The herald., 1897-02-28
70 SOLVE The UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

These farms and factories must be
city property, but their permanent con-
troll should be vested in a non-partisan
commission, some members of which
should be wage-earners.
This plan requires no enormous out
lay and 1t Is no experiment since Berlin,
Glasgow and other European cities own
and operate municipal farms for spe-
cifc purposes. The extent of the Ber-
lin farms is thirty square miles, and the
day is not distant when they will yield
great profit.
Now. sir, the two chief conclusions
that we would have you and the citizens
realize are:
% That this is plan to save the city
endless outlays in the future by making
the unemployed self-supporting.
(C That 1t delivers the city from the
repeated and dangerous crises from
unemployment
We are told that when thousands of
strong men are excited by hunger and
long neglect we should not even hint at
what may happen II they are not given
work and food, but If not limiting pre-
vents officials from helping them and so
brings on the trouble, what then? We
think the danger infinitely greater If we
try to conceal smouldering volcanoes.
The danger is a national one, for If the
fire break out anywhere it is likely to
the continual possibility of the confla-
grafton as the menace of a terrible ca
lam1ty, we raise our voices. as the unem-
ployed and friends of the unemployed
OF Los Angeles, in earnest demand that
| this possibility be now removed by re-
| moving the cause.
We do not desire to prophesy evil or
to make any predictions not warranted
| by the conditions. but we believe in
| looking possibilities openly in the face,
and seeking means of averting them.
You may depend upon it that the unem-
ployed Of this country will never resort
| to violence If the citizens will now do
| their duty and offer them a certainty of
| the means of obtaining livelihood.
| This plan of a municipal farm and fac
tories is simply sound business prop
| osition. Glasgow. through her NUM-
cipal Industries, is nearly ready to abol-
| ish all taxation. Why shall not Los
| Angeles. by municipal farms, abolish
the perpetual taxation required to sup
port armies of men in enforced idleness?
One word through you, Mr.. Mayor. to
the citizens themselves:
We appeal to the citizens. Do not
let this work be bound up in official city
hall red tape and killed. We ask you
to be heard in such matter; all those
interminable, sad delays, dear to men
clad in authority while starving men
die, shall not be thought prudent at
this time. This is your cause as we'll as
amidst plenty today, who knows but
you, and you, fellow citizens. will be
singled out to starve tomorrow?
Respond, therefore and let us all work
in one friendly, unanimous spirit to
change Industrial conditions so that all
men may have work, and the life of the
nation be preserved.
A JOBS COMFORTER.
Loud calls were heard for Hartman,
and that gentleman mounted the table
and addressed the crowd at some length
His talk took the tone of the time honor
ed comforters of job He told them
they had brought the present conditions
on themselves with their votes few
months ago. rs not what we see here
the result of economic conditions brought
about by trusts and monopolies?" He
indorsed Mr.. Swift's suggestion of or
ganization, saying that men who have
not strength to organize and stand by
their purposes will be swept away with
gatling guns He advised the con-
tinuance of keeping up meetings in pub
lice places and stand together solidly
for success, and they would succeed in
proportion to their power.
IN NUBIBUS.
p. L. Hutchison, a member of the
city council, being present. was loudly
called for, and took his place on the
improvised platform. He went over
the same ground as the previousspeak-
ers concerning organization and the
hopelessness Of achieving any change
in conditions without it. Public owner
ship, he said. is a fallacy as long as you
give any man power to keep all he can
get. The speaker talked at some length
on the defects Of municipal and national
government and what, in his opinion,
would remedy existing abuses. AS it
involved a radical change in our pres
ent system the prospect of a change was
SO remote his suggestions did not
arouse any great enthusiasm in his
At the conclusion of Mr.. Hutchison's
speech the men fell into line and
marched to Central park, where the fol-
lowing letter from Mayor Snyder was
read by Mr.. Fellows:
THE MAYORS LETTER.
Public Ownership Association: Cen
tlemen-I beg leave to report that have
arranged to call mass meeting of our
citizens at as early date as possible in
the largest hall available for the pur-
pose of discussing the unemployed
question and arranging practical plan
for the relief Of the destitution now prev
alent in our city as a result Of so many
being without employment.
I assure you, gentlemen, that I stand
ready at any time to aid you as best
can, for you have my heartfelt sympa-
thy in the work you have undertaken.
Very sincerely yours,
Mayor.
Mr. Swift announced that mass meet
ing of citizens would be held in Haz-
ards pavilion on Wednesday evening
next, to devise plan to help the un-
employed of the city.
RAYS OF HOPE
In response to repeated calls Professor
w. C. Bowman made short address.
He counselled moderation of speech and
action as the best means to bring about
desired changes in the condition of the
workingman. He expressed confidence
in the desire of the mayor and council
as we'll as the people of the city, to do
what they could and believed that our
present city government is more favor
able to the masses than previous ones
had been The mayor will do the best he
can within the limitations Of the charter
and the law.
THE BUSINESS MEN AROUSED