Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-05-29
4 HEAVY COST.
KANSAS CITY PAYING DEARLY FOR
NATIONAL CONVENTION.

Kansas City will pay dearly for the
honor Of entertaining the national Dem
ocratIc convention July 4. This Is due
to certain complications which have
arisen since the convention was secured.
The original subscription to the national
committee, which was given by the city
70 secure the gathering, was 450,0 1t
was estimated ut the time that the ex-
penses Of the comm ittees 10 addition
would be about S25, 900. It was expected
that $l00, 1000 would fully cover all the
expenses. II Ia evident now, however,
that the city will have to stand an ex-
pense OF ut least ease, 900 to have things
In readiness In July, and this sum only In
cludes direct outlay. There is no way
OF estimating how much the people Of
the city individually will be out, owing
to the labor complications which have
arisen through the rebuilding OF the con.
vention hall.
The extra expense has come through
the destruction OF the original conven.
ton hall by fire, the necessity OF having
Q new building complete within the short
time available. and the fact that the
building Of this hall is being carried on
In che face OF very serious labor situa-
ton. All Of the men engaged In the
building trades In Kansas City are now
Idle.
The reason the strike on the street car
lines has failed 80 far Is peculiar TO this
city, and would apply to no other place.
The men employed on the street car sys-
TEN are nearly all country boys from the
farms west of here. They are not &C
customed to the ways of labor agitators.
and are rather apt to think for them
selves. They have had difficulty In the
past In securing employment; many OF
them are men with families, and they do
not respond readily to the demands OF
the trade unions, especially where such
demands are not for an increase In
wages, but for further recognition OF
unionism, with which they are not tamil
lar. The time, however, Is opportune
for strike II one can be brought on, as
numerous small conventions are In prog.
ress, and the street car compsnyis making
extensive preparations for handling tbs
l00, 900 people who are expected here the
first week 10 July.
Outside Agitstors from st. Louis and
Chicago, experienced In these matters
have recognized the opportunity pre-
septed, and are here at work among the
Kansas City wage earners trying 70 in'
cite them to general suspension OF al
Industries In the city, to secure favors
which they believe will be granted al
this time where they would not be con.
sidered under ordinary circumstances
So far no very great progress has been
made Ia disturbing Industrial conditions
here, but the danger Is not yet over and
the convention hall stands as constant
menace TO employers, for while the union
made an exception TO the work on the
hall, the committee had TO pay such
wages az were demanded aud make every
concession which could be thought Of by
those managing the unions affairs. The
very highest wages are being paid on
the hall, higher than ever before pre-.
vailed In the city. Hold carriers are get
ting thirty cents an hour, and everybody
else In like proportion.
The convention hall committee TO Sc
cure the structural steel for the hall WAS
forced to pay about $50, 900 more than II
cost 10 the original building, owing tc
the fact that the market was at the high
est notch Just at the time the contract
WAS made. II has gone down consider
ably since then, but all material wa:
bought at the high figure. In addition
10 this bonus Of 81, 900 had to be PAID
10 the Carnegie Company 10 have the
| roof trusses ready In time.
The effect of the high wages paid or
convention hall has been felt In every
branch Of trade In the city, and has hat
tendency to support the most extravs
giant demands and establish q scale FOL
all work which IL considerably above thu
normal. Even under these conditions
however, there IL possibility OF worl
being suspended on the hall at any time
and the fear Is constantly before the PEG
pie that something of that kind will hap
pen. There Is no danger that the steeI
work will be suspended. as the men EN-
ployed by the Carnegie Company are In
dependent Of local labor influences, and
II necessary, the city will furnish ample
protection to those engaged upon thu
building.
Kansas City has q way, however, o.
doing disagreeable things as though they
were thoroughly enjoyable, and the com
mittees are working AS thoroughly Il
make the convention success, so far as
the host IL concerned, as though IL was
not going TO cost any more than WA
originally planned. The feature that II
greatly regretted by those who have
taken an interest In the great auditorium
from It's first building, IL the diversion
OF so much money from the Legitimate
purpose of rebuilding a freproof snt
magnificent structure to the temporary
purpose OF providing q shelter for thu
Democratic convention, for much OF thu
money now being spent Is practically
lost. The money necessary to pay TIT
expenses of the convention 10 beins
raised By private and public subscription
aud by numberless and various kinds o.
benefits given by public-splrited citizens
and organizations for that purpose, ant
" hatever Is needed will be forthcoming
The hall as II IL being rebuilt Will bt
the cost convenient shelter for national
convention ever devised. IL will seal
about 5000 people, and while there !:
little doubt that Kansas City will be able
to take care of the crowd which may be
In the city during convention week
many people will 90 away disappointed
at not being able TO attend single ses.
sion OF the convention itself.
The lesson OF the terrific fire which
consumed the hall In less than half an
hour, has been thoroughly taken to
heart, and there will be very little In
flammable material used in the floors or
any other part Of the building. II will
be arranged 40 that II necessary the
crowd can get out from almost any
point along the sides and ends.-Ksnsas