The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-10-24
: PLAIN TALK
.....,;,.r.o by a Werkinsman.

:, cleveland's disastrous admini.tra
rhere was no work. Business
.t.enant and at its lowest ebb
,..0royements in the cities and towns
.,,oushout the state were at
..a,Hll. Little building Of any kline
.oing on. In the larger places
-. poise. Pocatello. Lewiston and
...ov there were thousands Of idle
-.,-skilled mechanics and laborers-
80 found it absolutely impossible te
.,,.,r any kind of employment be.
$50 there was no work to be had
v.,v many of them were hungry and
s,.tyessed, and from sheer necessity
~. forced to seek shelter for the
.,snt in saloon chairs because they
hsd no money to pay for a nights
|,.d.,ne. The little they ate came
r,ostly from free lunch counters.
mis- is no fancy picture. It is the
|,,a,n truth and the workingman who
IN IN Idaho at that time will verify
In THOSE few who were fortunate
|enoush go secure any work at all
kvere obliged to accept almost starva-
lion wages. Skilled carpenters in
|poise and elsewhere were glad to ac-
|c,ut work at from 81 to $2.25 per day.
|The same mechanics are today receive
Enr from $3.50 to 1885, Then only a
kew could get work at all. Now there
n not an Idle carpenter in any city in
HE state, and, although the number
has been largely augmented. there is
\ constant unsupplied demand for
more men.
At that time the ordinary laborer-
khe man without any trade-was forced
10 tramp from place to place, lucky
Indeed II now and then he could get
hn odd job to SUPPLY immediate and
pressing wants. A dollar a day was
hbout all he could expect. He was
fortunate indeed to secure any work
1t ALL There seemed very little hope
Tor the working man in those dark
bays.
As a single evidence Of the distress
)hen prevalent among the laboring
Elasses of Idaho 1t is we'll to cite
bingle instance which occurred in Boise
Turing those darks days. Mr.. r. ].
anderson in 1SsS-N began his extern
1--WE mining operations on the Upper
Boise river. The city was full Of idle
men and teams. all idle from necessity,
Fhe men were clamorous for work.
pnly few, comparatively. could be
aiken. The best wages paid were 81
|or common laborers and $3.50 for car
)enters and rockmen. and the board of
|he men was $3.50 per week. Many
worked for less, yet these wages were
Considered generous at the time. 1t
vas winter and the hardships endured
Fere necessarily great. But all this
fas borne willingly for the chance to
|btain work and food.
Many OF those same mechanics and
hborers are still in Boise. They to-
Jay receive almost double the wage
hen paid them. and they also enjoy
ne comforts of home and civilization.
Fhis case Is used merely as an illus
Patton. 1t Is not an isolated one. There
IRE thousands similar.
Now what has caused this great
mango for the better in the condition
4 the workingman? Some will try to
|hswer by asserting that there has
Fen general revival Of business all
long the line and q consequent i'm
Feased demand for labor. This IL
rue. but what has caused the revival
business? There are, by many
pousands, more workingmen in the
pate now than then, and they are all
osy. Long and tedious arguments
eidom interest the workingman. Facts
)res
Now. 1t is a fact that the laborer is
pa almost twice as much today as he
Fceived five and six years ago, for
Pss hours. and that work is plenty
Eerywhere. No man need be idle.
ne Is 30 1t is by his own volition.
THAT Is the cause?
the reason for this great change In
Pndition IL too apparent to require
ktended explanation. Under q DEM
Eratic national administration indus
[les languished; capital became timid
nd went into hiding: the would-be in
estor put his money in the bank and
iuseo to take Q chance. That was
Pc situation and no specious argument
the Democratic press or speakers
In eainsay It. Those conditions ex-
lteo at that time and they existed AZ
pc direct result Of Democratic ignor-
nee and incompetency in the admin
|tration Of national affairs. 1t was
|ot the fault Of the country, nor of
pc toilers. The country itself IL no
nerent nor no better than 1t was. It
the same country. The same peo-
e inhabit It today. the difference be-
q that they are in . very much bet
Pr condition.
Grover Cleveland. at time
absolute peace and no ex-
[aordinary governmental expenses
Pund 1t necessary to borrow
ANY millions Of dollars to carry on
administration. Under q Repub.
Fan, administration this government
s sustained an expensive foreign wal
Pa suppressed rebellion against til
|ghtfully attained authority In the Or.
|ht Thousands of miles away and gave
the oppressed people Of Cuba a fres
Pvernment. And yet. with these tire.
|endous additional expenses, this row.
fnment has more money In its treas.
~ than ever before in Its history and
ore money thap any other nation or
krth. That II the actual record with.