun for
laborers, but the remarks of the speak
ers We're equally startling. They coun-
seled violence if necessary to force the
state to a recognition of the fact that
starvation was stalking in the midst of
the workers, and unless some relief
measures could be devised at an early
day there was no telling what would
happen. Among the speakers were
the Rev Myron Reed and the Rev.
Thomas Uzzel, two ministers who have
always been hailed as friends of labor
Before the meeting a procession
formed on Larimer street in front of
the city hall and marched to the meet
ing place 1t was an undiscipIined
poorly dressed regiment of about 400
men that marched through the streets
but its appearance was eloquent of mis-
cry to him who realized that many of
those men had wives and little chill
dren dependent upon them, and that
they could find no work by means of
which to support them.
A volunteer brass band headed the
procession At the start 1877 men were
in line, but by the time Sixteenth street
was reached the ranks of the prOletar-
ian army had sWelled to more than 400
To give assurance of their LOYALTY. the
men carried a large American flag and
half dozen notices. such as these.
We want work, >, Coal 81 per ton. No
work in sight Work. not soup
houses" Public Improvement without
injunction, This is q hungry Xmas
for the unemployed
The procession was followed by
crowds on both sidewalks, and when
the hall was reached it was then two
thirds full. The people crowded in un-
til all the seats were taken and people
stood in close ranks in the aisles and
all around the outskirts of the assem-
5lage. The procession and meeting
We're both orderly.
Myron Reed said:
Il don't know that I am glad and
fear that I am sad to see this meeting
and know the occasion for it. 1 feel
as did Abraham Lincoln after the
seven days battle and the retreat
like a big, overgrown boy who had
stubbed his toe. He was too big to
cry and it hurt too ~ bad to laugh
Qaughter) There is something left
even after the electiOn-the right of
free assemblage. the right to bear arms
which we viii exercise, if we have to.
CApplauseD The right to free speech,
which I am exercising now
THE fact that three sky pilots and
one business man are here shows that
you know that these sky pilots under
stand more about the true condition OF
the poor that 100 business men If
the business men will attend to the
transportation question and other
questions, the sky pilots would have
more money and less work daughter
and applause.)
str
the right to live. Men are all
land animals. Near my house there
are several small farms unOccupied,
and in the eye of justice unearned-
They haven't been utilized since the
Utes left them. (Laughter.) That
wasn't intended for a pun, though it's
a good one I don't think much of the
present state Of society I'll tell you
that The society that can be the Oc-
casiOn of a meeting like this ought to
quit 1t has no right to live under
God. I do ask for a comfortable earth
for all Gods people. cut a clipping
from an utterance of Cardinal Man
ming. He says that the man who has
20 work. who is willing to work and
can't get work, has a right to steal
(Applause.)
There are some people who are sat
isfied with things as they are. They
throw skies every time, and they like
it, They don't want anyone to exam
inc the dice or to change the game
Il see nothing for it but for the city
of Denver to provide for the unem-
ployed. I don't want a statement from
the board of public works that it is i'm
possible. I want people to see the sit
uation. If work is not given, men will
begin to walk the middle of the street
at night and hold up citizens IT.
mere question of economy. Shall we
support them in the county Jail and IN
the spring have nothing to show for it.
or shall we put the unemployed to
work and in the spring have an inn
proved city to show for it2 People
sneer Coxey I say Coxey had a good
scheme He wanted to put the unem-
ployed to work building roads"
Rev. Thomas Uzzel touched a popu-
lar chord when he dwelt on the ineffi-
cheney of the public authorities. He
said:
you want work first. What are you
going to do?
the very first thing and I'd drown some
of those fellows in the sand of Sand
creek Now, if you want to find me.
TIL tell you where I live 1t is 131
Mary street Near my place there are
pass that place Now. I went to the
city hall to see about it. I went to one
department and they told me that
wasn't the department. I went to an
other department and they referred me
to the health commissioner. L went
to him and he said it was the right
place to come. but he had no appropTi-
alton I could get no satisfaction. I
pay taxes in this town. Men starving
practically all about US and L couldn't
get them to cut those weeds. had
to cut them myself to save my chill
dren from getting sick Those fell
lows sit down there and smoke good