The San Francisco call., 1897-02-15
WANT THE MAYOR
TO STUDY It UP
Big Sunday Afternoon
Meeting of the Labor
Exchange.
Long List of Merchants and
Others Willing to Accept
Labor Checks at Par.
Would Undertake City improvements
Without Creating an Interest.
Bearing Debt.

1t came very near being an overflow
meeting of the Labor Exchange that was
held at Pythian Hall yesterday afternoon.
Standing room was in demand, and the
keenest interest was manifested in the
proceedings, which were simply directed
at an exposition of the methods OF the
exchange and the problem of how the un-
employed of the City and of the State and
OF the country may be put to work at
good wages by these methods.
Several members of the Socialist Labor
party were present, and endeavored to
disconcert the president by asking series
OF questions considered very hard in social
economics, but they were answered so sat-
isfactorily that in every instance the big
audience broke into applause.
The question of undertaking public i'm
prove ments under the Labor Exchange
system-that of issuing vouchers for the
labor and material, the vouchers to be
made acce ptable in payment of taxes
was discussed. The following resolution
was unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That we call the ttention OF the
Mayor and the Board OF Supervisors of the
City and County OF San Francisco to the new
financial sy stem under which public improve
ments an be made without creating an inter
est-bearing debt
RESOLVED, That under this new system there
Is always plenty of money to carry on public
improvements, thereby lessening poverty
want and dis tress among those who are most
useful TO society, viz, the working class.
Resolved further, That the Mayor and Board
OF Supervisors be requested TO study this sys-
tenn with a view of adopting the same for the
purposes above set forth.
The secretary was directed to mail the
resolutions to the bers of the board
and to the Mayor and to inclose with
fhap TED 0f h.
accept Labor Exchange checks at their face
value as being as good as money. The
list was printed in the form of Labor
Exchange directory and includes almost
every line of business and profession as
follows:
Architects, /; artists materials, /; attor-
neys, 2; bakeries, l; baskets, l; bfacksm iths
2; bicycle-shops, l. boots and shoes, 2; car.
pet cleaning and laying, L; cigars and tobacco,
wholesale, /; coal and wood, q coffee, tea,
spices, extracts, /; commission and produce
2; cloth, retail, L; cloth, wholesale, Il crock.
cry and glassware, 2; dentists, l dried fruits
and nuts, wholesale, l; doctors. 5; dry-goods,
/; fire insurance, l; furnished rooms 8;
fruit stores 2; electric works, i; furni-
ture, new and secondhand, 4; gro
cerles, wholesale, l; groceries, retail, 2;
gloves gauntlets, mittens, l: household uten-
sils, 2; hatters, 2; horseshoers, 2; liquors
and cigars, / locksmiths, L: photographers,
/; printing, 3; picture frames l; portraits,
/; poultry and game, wholesale and retail, 8;
stamps, /; restaurants, 2; sewing-machines,
l; sewing ng-machine repairs, l; sign painters,
2; house painters, l; shoemakers, A; shoe
makers, wholesale, l; tailors, 2; teas and
cotees, 2; watchmakers, 3; wagon-makers 2;
wines and liquors, wholesale, i wood and
willow ware, wholesale, i; wood carpet and
inlaid floors, ! washiug-m achines, 1.
This list, President Henry Warfield ex-
planned, almost If not quite completes the
circuit OF the necessities OF men, so that
the holders of Labor Exchange checks are
In position to supply their wants with
out reference to money.
As these checks come more and more
into use the list may be rapidly and inde-
finitely extended, he said. The boot and
shoe manufacturer, for instance, he said,
had visited the headquarters at 800 Davis
street, repeatedly asking for an increase
OF business through the Labor Exchange;
he wanted more OF the checks. The whole
system OF contemplated municipal public
improvements, the streets and sewers, he
declared, could be undertaken through
the medium suggested, and accomplished
without bond being issued or a cent of
debt for interest incurred.
State Organizer Clark delivered a stir
ring address on the pressing need Of the
reform as shown in the vast numbers of
the unemployed and the prevalence of
distress among the poor.
There is no reason for it," he ex-
SAoiunSui OACepb tue lndueQudCy OF money
TO effect exchanges. The world is big
enough and fruitful enough to supply
every human being bountifully. ALI that
is necessary is a correct system of ex-
change that cannot be controlled and
monopolized, but which is open and free
at all times. This system has been dis
covered and is embodied in the Labor
Exchange and once adopted will bring
about condition of liberty and plenty for
all such as has never been dreamed of on
earth.
This is no fancy, but is a fact capable OF
demonstration by that which has been al
ready accomplished and is now in daily
operation in this City. If they are per-
mltted the workingmen can turn this in to
the most beautiful City in the world, " he
| said.
1t is expected that larger hall will have
10 be engaged for the regular Sunday aft
er1oon meetings, as the interest in the
movement is spreading in such fashion
that the present quarters are already alto
gether inadequate.