The herald., 1897-03-02
AN APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC
7ayor snydef's Address to tn, Peop,. Of Los
Angeles

0ayor Snydcf'5 Address to til, Peop,s Of Los
Angeles
Yesterday afternoon Mayor SNYDER
issued the following appeal to the PEG
pie of Los Angeles, urging them to at
tend the mass meeting at Hazards pa.
vilion Wednesday night in the interest
of the unemployed, and urging them to
cooperate in the movement for raisina
funos in charge of the Merchants and
Manufacturers association:
To the Citizens of Los Angcles-The
prevalence of destitution has become
so considerable. ard the number of un-
employed so many in our midst thar /
deem 1t high time for the citizens of Los
Angeles to make a united effort to re-
lieve this desti.ution and provide, so far
as is in their power, work for the wiling
hands now. Those with homes bounti-
fully supplied with the necessaries Of
life, and those who do not come in con-
tact with the classes that feel hardest
the bitter sting of hard times, have not
the slightest conception of the extern
of want and misery in our city. They
have not heard the cries going up from
the throats Of many a child for bread.
The various charitable organizations
are unable to give their attention to a
one-hundredth part of the numerous
cases reported to them. Men are walk
ing the streets of our city at night, hun
CRY. and without place to sleep. There
is no work for them. They are willing to
do anything so long as 1t is honorable,
but employment they cannot find.
1t Is for the purpose of devising some
means for the relief of this condition
that l have decided to call mass meet
ing of all good citizens. Hazards pa
vilion has been engaged for Wednesday
night, March 3rd. Everybody is cor
daily invited to be in attendance anl
aid in the good work. All ladies whj
take an interest in humane work are
especially invited. President Silver Of
the council and other city officials will be
present. Prominent speakers will be in
vited to address the meeting. l sin :
cereIy trust that business men, profes-
sional men and those in all other walks
of life will show humane spirit by ap-
pearing at the meeting in large numbers
and taking an active part in the DELHI
erations. The time has come when we
must act, and act without delay.
The question is frequently asked by
those not acquainted with municipal
machinery: why doesn't the city put
the unemployed to work on the streets
and in the parks?" This is question
easily answered. There is not money
tHOuSH tie CITY treasury W CARRY
the city's business for the rest of the
year. There is only one way for the ci,y
itself to raise money with which to i'm
prove the park system and the streets,
and that way is to vote bonds.
In my inaugural message to the city
council / recommended that bonds be
Voted for the improvement and beauti-
fication of the parks, calling attention
to the fact that now was good time,
when many men were in search of EN-
ployment. Sooner or later there will
necessarily have to be a bond issue for
these improvements, and l fail to see
any reason why bends should not be
voted at an early day, and portion, IL
not all. of the money thus raised be ex-
pended
But even if it were decided to vote
bonds, the present distress would not
be relieved. 1t would take several
months before money would be avail
able from this source, and by that time
it is expected that vastly more pros
porous condition will prevail in Southern
California than now prevails. 1t is to
be hoped that before many months the
question of the location of the deep
sea harbor will have been settled and
the large sum of money appropriated
for this federal improvement released.
Another thing that insures prosperous
times in the near future is the heavy
rainfall with which the southern part
Of the state has been blessed. Bountiful
crops are assured This means work
for many in the harvest fields.
have been giving the subject of the
unemployed much attention. watching
the success or failure of the
anmy plan tried I most heartily in
dorse the noble work of the Merchants
and Manufacturers association. If
money were raised. hundreds of men
could be set at work constructing a
grand boulevard to some one of the
large parks. I would suggest that at the
meeting at Hazards pavilion commit
tee be appointed of representative men
to act in conjunction with the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers association
in raising money by popular subscrip-
tion for some public Improvement that
will give Immediate work and money
to the unemployed. This COMMITTEES
could appoint subcommittee to expo
dite the work. In this way large sum
of money could be raised in a short
time. No manw no is prosperous will
tail to contribute literally to such a
fund.
would also suggest that another COM
mittee be appointed to solicit contribu
tions Of food and cast-off clothing
would suggest that this committee be
composed largely, If not entirely, of la
dies. In my opinion, ladies are best
fitted to serve on such q committee.
Headquarters should be established for
the receipt and distribution of dona-
tions. / would further suggest that the
headquarters of this committee be CONF
modious enough to afford sleeping ac-
commodations for those without home,
and that as many as possible of the hun
cry be fed here.
There are undoubtedly many men idle
who are willing to do any kind of work.
They are hungry; many of them have
failimes, and the little ones at home are
crying for the necessaries of life. These
men are becoming desperate. Already
they are holding meetings in public
places and adopting resolutions asking
that they be given work. With the cries
of their little ones ringing in their ears.
and there being no disposition on the part
of their more fortunate brethren to aid
them, are these people, driven to des-
peratlon, to be held to account for what
they do?
The army of unemployed Is not made
up of beggars. The cry is for work, not
for aims. They want to earn money.
with which to buy provisions and pay
house rent. 1t is mainly to relieve this
distress that have called mass meet
ing of the citizens of Los Angeles.
Let us do all we can Let us go to
this meeting with our minds full of plans
for the relief of our fellow man. 1t is a
duty we owe to one another Sincerely
yours, M. p. SNYDER, Mayor.