The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-07-27
EXPERT JUGGlf|:R||!S'l / :
ALDERMEN USES THE FREE LABOR
BUREAU LIKE A TOY. fr:.
Alderman Cochrane IL Winning an
ator Of New Theories ON the Econo-
mic Questions-Dodges the. Cues
tion-Says Honest Labor Does Not
Want Free Labor Bureau.

city "dadies." Last January, just be-
fore the municipal election, the council
passed an ordinance creating bureau
OF labor and employment commission
erS. Since then scarcely q week has
passed by when there has not been a
discussion of the question. 1t appears
that the only difference between the
friends and opponents of the bureau
Is whether 1t should be self-supporting
or free. At last Mondays meeting Of
the city council resolution was intro
duced appropriating 81, 500 for the sup
port of the bureau, and making the
money available not earlier than Mo-
vember first. This started the ball roll
ing. Alderman Cochrane Of the eighth
ward, who is fast gaining an enYiable
reputation as an originator of new
theories on economic questions, couldn't
reasons why he opposed the bureau.
1.-THE honest laboring men do not want
this bureau" he exclaimed, "its a poll
tical scheme merely to catch votes"
Alderman Cochrane is the member
of the council who few weeks ago
advanced the new theory that the
shorter work day gave men too much
time to hang around saloons. This was
said when discussing the eight hour
day for city employees.
Returning to the bureau, let it be said
that the council is getting away. from
the real intention of the originators.
The idea of a free labor bureau, in the
first place, was to practically legislate
all unscrupulous private agencies out
of business, and God knows there are
many of them. The police department
of this city has been troubled by COM
plants from fleeced workingmen,
through employment agencies. more
than from any other class. The records
Of the municipal court are full of gross
swindles. of that nature. They ought
to furnish an abundance of arguments
in behalf of free labor bureau. ... & &
It is neither right nor just to link a
free employment bureau with free
soup house. There are. something's in
! this world that even a. working man is
entitled to free, Of charge, and one Of
them ought sto 'lbeS q free opportt ttiIinfty to
earn q living. without having to pay
some middle man fee for that chance.
Society should discriminate against en-
ployment agencies as now constituted.
as strongly as it does against book
makers on a race track. There is no
excuse for either.
The thinking workingman wants the
free labor bureau. When Alderman
Cochrane says that the honest laboring
men do not want it, he says something
which he ought to know Is not true.
The trade unions of Duluth, and by the
way. they are the only instruments
that make known the wishes of the
workingmen, have repeatedly declared
for free public labor bureau.
When the alderman says that the
honest laboring man does not want g.
free bureau, does he mean that the
members Of trade unions are not hon
est? The trade unions, when they ask
for free bureau, are not asking any,
thing for themselves, but for the great
body of the unorganized workingmen,
who have no means of making their
wishes known. What legislative body
pays any attention to the desires of an
individual laborer? But when a desire
is expressed through an organization
composed of hundreds and thousands
Of workingmen, some attention is usual
ly paid to it, for these men have votes
that they know how to use, and as they
represent part of the people. they ex-
pect to have their servants in public
office give them some service. Call the
demand for a free labor bureau a poll
tical proposition If you wish, the labor
organizations are not responsible for
it. If it becomes a party political is
sue, it will be merely the work Of q
class Of scheming politicians now hold
ing seats in the council, who are de-
sirious of holding up the matter until
just previous to the next election, when
they expect to poll few extra votes
at a time when the matter is fresh in
the minds of the workingmen.
Alderman Cochrane says, 1.-The work
ingmen do not want charity, and that
they are wiling to pay for an honest
job" "A good workingman is usully
too proud to pay an employment agent
for a job, but would rather seek it on
his own account. II to get job free,
through q public agency, is charity
then we presume free ride on rail-
road train is charity also. If 50, some II
the aldermen should be too proud ia
ask for passes. . F.. ...
1t is folly to waste any time answer
ing the arguments thus far advanced
in opposition to free bureau. In our
opinion most Of them are unsound. and
are advanced merely as petty excuses