Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1897-04-24
1T Is NOT A NEW IDEA
GOVERNMENT HAS FURNISHED
EMPLOYMENT.
England at One Time Employed Her
Idle Population ON the ruhise Roads
America Could Do the Same
To-day.

To-day.
Peoples Messenger: The idea that
the government shall furnish the peo-
pie with employment in time OF great
depression. 10 enable them to earn
livelihood Is not new one ~ any
means. Governments are instituted
for the benefit Of the governed. As
money Il boarded, confidence Is de-
stroyed and all business enterprises
drag or are suspended. the wage-earh-
ers must of necessity suffer unless tho
government will lend helping manu.
In time such as we have described
early in the century. England found y
necessary 10 employ her idle anu IN
digent citizens. and a system 81 toau
Improvement was devised Al whlch
these men were permitted 70 LABOR anu
for which they were paid BY the gov
ernment. The result was that England
has the best dirt roads in Europe.
Gen. Coxey does not claim MS sooa
roads idea IS original. Being A stu
dious and observant man he KNOWS
what has been done may be done
again. And as England utilized the Ia.
Dor OF her unemployed in 4 time o.
great depression by constructing good
roads all over the island. and tRls
enabled the unfortunate TO earn a i've
lihood for themselves and families he
argues the United States can do the
same thing, and thus dispense the ar
my OF four million trampa now rclfn.
ing this country.
The idea that such course y be-
yoad the scope Of government IS ao-
surd. and an investigation Will disclose
the fact that the employment OF sele
labor by the government would IN tue
end be profitable rather than expensive
To illustrate. let US suppose there
we're in Chickasaw county i've hundred
unemployed men These would repre-
seEt With their families population
OF at least $500. In this county are
20. GOO people, who are humara. neigh
borly and christian la character. The
II 500 we'll TO do people would not.
could not allow thelr unfortunate
ueighbors TO starve or freeze OH the
public highways and would therefore
support them by charity. The coutfi-
buttons would OF course be much lafg-
er from some than others. for some
people are more charitable than 9TH
eTs. but the direct expense 70 the
county as a whole 10 keep these untor-
Inmates alive would be the same as Il
| each taxpayer had contributed accord
ing to his ability II Is certain the
$500 unemployed would become dis
pirited. lose confidence IN themselves,
begin to wander around over the coun.
/ ~. In short become Migrants wanting
in independence and manhood.
Now suppose our board OF superyis-
crs should announce that they would
employ these 500 men to work on ths
public roads. levees and bridges Of the
county. and would pay them 81 per das
out OF the county treasury. the cost q
+, the county would be equaiized by tax.
alton. and the expenses would be nc
more than to support the unemployed
| and their families by private contri
I button. but the county would be tbs
gamer to the extent Of the value OF Ia,
labor OF the 500 men and instead 81
mendicants they would become seif-re
specting citizens. who would have III,
right to feel that they had earned ar
honest living for themselves and fam
lilies.
Another advantage Of the system Il
that 1t would be possible then to dis
tinguish between the rowing vagrant
who prefers to be a tramp rather thar
earn living by honest labor and tn,
truly unfortunate. who though seek
ing work. had been unable to find It
The former could be made to earn hit
sustenance in the chaln-gang and Til,
latter would never be harrasaed witt
the terrible fear he may lose his joI
ard his family come to want. VIII
rot try the experiment in the interes
Of the 100000 or 100000 Of on
distressed fellow-cltizens rather thar
listen to the ridicule Of the piutocratl
press. that denounces the suggestio,
as Coxeyism? Why not?