The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-02-11
SERIOUS
is QUESTION OF THE
UNEMPLOYED
Conditions In Other Cities
Assume Unusual Aspect
Cleveland Sending Des-
titute to Workhouse.
Chicago Raising Relief
Fund-Canton Is Not
So Badly Off.

The large. numbers of unemployed
men in our larger cities has brought
to the front the very important ques-
tion of how they and those depend
ent on them shall be cared for. in
such proportions as to have become
one of the most serious the people
have faced for a decade, while in 9TH
ers the trouble has not yet reached
an acute stage.
In Cleveland the officials have been
forced to send applicants for help
who, under usual conditions, would Ue
| sent to the 4nHrmary, to the work.
house, the former institution being al
ready filled to overfowing with desti-
tute persons OF both sexes and all
ages. In Chicago the business men OF
the city are raising a fund OF 100000
with which to relieve the suffering
caused by the fact that the city mas a
vast army OF unemployed men who
have families dependent on them.
In Canton the condition Is not so
critical as In some of the nelghboring
cities. Yet every day the number OF
unemployed seems to be growing larg-
er, judging from the crowds which
are found on the streets standing
about prominent corners or about the
public square. The county building
is another point in the city which acts
as a barometer of conditions. Every
day the corridors are filed with many
men who, having nothing TO do, gath
or there and stand about the better
part Of the day talking with each
other Of whatever subject comes up
permost, but usually OF the hard times.
In the court rooms the spectators
seats are filed with unemployed men
who come there to while away an
hour. The saloons OF the city also re-
fleet the same conditions and make
more apparent the fact that more men |
in Canton are out OF employment to-
day than for years.
II is fortunate that large proper
tion Of the men thus thrown out OF |
work have some little saving whicn |
will 20 far toward tiding them over
until better times come again, AS II |
is there is much poverty and destitu-
ticn. The bake shops OF the city and
other places where the hungry figure
there is a chance to get bit to eat
are daily besieged by gradually in
creaslng numbers, some who ask for
food are of the genus nobo, others
are women, frail and worn looking
while In other cases little children
make the pitiful appeal.
The gravity OF the conditions has
been forced TO the attention OF many
Of the city's citizens and the question
has been asked: Hasn't the city any
work usually done In the spring, that
could be done during the winter
months which will give at least some
of the unemployed an opportunity TO
earn livlihood for themselves and
Other municipalities are do
ing II. why not Canton7"
II has also been suggested that the
housebolders OF the city, who usual
y have more or less work done dur
ing the housecleanlng period OF the
year look about and see II there are
not some things which might as well
be done now as later and thus give
some of the unemployed mechanics |
md artisans OF the city some work I
iuring this term OF idleness. Ii
CONDITIONS IN NEW YORK. II
Albany, N. Y, Feb. 9.--Dennite stat
sites from labor organizations in New {
Fork city collected on January /, show
hat the Roosevelt panic last fall was
for increasing the percent.
lge OF men out OF work in that city
rom ~ 10 81 per cent. The state
abor bureau is continuing the collec-
lon OF such statistics In all the cities {
4 the state. Returns OF idleness re-
eived from 90 representative labor or !
in New York city show q
hat at the end of December out Of
8.120 members, 22.627. or 34.2 per cent Z
we're idle as compared with percent.
ges of idleness on the same day for
he same set Of unions of 1873 IN 1906. Q
a In 1906. and 17.s In 1904. Ia
Comparison with 1905 as TO causes Of a
ileness shows that this great increase 9
Z idleness at the close OF 1907 was due y
ntirely to slack trade, there having n
cen no increase In the number OF
lie on account OF labor disputes. disa-
ility etc. Over se per cent Of those a
I