Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-03
DISTRICT AFFAIRS
Earnest Protest Against Continuing
the Contract System.
TEE RECENT IMPORTATION OF LABOR
Mr.. BIake's Argument Before the
Commissioners Today.
o. H ER LOCAL NOTES

There was an interesting discussion in
| the board room at the Commissioners office
this morning upon the subject of abolishing
the contract system of doing public work.
Incidentally the incident of a contractor
employing Italians and bringing them
from Pennsylvania to work on a District
sewer was mentioned.
The hearing was given to a committee
from the local Federation of Labor con-
sisting Of Messrs. E. NJ. Blake, J. j. Nc
Carthy and Jos. K. Potter, to present the
views OF the workingmen of the city upon
Senate bill 1417, relating to the employ
Tent of labor on public buildings and
| grounds owned by the District of Column
bia.
Mr.. E. M. Blake prese nted the views of
the committee, which he explained was
the legislative committee of the Fedora
ton of Labor of the District. The working
people OF the city, he said, are more in
terested in the passage of this bill than
any measure before Congress.
1t was the desire of the committee he
said. to appear first before the Commits
sioners in advocacy of the bill, but the
opportunity not occurring the committee
made Its first presentation to the Senate
| committee having charge of the matter.
1T was gratifying to note that the subject
Of municipal control Of public works had
received substantial recognition from Dis
trict officials.
The reasons which prompted the Com
m1ssioners end the superintendent of street
sweeping to favor the abandonment of the
contract system in the important work of
cleaning the streets and alleys applied with
equal force to every other kind of work
1t was not sufficient ground for rejecting
the bill that, In the opinion of an official Of
the District government, the work would be
more expensive than the contract system.
The facts controvert such an opinion I'm
DER the days work systen, experience had
proved, and will prove. that 1t will be no
greater man the safeguards the govern
ment is obliged to employ to insure good
work. He argued this measure, not only
because of the belief that it will promote
also because it would rebound 10 the ad-
vantage of the community. To eliminate
the contractor meant the savings of his
pronts TO the District, and insured better
Work. III the Dill were considered only from
the Workingmen's point of view, there was
abundant reason for adopting il: The COM
Hunlty at large would benefit from any
measure that contributed to the welfare of
the working classes. Summing up the rea-
sons Tor the passage Of the bill, he said:
Inc system proposed by the bill is
cheaper than the contract system hence ia
commenced by considerations of economy
II VIII rad the public service Of the many
scandals growing out of the contract sys-
tenn.
1T will institute system of competition
in quantity and quality and NOT In nrica
and thus secure for the public better work
Tor the money expended
-Ihe Workingmen engaged on public work
would be fairly and justly paid for their
labor"
Case i'm Point.
Continuing, the speaker said:
when contracts We're let it was na,ura,
Tor the contractor to make as much out of
the contract as possible. The result was
the employment Of cheap labor and Door
WORK. case In point was mentioned in
last evenings Star. Hordes of Italians were
brought into the city to do certain work
Upon sewer. The poor laborers of the
Dsulct, Wnom the generous people of the
city had supported during the winter, were
ropbed or an opportunity to work The com
munity suffered. If there was any possible
way 10 annul this contract, even at a loss
he thought the Commissioners were iusti
ned In doing it. Such outrage to the local
laborers would be resented. The last time
!Iahans were brought to this city was when
1ankee Gleason was a contractor for GER
tain work. The scenes then were disgrace
Iul, and the police had to be called out to
preserve the peace"
Should He CHANGED
Commissioner Ross said the Commission
ers had no control under the law over this
matter. no matter how much they regretted
1t. The organic act was specific regarding
| the award Of contract, and no discretion
was left to the Commissioners
Mr.. Blake said If this were correct. the
organic act should be changed These Ital-
lars were evidently here under the padrone
system They were not naturalized but
Shifted about all over the country by the
man who owns them. He had been in
formed by friend who lives in Brookland
that twenty-seven of them were huddled
In one room last night, and that sixty
seven were sheltered in single house. He
spoke Of the danger from disease and the
Liability OF crime and said he hoped the
Commissioners would reconsider the grant
ing OF the contract If possible.
The Two Methods.
Returning to the original discussion, he
said:
1.-The adoption of the days work system
before these operations are begun will be
an assurance to the public that it will re-
ceive an honest return for the millions it is
purpoSed to expend. An evil that has at
tended the contract system in the District
and one which in addition to tie distresses
and injustices suffered by the workingmen
results In a serious tax upon the COM
munity,is the importation into the District
by various contractors of gangs of work
men employed at low wages. Hundreds of
such workmen are stranded here at The
end Of their term of employment, and their
presence serves to depress the local labor
market and to increase the general poverty
In times of distress: Ultimately the COM
nunity has to pay dearly for any seeming
gain from the employment of cheap labor
Sound business principles undoubtedly
condemn the employment of the contract
system to so general an extent as unfor-
tunately the law now requires in the Dis
trict. Great railway corporations and
manufacturing concerns, whose dividends
depend upon economical management, long
ago eliminated the contractor from any
share IN their current work. There are
other considerations, however, which from
the point Of view of the body 1 represent
are even weightier than these matters of
good business management and economy.
Earnest Plea.
''The workingmen believe they have a
right to be considered. The laborer en-
gagged in paving the street, or the mechanic
employed in the construction of school
house. is working for the government The
sham Of the contract system interposed be-
tween him and the government does not
alter the fact that his work is for the pub
lie. The workingman has right to de-
mand that the government shall not lend
itself to promoting a system that degrades
him, makes his work, his health, his
strength, his very life material for specu-
lation. He has a right to ask, and good
public policy will indorse his appeal that
he shall be paid fair and just wages. 1t
Is a shameful thing that the government
should be the chief patron of a system
which is in many Of its phases more