Evening journal., 1914-03-18
Editorial Opinion
A DEPLoRABIE CONDITION.
Irom fhc Lnnrel L-eader

From the Laurel Leader.
That the present unrest and poverty
among many OF the people of Laurel IS
acute; in fact the worst in the history
of the town, we are compelled to admit.
During the past fifty years Laurel
has enjoyed steady and healthful
growth. Within the last fifteen years
the town has prospered as few Others
have. Ia these years three banking in
stitutions have been established land
they are in a hourishing condition., new
manufacturing enterprises have been
put into operation and new up-to-date
schools have been erected, and within
three years the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company has spent approximately one
hundred thousand dollars in erecting a
new passenger station, building a new
bridge, spanning Laurel River, and in
double tracking and building new sid
ings to accommodate the rapidly in
creasing business Of the town; two stone
churches, costing nearly one hundred
thousand dollars and the most up-to-
date theatre on she peninsula have
arisen as monuments Of n prosperous
community, and the town has grown un-
Gil it ranks next to Wilmington as the
most populous and richest in the State.
But today things are practically at a
standstill. Many of our merchants are
not making expenses and some have
been compelled TO close their doors,
while scores of honest working men are
walking the streets, unable to secure
work. The situation is heartrending as
well as deplorablc. Several things have
operated to cause this condition,
First: In November the Samuel Ba-
cons Sons & Company's lumber COM
pany was compelled, owing to financial
difficulties, to shut down. This plant
employed at times as high as three hum
dred men, including night and day
shifts. in busy seasons and never less
than one hundred. Many Of these men
could have secured work on nearby
farms, where there is always a scarcity
of labor, but the hard winter has so far
prevented such work as they could do.
And TO add to the Blight upon BUSH
ness and suffering Of the poor the Mar
vii Package Company has been compelled
to shut down several times, not for lack
of orders or financial distress but he
cause owing to weather conditions they
could not dry their manufactured pro.
ducts
The two shirt factories have also been
compelled TO ROMAN idle considerable
Of the time because they could not get
their material from the city; hence
there is want and suffering. among
scores OF families. The various churches
have been taxed to their utmost to
alleviate suffering among their members
and charitably inclined persons have
looked after others, yet the distress
grows with every day.
In On effort to prevent greater suffer
ing our city fathers. under the leader
ship OF Mayor Valiant, have donated
money and passed resolutions appropri-
ating money for the relief OF the poor.
What is the cause of these hard
times. Surely there must be one Never
under any Republican administration
were there so many unemployed. Are
the hard times caused by the tariff or
the currency bills? Is it the waiting
policy" We know not which. but we
are sure of one thing, the demand for
labor has decreased, the nigh cost OF
living has increased, so it is very cVi-
dent that there is too much Wilson
somewhere.