The wageworker., 1905-08-25

seems TO nave solved the question or
municipal government about as well
as could be expected in this day and
age. The Canadians seem to harbor
the idea that laws are made to be en-
forced, and as result the laws and
ordinances OF Toronto are carried out
to the letter. Toronto has the saloon
under control to remarkable degree
and n degree almost unbelievable by
the average American who is a resi-
dent of large city. Here the bars
close at 5 o'clock on Saturday even
ing, and remain closed until O'Clock
Monday morning. And they are
closed, too. The first infraction of
the excise law means fine of $500,
and the second means a revocation of
the license. AS the laws are enforced
without fear or favor the result is a
wonderful amount of conservatism on
the part of the men who retail liquor
The mere suggestion to liquor dealer
that he disregard the law almost
scares him to death.
The saloons are not saloons as we
across the line to the south understand
them. There are no saloons in
Toronto-they are all hotels. In other
words, in addition to selling liquor
the dealer must also serve meals and
have conveniences for lodging not less
than fifteen people. The number of
licenses in Toronto is limited to $50,
and a license once revoked is not re-
issued. When the Kings hotel-the
finest in Canada, and one of the finest
in North America-was opened, the
proprietors had to buy out little hotel
In order to get liquor license-and
they paid bonus of $4,000 for the
little bit OF paper. The closing of the
bars at O'Clock on Saturday was
brought about by the labor unions of
the city, and 1t has had beneficial
result. The Saturday half-holiday is
well nigh universal here, and Saturday
afternoon great crowds of workingmen
and their families may be seen hurry
ing to the boats intent on getting to
some of the many pleasure resorts
that abound in this section.
The street car problem that has
bothered so many American cities does
not bother Toronto people. There is
no immediate demand for municipal
ownership, the reason being that the
owners of the street railway here
seem to deal fairly with the people.
Six fares for quarter is the rule at
all times, save between 6 and a. m.
and and Z p. M, when Scent fare
is allowed. This was made at the
behest of the working men and women
OF the city. On school days school chill.
dren can buy ten tickets for quarter
The cars are the best that can be Sc
cured, and the service a revelation to
one coming from big city on the
American side.
The workingmen of Toronto run it
rnn1ttiral1y Thnu ixyidn On
political lines, and they do not insist
that their candidates be workingmen
But they do insist that the candidates
represent the interests of the produc.
ing classes, and woe be unto the sue
cessful candidate that betrays his
trust. From the labor union stand
point Toronto is the best organized
town in the country. There are 153
trades unions here, and they have built
and maintain a labor temple that is
credit to city possessing many
splendid public buildings. The temple
has been opened little less than a
year, and has already paid dividend
of per cent on the investment. No
one is allowed to hold more than 500
of the stock, and the temple is mai
aged by a board of trustees elected by
the stockholders.
For the past ten days Toronto has
been full of union printers and their
wives, the fifty-first annual convention
of the International Typographical
Union being in session. The printers
have come from every state and terri
tory in the United States, and from
every province in Canada. A few years
ago the word printer" was synonym
GUS with liquor 1t is not so now. The
writer has been here over a week, has
met and communed with upwards of
$500 printers, and during his whole
stay in Toronto has not seen one in
toxicated man. The organization of
woman's auxiliaries and the introduc-
tion Of the typesetting machines have
worked a change in the printing fra
ternity that makes the feat of Alladin's S
lamp seem tame by comparison.
When one who has not visited
Niagara Falls for fifteen years visits
1t now the only thing he recognizes
Is the falls. Everything else is changed
The vociferous and greedy hackman
is no longer in evidence. For Is cents
one may ride in reservation carriage
all around the falls. A few years age
1t cost all that the hackman could
make the visitor pay. So notorious
became tnlS nuisance tndJ uncle sam
stepped in. He made government
reserve out of his side of the falls, an6
Canada performed the same service
on the Canadian side. AS a result
one steps into a government carriage
and Is freed from extortion. But tht
souvenir dealers are still here, ant
the men who have various concession.
are very persistent. Speaking of per
sistence, the revenue inspectors TAX,
the cake. Coming to Toronto the write
crossed from Niagara to the Canadian
side, and was met by an inspector VIII,
opened his grip. Going down tn,
Canadian side of the great gorge h
crossed to Lewiston on the Unite
States side, and was met by anothe
inspector who had to peep into tha
grip. At Lewiston he took a steame
for Toronto, and before he landed tina
inoffensive grip had to be opened one
more and thoroughly investigated. TIL
inspectors spent not less than an hou
with that grip, and II their time
worth 80 cents an hour and all grip
yield as little revenue as this partic,
lar one, then Uncle Sam and Canad
are losing money by the policy.