The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-01-12
BUREAU OF LABOR
PUBLIC BUREAU SHOULD DlSPLACE
PRIVATE AGENCIES.
To Make the Public Agency n Sue
cess, the Council Ought 10 Refuse
to License Private Concentrated a
Good Experienced NanAEer-Run
1t on Humane business Lines.
Public Agencies Will DO no Harm.

Our article last week on the free Ia
Dor bureau in reply to a letter in the
News Tribune signed by Zone Inter-
ested,' Was answered in that paper
on Monday by evidently the same per-
son, who signed ''Who 1 Am"
He says, we are not aware of the
amount or Importance of the business
done by the agencies at the head of the
lakes. He also refers to the years OF
experience required, and knowledge Of
men. etc.
We confess that we Go not know
much about the amount or the impor-
tance Of business done by the employ
ment agencies. We have not inVeSti-
gated that, may later. We do know
however, that if an individual can Uper-
ate an agency with success, SO can q
municipality. If we can operate our
water and gas system as successfully
as did the gas and water company, we
certainty ought to be able to run an
employment agency.
We got control of the water plant be-
cause OF the unjust treatment to the
public by the company. We want con-
troll of the employment agencies be-
cause Of the too frequent cases of hold
ups.
AS regards to knowledge of men, etc,
there isn't any reason why we can not
employ as good a manager as does the
private agencies. Perhaps our friend,
who undoubtedly has had wide expert
rnce in private agencies, would make a
first class manager for the munich
pality.
How are we going to dispose of the
private agencies. or even compete with
them: II we want to make our public
agency complete success, we ought
to refuse to Incense them. We know
or no good reason why men should be
permitted to follow that kind of bust
ness. 1t is regular scalping PROPOSE
ton. The idea Of a laboring man pay
ing dollar for job is preposterous.
1t is like giving a dollar for chance
to live.
In England, once upon time, they
had ten pound franchise law" That
is, man was obliged to pay ten
pounds before he could cast vote.
They have abolished that system now
In America system is permitted that
will allow men to charge labor, the pro-
ducer of wealth, the maker of the rich,
a fee, before he can produce any wealth
| for the rich to enjoy. That system will
be abolished in America soon, and
| some day our posterity will wonder
how we ever allowed it to exist at all,
just as we wonder about the "ten
pound franchise"
| Until we operate an ideal public la
| Dor bureau we realize that we will
| nave considerable trouble inducing
large employers of labor to place ord
ers at the public bureau. They may for
time hold back, but when it is seen
that the peoples bureau is operated on
reliable business lines, they will soon
come in, There will he no private
fagencies to go to, they will have to
come. Large employers Of labor al
ways oppose public undertakings where
the public alone will reap the benefit.
They were not in favor of the munich
pal ownership Of the gas and water
plant. nor are they in favor of any
thing that will be a stepping stone to
perhaps the public ownership of their
business.
| AS regards to losing the large tran
silent trade. who spend their time be-
tween the harvest fields of the west
the l'i'i :ries and mines of the north
levees Of the south, and railroad and
miscellaneous work all over the coun-
try, we do not see that public or pri-
Vate agencies have to do with it. The
men will come here Just so long as our
pineres last, and unless something else
turns up, no longer. The employment
agencies will go where the labor is EN-
ployed, and not as our friend woulC
have us believe, that labor will &c
where the employment agencies are