The San Francisco call., 1897-01-19

body it cares bit whether the State runs
the employment bureaus or not. These
men go from shop to shop when they
want work, and they never go near
bureaus of any kind"
W. T. Boyce, for the past year presi-
dent OF the 1ronmolders' Union No. 164,
stated that he is in favor of the Fitzgerald
bill for the establishment of free State
employment agencies and said: These
private employment agencies have been
and are now the worst kind of swindles.
Hardly day passes but that some poor
fellow who can't afford to lose a cent is
ruthlessly robbed by these sharks.
HI"In many cases these fellows have an
agreement with some one who employs
large numbers of men. The applicants
for work are charged ! fee and Mt to the
confederate who gives them work for
day or two and then sends them adrift
without reason, cause or excuse-or
money. Another batch of laborers, who
have paid the employment agent for their
positions, are put to work and they in
turn are sent away.
"And so it goes, one crowd after another,
until the poor as a whole are made still
poorer, and these robbers reap the unjust
profits and grow rich. 1t is simply legal
manner of robbing men and there is no
redress. Put me down for any change
that will put stop to this nefarious sys-
tenn of stealing from the poor and needy"
L. D. Gardner, president of Carpenters
and Joiners' Union No. 483, spoke as fol-
lows: 'The o!d system of conducting
private employment agencies is simply a
system of obbery under the guise of a
legitimate business. From what 1 can
learn as many men have been robbed as
benefited by these private employment
agencies.
Maybe, the new proposed free agencies
or bureaus would be seized upon by the
politicians; but even SO, the poor people
could better afford the expense or their
support by taxation than to be bunkoed
out of what little they haYe when they
need that little the most. AS l under
stand it, the bill does not propose to alb
solutely abolish private enterprise in this
direction, but it does propose TO make the
private employment agents deal honestly
with their patrons and the public, and for
this reason if for no other L hope the bill
will pass"
Joseph Walters. secretary of the Brew
cry Workmen's Union, said: 81 am in
favor of the bill. 1t will practically do
away with these bunko agents, who rob
men by taking their money without CIV
ing the equivalent in positions. would
like to see these private agencies abolished
altogether.
"They are the worst enemy that orga-
nized labor has to contend against.
Whenever there is any trouble between
labor and capital these agents step in and
furnish the capitalists with scabs, who
take the places of the men who have quit
work. do not believe that free bureau
would take such part in case OF trouble
between an employer and his men.
believe that the State should furnish the
unemployed with the means of making s
living, by bringing employer and laborel
together. free of cost to both
Guy Lathrop, manager of the Labor Blu.
reau Association at 915K Market street
said:
81 am in favor of the Fitzgerald free
employment measure. In Illinois, Ohio
Minnesota and other States the plan has
worked with success. The Governors ot
those States have practically placed the
matter out of politics and selected Labor
Commissioners on merit alone.
These Commissioners have had the
exclusive right to select their own assist.
ants The WORK of the bureaus have been
carried on in systematic and business
like method, and great benefits have re,
suited to those who really need assistance
l don't see why the plan should not work
in this State, and l believe it will"