The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-03
Doyle Says Tandy Shifts
Blame to Him.
City and Labor Men to Agree
on Wages.
STOTTS WILL GO TO JAIL
II Jury Says So, for Working
Needy Men,
City to Continue Employing as
Many as Possible.

The city will be able to work its tree
trimming and bridge digging gangs
few days longer, at least Labor COM
missioner Doyle informed the city COM
.nfssioners today that the charitable
work in giving labor TO men with farnl-
lies and men without means OF sup
portinE their families would continue
until an agreement could be reached on
the wages
Dovie says that City Commissioners
Ta1dy has placed him in false posi-
ton in saying that ne Il trying s. y se 11g
the work that Is furnishing FOOD anu
warmth to hundreds of poor farnlnes
IN the city. Commissioner Tandy stapeo
Friday that the work would Do aDan-
from Doyle to the effect that the city
was violating the labor laws in paying
men only $1.26 a day
DOYLE says today that it is true he
informed Tandy Of the law upon q com
plant from an unknown person but
that he made no orders and did not de-
mand that the work cease. Further
more the state labor commissioner said
tie good work would go on until the
CITY commissioners and the state labor
commissioner could agree on scale of
wages that would more nearly conform
with the current rate according to law.
says Tandy Shifts Criticism.
II dent like this idlsa of Mr.. Tandy's
ia shifting the shortcomings of his de-
partnant eff On to me, He has placed
nae ia a false position on this discussion
Df wages, On complaint 1 informed Mr..
Tandy of the requirements of he sight
hour Law, I did not demand the work
stopped ana not an arbitrary fellow.
Il realize as much as anyone that the
city Of Topeka is creating this tree
trimming and bridge digging work that
the poor and needy may have work and
measy to buy food and fuel. 1 know
II 4c- xzrff 2,
do not feel able to pay mora than $1.25
a day,
Il have no disposition to stop the
work at the bridge. do not long to
prosecute anyone Instead I will allow
the city to go ahead with the work
until we can meet and arrange a new
scale of wages. I believe we will be
able to get together on the matter.
had long conference with Commits
EiOner Miller this morning and 1 think
something can be done to keep the
work going on at the Melan bridge and
with the tree trimmers.''
Here are Commissioner Stotts' ideas:
Unless positively forbidden by the
majority Of the members of the board
Of city commissioners a gang of men,
such as for the past three weeks has
been trimming and cutting trees in
Topeka, will be placed at work Mon
day morning as usual. This work has
been the salvation of hundreds of men
who have been saved the humiliation
OF begging or appealing to the PrOVl-
dent association for employment.
ST do not believe that there is a
court or jury in the world which would
impose a fine or imprisonment on an
official for taking this stand under the
present conditions. In my judgment
Topeka does not want a winter army
of the Coxey persuasion mustered in
when conditions such as the present
are with us. Nor do 1 believe that the
state labor commissioner, when he un-
derstands the pitiful conditions which
are actual facts. will find any
fault with the city in hiring men out
of charity. so that their conditions may
be bettered.
''Ninety-six men found employment
OF the tree gang this week, many OF
them working but one day. some OF
days. I believe that this city has a
civic duty to perform at this time and
am willing to take chances on serv-
ing the jail sentence referred to if the
remainder Of the Topeka board OF
eommi ssioners Will find means of sat
fsfying the fine.
's1he men who have been given en-
ploymen are as rule men of families
all of them honest, hard working peo-
pie who have been placed in theil
present unfortunate condition on ac-
count Of conditions over which they
had no control. When men beg anC
plead for work at the rate paid, with
weather conditions such as Topeka
has experienced for the last mont h
they are not buns or loafers, but Ia
borers worthy of their hire