United labor bulletin., 1912-11-14
The Attitude of Mayor Henry
Arnold.

Labor Assembly. the meeting of the assembly Sun
circular letter to city laborers ndorsed by the
assembly which read Mayor Arnold says that 1925
day is sufficient for city aborers 1t denied by
friends of mayor made any such state
they further that the mayor not opposed
of the city being organized The Bulletin
this particular the circular endorsed by the
assembly much overdrawn In the sentence Of the let
quoted that the position the mayor
opposed for city laborer whether it
by legislation or through organization
is that the has never said he Thought
s225 sufficient wage.
the labor organizations apparently have assumed
position from the fact that he vetoed
an ordinance setting minimum for laborers. The
mayor through searched the law books
of the city which declare
the unconstitutional and having found the precedent
So ignoring the Jurisdiction of courts to pass on
the constitutionality of the ordinance
Mayor Arnold while campaigning for the office which
he holds pledged himself to have passed the
say legislation the laborers against such wage
scales in force at that time, when men were re-
ceving low so cents day And remembering that
pledge the laboring people of the city expected that
Mayor Arnold his city to point
out the way by legislation could be had that would
protect the against greed of
Mayor Arnold Wednesday signed the Hall ordinance
raising the pay city laborers. Manual workers win.
provisions get $3.50 instead Of s225 and those
with teams raise of so cents bringing daily wage
for driver up $500 This ordinance is
unsatisfactory because frame the
the would attach his signature TO it, it was
necessary eliminate all work, and fu
ture. all work be done under special
ment sidewalks and grading This action
on the part of should prove
effort the of all city laborers to
affiliated in labor organization that will demand
fair and treatment 1t is known that at present
the paying less than dollars
day the city administration will
stop then Organized Labor put a stop
to it
The Bulletin desires to be fair to Mayor Arnold
knowing trying position in which placed. The
OF Denver is not day in the park" The
mayor all sides by political tricksters and
who desire put him in bad light before the
people Mayor Arnold says that he returned the ordi
unsigned he advised that if adopted
form passed it would subject the city endless
litigation Below reprint the letter of the
the former bill and do that Mayor Arnold
be done full justice:
This bin purports be ordinance the purpose
establishing wage scale for day aborers and
with upon all OF the municipal and public contract
city and county of Denver. deem this
Of Importance and far-reaching in its
suit have given every phase of it careful
consideration don't believe the province of the city
county Denver. through its legislative branch
undertake ixe scale of for the entire
munity. Had this bill only to deal with the municipal
work-people regularly employed in the service of the
city, might permitted but when take into
it deals with and future
which is paid for by special
property of in the city and county
Denver. convinced that it is not legal and will not
hold
The bill is to be effective January i. which date
will have. perhaps. more than s10oooo0 of uncom-
peted contracts which have let prior incom
ing This could affect such contractors. and it af
taking after this date the city
would up against the proposition of having sets
OF contractors paying scale of wage. and
another.
Again is pointed by city attorneys opinion.
that establish a wage scale where the work
Iaid by special assessments. and that
property holder could enon the city from collecting the
Another objection which might urge to this meas
ure is that only municipal city
Denver, affects every line OF business and
who intends to build. 1t would have tendency TO
the OF building excavatng and other
of industry in the city and county of Denver
It places the municipality in the position of
undertaking establish scale of to be paid for
work and unskilled labor We have undertaken to
give the and also to the day aborers
poyed by the city steady work.
in favor OF the union scale of and long
am in this position will undertake to enforce 1t in
every department of city work where possible but I
believe this bill. drawn, should stand.
believe It would be the of deal of
fusion OF throwing in of tying public work.
and render unable to collect special assessments
have repeatedly charged that public improve
ments costing the people too much under for
administrations and this BIZ tends to increase
the of these improvements. believe the laborer
worthy OF his hire" and should be paid fair
and yet under conditions face them today believe
should be employed the present SCALE rather
than a smaller number at increased pay.
To add force to the statement herein made, attach
hereto of the city attorneys opinion the legal
iy BILL which forth additional legal objec
tons