The San Francisco call., 1906-07-27
ASKS THAT LABOR
Be REASONABLE.
P. II. McCartey in Ad-
dress Tells Workmen
to Desert "Gougers"
SPEECH APPROVED

delivered an address on the condftfa1s
existing IN San Francisco at the pres
en- tlme. The address, which was
unanimously approved by the council
and ordered spread on the minutes Is
IS follows:
San Francisco faces a grave co,a,-
ton, a condition which has grown
steaqlly worse since the 18Th dsv ~
-NttlL " bile the depressing effects of
calamity enveloped the people. the tr1,e
spirit OF patriotism and charity was
-lahlteSt on all sides. The sympathy
ler the homeless and destitute prompt
GO al 70 lend hand TO relieve suffer-
ing and meet the necessities Of the
hour. ''4e
Immediately upon the subsistence of
the excitement attending the disaster
The spirit Of commerciaiism took nos,
session and the idea of converting
oaIssJrophe into, an opportunity for
seems as though the major n6Ttion Of
I our citizens regarded the disaster as
an agency which had opened up chan
nels Tor making money hitherto un-
known in the city aud AFFORDED oppor-
lunlties never experienced before and
not to be had again
AYoeauons which had been followed
pg some Tor years were abandoned and
new enterprises embarked in, which
would bring the quickest and best re-
Hardly were the smoldering ruins
entirely burned rElt when IL was heard
mere and there, Of the fortunate In
lucky
strike Of that one.
TO RESTORE IMPROVEMENTS.
Citizens consulted each other as to
the best way 10 get some of the money
mat was shortly to be disbursed by
-lLeuL az companies ana spent Dy
those who had il, upon the restoration
OF improvements.
The atmosphere seemed 70 change
from the charitable 10 the selfish. The
coutagion for immediate gain spread
about the city. While one set Of our
citizens was daily meeting and propos-
ing unselhsh measures for the rehabfli-
uatlOn OF the city, others were laying
the foundations for operations by
Whlch 70 get the money spent therefor.
ana means confronted the people and
Il was seen that the reconstruction of
the city depended entirely upon two
factors, viz; building material and
building labor, grave apprehension was
expressed as 10 what attitude labor
would assume. So far as the labor
factor was concerned. this apprehen-
sion was soon set at rest The Build
ing Trades Council announced that
there would be no change in the mini
mum labor scale OF wages and maxi
many departments the minimum wages
here are much lower than those pre-
Eailing in the principal cities of the
AS the days passed and our citizens
set about TO resume business the city
underwent a transformation as to lOca-
tiOn in business activity. New districts
have taken the place, the old and real
property values have changed in ac-
cOrdance with the demands.
Landlords have realized in many in
stances that residential sections have
become the business sections and have
accordingly raised their prices.
EXODUS FROM THE CITY.
The exodus from the city at the time
houses for rent. but as the refu-
gees returned TO their former scenes
rapidly increased and the rent OF the
old tenant was raised beyond his
means and the newcomer charged more
than he could stand This has result
ed in driving thousands of our citizens
TO suburban towns and the continua
tiOn OF the practice Will result in the
nent homes Of our former citizens
Many mechanics, TO our knowledge,
have been obliged TO meet an advance
Of one and half times the former
rate and have been obliged TO leave
the city as a result
The lumber trust having the city at
its mercy, has levied tribute. An ad-
vance in the price Of lumber has been
almost as regular as the rising Of the
sun. Indifferent as TO whether san
Francisco ever will become rehabilt-
, rated. this grasping monopoly is play
ing its hand for all Il can get
The mechanics Of the building trades.
satisfied to do all within their power,
expressed a Willingness TO continue
their work on the old lines until the
spirit Of unrest was started by en-
plOyers who voluntarily offered certain
crafts advanced wages in order to get
labor 10 complete buildings and receive
premiums for quick work These same
persons are now loudest in their cries
against advanced prices.
With the gOuge of the landlord on
one side, the merchandise dealer on
the other, the gouge Of the lumber
that should increase the area of i'm
prOVement in our city. with the cost
wondered at that the crafts in the
building trades should make individual
demands in individual cases and re-
ceive them2
MECHANICS DO THEIR PART.
Our citizens know well what has
been the attitude Of the building me-
chanics. Represented in the Building
Trades Council, they were the first to
city, and in doing so lent their best
efforts 10 make their labor extend 10
the greatest limits without an increase
IN price. At this time many OF the
mechanics represented in the Building
Trades Council by their delegates voted
in the Affirmative when they knew that
their particular wage scales were less
in comparison than others, and when
they also knew that the hazard Of their
particular employment was lar greater
than that Of other crafts which were
receiving higher wages. But they were
satisfied 70 fOregO that personal gain
IN the interest OF their beloved ruined
After casting their votes in favor Of
the speedy rehabilitation OF San Fran
cisco under the most favorable and un-
selfish conditions, they reasonably eX-
pected that their fellow citizens would
show the same patriotism. How has IL
resulted2 Upon thei. return from labor
they have been handed the landlords
notice 70 pay advanced rent or quit the
premises. Upon reading TIE daily news
papers they fino the lumber trust has
decided upon \ further -'cinch-" Upon
arriving at their work they find certain
employers are Offering certain crafts
men additional va yes IN order to hurry
the completion Of certain premises. In
snort. Lney md that tney, like thou
sands OF other citizens, are the most
severely gouged. How long can il
reasonably be supposed that they viii
be content 20 regard themselves as the
only ones VINO are TO suffer-
COMPACT Is BROKEN.
They entered into a compact to do
ali within their power, in conjunction
with others. TO hclp the city. They
and the compact broken in the interest
81 selfish gOuge. and they now stand
alone They learn at once that patriot
ism is beautiful sentiment but IL does
rot build cities, pay gouging landlords
aor buy bread.
They carry upon their shoulders the
.eeDonsibilities OF the care OF their
Yves and children. and Justly feel that