The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-12-17
10 y
-

OSSlSsuts0u INV VttSSN WY W
ficiaIs are discusslng a prospective
bond issue Of s5oo, 900, the prInci-
pal portion Of which 10 to be used
for the new Monroe street bridge.
The citizens and taxpayers Of
Spokane must, however, authorize
this bond issue by the ballot. And
they have a right to demand Of the
council that certain propositions at
tachlrg to the Monroe street bridge
project be definitely settled before
a dollar Of public money Is in
vested in II.
There 10 the question Of for
whom 10 the bridge to be buIlt-by
the public for the Washington
Water Power Co., or by the public
for the public, unfettered by fran
chise monopoly? NJ
J. P. Graves demonstrated how
loose is the cIty's grip under bridge
franchises In the matter Of the
Olive street bridge when he refused
to pay a cent toward construction
except upon his own terms. ~
discIalmed shadow Of obligation q
pay anything and the council has
80 far been compelled to abide the
defiance. -.
II may be remarked that abiding
corporation defiance. is not an un-
usual process at the city hall. But
for an occasional compromise il
might be termed q. matter Of rou-
tine, except the N. p. grade separa-
ton, which kept 100000 worth
Of work out Of Spokane.
Now comes the leading question
Of whether at least $500, 900 in pub
lie money 10 to be entrusted to the
haphaxard policy Of the past and
present. II 10 a haphaxard policy,
by the way, only where the inter-
ests Of the taxpayers are concern
ed. Corporation interests have re-
manned secure.
Another. vital Issue Is the man
ner Of doing the work II the new
bridge 10 ordered and the money
provided. viii It's construction
represent anything Of value to the
iaborIng interests Of Spokane?
ostensibly councilmen hope 90.
They have been hoping that way
for quite awhile, but city work, in
the meantime, has been going to
contractors working on the system
Of sublstting to alien bosses who
could procure alien labor at their
own figures. The taxpayer has as
consistently continued to bear the
expense OF estimates based on the
Spokane standard Of wages.
It 10 true that the council has
provided by resolution for prefer
ence to home labor, especially
heads Of families, but the admins
tration influence, az demonstrated
in the board Of public work, has
changed the current Of city work
to great extent in this city and
the contractors are getting Il now.
The Press has no quarrel with
the contractors nor desire to de-
preciate their business. But II will
continue to oppose the practice fol-
lowed by some Of them, notably
Contractor Huetter, In giving the
work to alien labor through the
subterfuse of subietting.
Meanwhile. the. administrator
has used its influence in a some.
what spectacular display Of con-
Germ over transient iaborers who
always come to town for the win.
ter period. The alien Iaboring ele-
ment, however, is. contented and
busy on what work the city has
to offer.
The next proposition to be pre-.
scented Is that of adding $500, 900
indie btedness to the citys burden
for the express purpose Of building
a bridge at Monroe street. A vast
number OF citizens who. will have
to foot this bill are workingmen.
How much home labor Is to profit
by this expenditure Is and ought to
be a vital question to them.
Insofar as labor Is concerned, is
the new bridge going to mean any.
thing to Spokane?
influences represented by the
Suokesman-Review, and now appar-
emily dominant In lstration
affairs, have accomplished their
object Of breaking up the day labor
system of doing city work.
Their "reform" program has
reached the stage where con-
tractors may safely violate the city
wage law and deny employment to
Spokane labor In order to profit by
cheap alien labor for which they
charge the taxpayers the same rate
that home labor could be obtained
for.
Naturally. under such clrcum-
stances the idle workinsman with
a family to support 10 highly appre-
clative Of constant urging to boost
the "made In Spokane" propaaan-
da. II he can't buy household ne
cessities now because the work he
should have 10 given to an alien for
L.. Ak~s AAs .tAs-~. - ~ -