Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-27
To Employ Home Labor.
Capital Journal:

To Employ Home Labor.
Editor Capital Journal:
A bill, to provide for an Act: That
all public work shall be done by the
labor within the district, that such
taxes or assessments are made; and
in violation of this act, the bonds or
or work forfeited to the district.
This act shall come into effect on the
first day Of July, 1918.
The above is copy of a bill before
the Marion county delegation and Sen
tor Dimick. And l believe 1t Is. Of
great Importance to the laborers Of the
state, and any one interested in this
bill might be of help by speaking to
the senator's or representatives.
There has been a little misunder-
standing in regard to the meaning but
It is intended that all work under con-
struction Of the state shall be done by
the labor of the state, and that work
done by the county should be done by
the labor Of the county, and the work
Of the city should be done by the labor
Of the city, and that done by the school
district by the labor of the district
1t has been said that it is not Just
because some districts have not the
labor. But this is true, that no court
of justice would render a decision in
a contract against the person doing the
building if the party Of first part could
not fulfill their part Of the obligation.
So that any time the district could not
supply the labor for the work under
construction, the builder would be at
liberty to get help from other places.
1t has also been said that it is un-
constitutional, but the very first SEN
tence Of the constitution starts out,
eve the people Of the United States"
Now does this mean capital or labor,
Is it the contractor or builder, or the
number of men employed. Then it
speaks of establishing justice. would
like to know where the justice is, is it
to the labor or the capital. l believe
if such a law comes into effect that
every contractor or builder would
know it and when he accepts the un-
dertaking of such work, it would be
with that understanding, and knows
what he has to contend with and
should be held responsible.
AS to some examples of injustice to
the laborers Of Salem, although it is
the same in other places. There has
been thousands Of dollars Of Salem's
money taken away that should have
stayed here. The sewer system which
has been completed, the contractor has
refused American citizens, much less
Salem citizens work and hired Greeks
and other foreigners instead, while
there were taxpayers and men with
families standing around and could
not get work.
Salem has built two new school
houses in the past year and the labor
was practically all from out Of town
while in one district there were
enough idle mechanics to do all the
work except the brick work and | am
not so sure of that. They could not
work out their tax for the building
but the contractors imported men tC
do the work One person made the
remark that a local mechanic was
not as good as a 'iloater,'" l have
had some experience as a floater my
self, and have seen a great many 9th,
ers and about all Of them are work
men that have just finished apprentice
ships for when a man gets married he
has to settle down and ceases to be {
floater. To me the best mechanics art
those that have had several years ex
perience. Some of these men ownet
their property while others were pay
ing for theirs on monthly payments
and others were the heads of families
But they must all pay for the labor t
be imported to do the same work the!
could do.
Now, friends, where is the justice il
this? Is 1t for the contractor or tn,
seventy-five or a hundred laborers h
employs where justice should be rem
dered. What is the meaning of "W
the people of the United States" in ou
constitution? Does it mean for tn
contractor or capital, or does It meal
the greatest population or the laborin
class. The only successful bushes
centers are those that keep the labo
employed and when they have not tn
employment, they don't have the mon
ey to meet their bills and is a hin
drance to all business.
JESS POTTER.
THE PORK RARRPI