The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-02-16
WHAT OF UNEMPLOYED
Pilgrim Brotherhood Discusses the
Problem Of Enforced IdleneSs
Should the General Government Provide
Employment for Those Shut
Out of Other Avenues.

D " A'NN'i''b VI Alit 1 llkVlm DIOtnef'
hood, in the parlors Of the Congrcpa.
tional church, Tuesday evening, was ono
OF the most interesting aud profitable
yet held.
{ IL Is one OF the encouraging signs Of
the times, wnen men like those compos.
ing this new society, are seen earenpstly
discussing the living problems Of the
time, problems which so intimately AZ.
lect both the physical and moral well.
being of humanity. And especially is
1t encouraging to observe the liberality
and 'farmindedness which the
members display, in endeavoring to lay
aside all prejudice and study these ques.
tions with view only TO finding the
truth.
1t seems also that the plan of discus.
sion, is TO be commended in considera
ton of the purpose in view. Two
! aders and other speakers are appointed
but are not allotted to either side of the
question, and are free TO advocate their
real convictions on the subject.
The question Tuesday evening. was
"What Should the Government do for
the Unennloyed?"
The leaders were A. w. Dennis and
Guy Powers.
A. W. Dennis opened the discussion
with very interesting paper in favor OF
governmental employment on public
works being given to all laborers unable
10 secure employment in private mes
of industry. He suggested the building
of public roads leading to the capital OF
ZACH state and the employment ol
thousands on irrigation bitches in arid
regions Of which there were hundreds ol
thousands of acres on which happy
homes would spring up and expansion
in the true spirit Of American Ii berty
would be achieved,
G.. NJ Powers followed with q paper
along similar lines laying down the
proposition that God demanded more Of
all men than merely accepting condi-
tions as they found them and conduct
ing their business along rec ,gnized lines
ii morality in the commercial world
with occasional acts Of charity toward
the poor Ii Christians would "srek
lirst the kingdom Of God" and not their
own selfish material prosperity they
would seek 10 displace the present
wastelul industrial system that permits
fruit to decay on the trees, corn burn
lol fuel and wheat selling below the
cost OF production, while men women
and children starved slowly to death in
the great cities OF the country. An in
dustrial army organ zed on tile plan OF
the regular army should be enlisted
taking in all the surplus labor OF the
mntry to be employed building roads
aud under skilled engineers forming
artificial reservoirs or lakes in the
mountains tn restrain the surplus water
now flooding streams and destroyin :
millions Of property. From these lakes
0uild irrigation bitches carrying water
TO the arid lands which could be plated
into small farms and sold TO actual
settlers at cost ON easy terms.
lie declared honest labor demanded
not charity but justice and those who
would not work should be compelled "a
do 50.
u. B. Duncan, the next spe aker,
did not favor government employment
for the idle because il would not be in
dc keeping with the dignity Of labor,
lie believed that all intelligent laborers
could secure employment except at oc'
ctsional times OF depression aud he be-
eyed that the government governed
best that governed least.
A. T, Gilbert said his views were ex-
actly those OF Bro. Duncan and ii labor.
ers were idle they could go take up pub
lie land, rs was done in the country
years ago.
III. II. Rranson favored some method
to assist honest labor 10 earn an honest
living, as also did Mr.. Howard.
Rev. Hantner could not express posi-
tive convictions but his sympalhies
were with those unable to secure em'
ployment am he FELT something SHOULD
b. done.
n j. Judah being present was invited
TO speak aud gave the Brotherhood his
Views on the labor question in his usual
frcible and earnest manner. He fatty
denied the statement that honest, intel
lig' mt labor could always secure employ
ment. He knew from personal eXper-
ience that il was not true. He had ioT
fifteen years been giving the question
earnest thought from every conceiveable
standpoint and was positive the present
industrial system wrong and change
must sooner or later be made. lie
showed the admirable working Of the
Postal department 10 be an example o.
the ability Of the government 10 more
ably aud economically conduct great
lines OF business than possible under
private ownership.
G. A. Bach followed, earnestly sup
porting the idea government aid to
labor and denying the possibility Of our
present system Of doing justice TO all
honest labor. He knew il was not pos
sble ia alway1 or even with regularity