The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-06-24
DAY LABOR THE
MODERN CIVIC
METHOD
~ ~~uA
z SSA 80

~ Editor, PreSs-The city of SpO-
kane is fast becoming metro
politan center. Its population is. in
creasing with leaps and bounds.
The public service corporations of
the city are straining every nerve
to meet the demand for new and
increased facilities occasioned by
this increase of population. Not
withstanding the partial paralysis
that has seized upon the industrial
and financial life of the nation at
large, private enterprises in our
city are not only holding their
own but in many cases are in
creasing the total volume of bust
ness done and laying plans to en-
able them to handle the new bust
ness which they confidently as
sumo will come as the result of
the growth of the city.
This change in the character
and size of the city necessarily
creates a change in the scope and
Importance of municipal problems.
With the assumption of metropoli-
tan airs the city officials will ne
cessarily be called upon to assume
new duties. Every department
will have to be administered along
strictly business lines. To an in
creasing extent there will be a de-
mand for the systematic organiza-
ton of every department of the
civic life. From time to time the
city will be called upon in self pro-
lection to assume new functions.
There are many in the city who
believe that such a time has ar
rived with reference to the prob
lem of day labor on city work.
Stated broadly, the question is
shall the city do it's own work or
shall it act through the medium
of a middle man (the contractor) :?
Shall the city have it's own proper.
ly and efficiently organized board
of public works and engineering
department and employ it's own la.
Dor and superintend that labor and
thus save the tax payers of the
city the profits that otherwise go
to the private contractor? That
such a thing is practicable and
possible is borne out by the expe-
rience of the great cities of the
world. Mr.. Albert Shaw, editor
of the Review of Reviews, in his
work on Municipal Government in
Great Britain" says with reference
to the city of London:
THE county council has not only
wholly abandoned the contract
system, but its sphere of direct
employment grows wider from
year to year"
The same is true of the cities of
Paris, Vienna and Berlin. To
avoid the charge that it is an idea
of foreign birth We have but to re-
fer to the cities of Milwaukee, st.
Paul and Minneapolis, and many
other cities in the country that
have tried the plan on some por.
ton of their city work. In a let.
ter of date June y, Alderman Ed
mund T. Melms, of the Eleventh
ward of the city of Milwaukee,
says that work in that city done
by day labor is done first, with
less delay; second, in a more eff
HGicHt way, dHo Till u, Ioi q SlCdt
deal less than what We are paying
to proviate contractors"
The same letter contains a show
ing of the comparative cost under
contract and day labor of improv-
ing certain street In Milwaukee.
The lowest bid that the city could
secure for the work was $16,3SS. 90.
The bids were all rejected and the
city did the same work, with less
delay and more efficiently, for
$10,234.12. A net saving to the
city of $6,153.SS.
Coming closer home We find that
the city of Seattle on the major
portion of its city work is using
the day labor plan. In letter of