Omaha daily bee., 1898-01-22
IOWA MEN And EXPOSITION
Novel Objection Raised by an Anonymous
Legislative 0bjectcr,
EMPLOYERS DRAW NO SECTIONAL LINES
Secretary Wakefield Points Out the
Error to which N DcS Moincs
Paper Gives Circulation
Contrnctors' Statements.

piece of legislative gossip in the Des
Moines Capital contains u somewhat extended
interview with an alleged Iowa legislator
who had recently paid visit to Omaha.
During his etay in this city he had acquired
two ideas in regard to the exposition, one
OF which was not entirely satisfactory to
himself In the beginning the member spoke
In the highest terms Of the prospective beau
ties OF the exposition. He said that after his
visit to the grounds he believed that the
Gtory OF the Arabian Nights was prophecy
and that every blow of the hammer and
| touch of the saw gave the magical impress
of Aaddln's lamp. He was convinced that
| the exposition would be a colossal affair
| which would surprise everyone in its pro-
| portions.
| The one complaint that the legislator had
| to make was that he had asked to have
| mechanic from his county given employment
| and had been turned down. He said that the
superintendent" to whom he applied had
told him There Is no work here for Iowans."
| Ho added that he had called on Vice Prosl-
| dent Wright of Iowa, who has assured him
| that there was no work on the grounds for
| anyone outside of the Trades Assembly of
| Omaha The legislator then intimated that
| this matter might have a serious bearing
| when the proposition to make an appropria-
| tion for an Iowa exhibit came before the
| legislature.
The facts in the case indicate a serious
misunderstanding at least on the part of the
| member of the legislature who furnished the
| interview The fact is that large number
| of Iowa men are now working on the expo
| stion buildings, ard neither the exposition
| management nor the contractors Fave made
the slightest effort to discriminate against
| Iowa applicants for employment. Secretary
| Wakefield of the Exposition association says
| that there is not particle of foundation for
| the impression which the interview seeks
| to establish. He Gays that the employment
| OF labor is not in the hands of the EXpcsl-
| tion association at all. The contractors en-
| ploy their own men, the only restriction con-
| tanned in their contracts being a provision
| that the union scale of wages shall be paid.
| He calls attention to the fact that the very
first man who was employed by the Depart
ment of Buildings and Grounds was NJ. S.
| Rails OF Council Bluffs, and he is still on
| the pay roll.
WORK FOR IOWA MEN.
Continuing, Mr. Wakefield said: "This
| clipping was brought to my attention in Il
| letter from Iowa this morning Since then |
| have taken pains to investigate the matter
| cnd in conversation with the contractors in
| chlrge of the various buildings | learn that
| men are employed and retained solely on
| their merits l further found that there are
| over fifty men from Iowa now on the pay
| rolls Of the varioup contractors. Tnis should
| be a satisfactory showing when 1t is remem-
| bered that all the money that has been
| pended so far k2S been raised in Omaha eX
| cGpt 81 500, which has been paid In by Coun-
| ell Bluffs subscribers. The exposition has
paid for labor to Iowa men more than five
| times an much as has been received in sub
| sCrlptions from that state. So it is apparent
that there is Co real justification for the
| complaint"
| These facts were embodied in a reply to
| the Iowa man who sent the clipping and in
| conclusion Mr. Wakefield said 1t is a very
| small business for any man to be employed
| in to endeavor to work against an enterprise
| like the exposition. No state in the trans
| mississippi country will receive larger direct
benefits from the exposition than Iowa. 1t
| is easy to listen to idle rumors. | assume
| it to be fact that no one connected with
| the management of the exposition and no
| contractor who works for the exposition has
| ever made the statement that there was no
| place there for Iowans. We have arranged to
! have great exposition here and it would be
| to Iowa's everlasting discredit and financial
| lC-s If they elected to stay away. 1t Is
| plain business proposal which is apparent to
| any good businessman, and if, after mature
| reflection. Iowa concludes to stay out, 1t Will
| be more serious loss to Iowa than to the
| exposition. We want Iowa's participation
| and will do everything that is reasonable.
| honorable and just to secure it. Iowa ap-
| propriated 900 for representation at
| Chicago and the same amount of money
| expended at this exposition would result in
| ten times moro good to the state than the
| Chicago investment"
EMPLOYMENT OPEN TO ALL.
| President Wattles confirmed the statement
| of Secretary Wakefield. He suggested that
| the visitor had obviously made a mistake.
| inaSmuch as there was no such official as a
| Superintendent The exposition manage
mene had been repeatedly requested by the
| local lGSOr unions to make rule that only
membero OF the local unions should be en-
ployed on exposition work But the drec-,
tory had refused to make such a rule and
had only stipulated that all future con
tracts union wages should be paid. He knew
of his personal knowledge that consider
able number of Iowa mechanics were now at
work on the various buildings.
Inquiry among contractors who are en-
gagged in the construction of the exposition
buildings confirms the statement that quite
number of Iowa men are employed. The
contractors say that they don't care where
the men come from as long aS they are
competent They state that it is probably
fact that outside men are asked to join the
local unions, as is the on any sort of
work in cities where trades unions exist.
This is purely matter between the men
ana the unions. If man comes here from
another state and is nnt a member of the
union at the place where he resides, he is
expected by the local unions to unite with
them. If he agrees to do so within a couple
OF weeks or a reasonable period the local
unions make nj objection to his employment.
II he would refuse to do so they would prob