The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-05-03
AN UNFORTUNATE CONDITION.

N w. @.H IT.. l.
Thirty days ago every indication
favored a season of unusual activity
in this city. Many new buildings were
in contemplation, while the improve
ments in other directions planned
promised to give employment to a
large number of mechanics for many
months at r~emunerative wages. All
this is now changed and it is doubt
full whether more than a few, II any
of the larger and more expensive
structures will be erected. The Gaz-
cite knows of one instance where
plans had been prepared for the erec-
ton of buildings and the construction
of improvements which it was estl-
mated would cost no less than $4,000.
The reason for this sudden abandon
ment of plans and the abrupt ending
OF what promised so much is the I'M
certainty which exists as to the labor
question. Without undertaking to say
who is wrong and who is right in the
matter. The Gazette deplores that
such an unfortunate condition of at
fairs should exist at this time, as the
result affects all and is to the mani
fest detriment and injury of the en-
tire community. This city, unlike
many others, has no large and perma-
ant payrolls to act as the medium
by which money is regularly distribut-
I'D %o find ifc u,oy into tho ordinary
channels Of trade and commerce. 1t
is only through such work as building
and other improvements that the
large majority of the laborers and
mechanics of the city find employment
and when this source of employment
ceases the means of earning money
for a great many also ceases and they
must remain in idleness or go else
where to seek that which they cannot
obtain here. Not only are the wage
earners made to suffer, but the mer-
chants and others who are engaged
in business are also made to feel the
effects Of the prevailing s%tagnation
and lack of ready money. Thus
every enterprise and every business of
the city languishes and times become
dull.
The scale adopted by the trades
and labor unions of the city a short
time ago is held responsible by many
of. those who are in a position tt
build, but will not, for the existing
condition of affairs. They say tina
they are afraid to undertake larg.
or costly improvements because Of tn,
and strikes. The laboring men, the.
say, nave assumed a position arb
trary and unreasonable and the dc
mands they make are likely at an,
time to be supplemented by other
even more arbitrary and u~nreasonabl
and which it is impossible to NEE
without great loss and Inconvenience
not to say anything about the abs,
lutte surrender of rights and privilel
es which they say belong to the en-
plOyer and the men who are footin
the bills. In this respect the contra
tors n those to whom they mu
look for the means of securing wol
so that they in turn may give emplo
ment to the journeymen nave the sy1
pathy and support of the business me
of the city. They are opposed to tt
new scale, as is shown by the actit
taken by them some weeks ago VIII,
they met for the purpose of discus
ing the situation which has aris'
since the building season may be sd
to have opened. The business m,
of the city are after all the large
employers of labor and are the on
who directly and indirectly give e
ployment to a majority of the m
employed in the community and wi
them antagonistic to the demands
the laboring men all work practica
comes to a s%tandstill.
The effects of the conditions n,
prevailing are readily apparent in t
large number of unemployed m
who are about the city. Last year
this time an idle man in Billings "
a rarity. Every employing contrac
had from ten to a dozen men employ
and some more. Times were &c
and money was fairly plentiful. T
year but few contractors have MI
than half the number of names
their payrolls that they had last ye
and from present appearances e'
the comparatively few men who
employed will be idle before long,
less q very marked and sudden char
is made.
It has been suggested by some Y
are interested In the welfare n pl
pesdty of the city and of its PEG
+h.t an effort he made to adjust n