The herald., 1897-02-26
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 76. 1907,
UNEMPLOYED TO THE FRONT

The gathering of the unemployed at
abe plaza yesterday is the Inauguration
spf a movement which should command
sfhe earnest attention of this community.
I'm times of depression, when considera-
BILE numbers are without employment,
and there is among them a lack of the
'barest necessities of life, such gather
dngs, when successive and long main
tained, and especially when played upon
by designing men or erratic zealots, be-
come an element of public danger. II
is not desra BILE from any standpoint that
an agita ton such as this should be long
continued. But no way has ever been
devised in.this country to prevent hun
cry men from making an outcry. The
only feasible and Christianlike way of
stopping it is to stop the occasion for it,
The utterances at the meeting yes
terday and the tenor of the petition pre-
scented to the mayor are pathetic, and
they would have been stronger if the
suggestion Of possible violence to come
from present conditions had been omit
ted. OF course we all know that there
is such danger, but the presentation of
the idea by men appealing to their fell
low citizens for assistance has too much
the appearance of a menace. This COM
munity is one of warm sympathies and
open-handed benevoence, but it is not
to be moved by anything in the nature
of a threat. The threat implied or ex-
oppressed, would better have been omit
ated.
AS to the rather angry protest against
---the inequalities of our social and indus
Nriai system, that has a basis of just-
f1caticn. 1t is a subject of deep concern
.fin the minds of many people who are
lRnot in the ranks of the unemployed. 1t
fSis danger menacing our political and
vsocial structure that many political
economists and thoughtful patriots have
recognized. But crowd of men asking
employment to keep them f, ON want
aare in no frame of mind to discuss polit-
deal economy or social ethics. They
scould not settle these broad questions
In any event. They can only protest
against the injustice of the situation.
But others are making this protest more
logically than these people could hone
to do.
80 perhaps the best thing for the un-
employed is to stick to the practical
question before them-showing how,
many men there are who are ready and
willing to work but can find no worl,
to do;-showing how many are in actual
want;-asking the community in a
frank and manly way to stand bv them
in this time of need. Such an appeal
could not fail to elicit generous re-.
sponse.
Whlle 1t may appear to the men on the
wrong side of the fence that the rescua |
procession is long time in moving. we
believe that some practical plan of ro-
lief Will soon be devised. The improve
ment of streets and roads leading ia our-
lying townsville establishment of A roal, !
pile for needy workers-the round
ing up of worthless hobos and their
elimination from the problem-the co.
operation of city and county authorities
and the benevolent organizations in
some systematic scheme OF employment
all these things have been fully dis
cussed, and we believe they have been
accepted by the practical sense of the
community. The need of the hour is
for some philanthropic citizen, with
some tact and executive ability who
will lead off with the movement. Prac.