The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-08-16

always favored the laborer receiving just COM
pensation for his services and have always favor
ed the organization of labor in the various trades
for the purpose of legitimately protecting itself
in securing fair and just compensation, and have
recognized all along that the various lines of bus
mess are likewise organized for mutual benefit,
so that | believe that labor has an equal right to
effect and maintain it's trade organizations. My
opponent, the present mayor, claims to be great
friend OF the laborlng man organized labor.
wish to call attention to organized labor the fact
that the present mayor and associates let the
tract for the construction of the Gay Street via
duct, which work is now going on to- a contractor
for considerably more than $200,000.00, who alb
soluNely refuses to recognize or work organized
labor in it's construction, and is constructing this
viaduct-the largest piece of public works that
has been done during the mayors administration
is being done by nothing but "scab labor;" and
also call the attention of the voters and tax pay
ers to the fact that the present mayor, in letting
this big contract of construction work, gave it to
the present contractor at price of more than
$1600000 more than another responsible bidder
offered to construct it for, being the same man
who recently constructed the Farragut Hotel In
this city and who worked on this hotel and would
have worked on the construction of the viaduct
nothing but organized labor. The present mayor,
since he has been in office has seen fit to give
all, or practically all, Of the construction work of
street improvement to the Murray Construction
Company-and whoever heard of the Murray Con-
struction Company recognizing working organ
lied labor? Does this show that the present
mayor is the great friend of organized labor he
says he is? If | had been your mayor and two
men offered to construct the Gay Street viaduct,
one refusing to recognize or work organized lab
or and the other offering to use only organized
labor in it's construction, and more especially
when the latter offered to do it for $16,000.00
cheaper, | would have favored letting the
tract to the man who would have worked and
1sx0L Iohn svs @c rS4r Totf0
The present mayor charges that he voted to
build the Gay Street viaduct to Vine Avenue and
that voted to stop it at Jackson Avenue. fav-
ored the construction of the Gay Street vladuct
to Vine Avenue more than three years ago when
the cost of construction at least seventy-five
per cent less than what it now is, but for some
reason or other satisfactory to the present mayor
he saw fit to hold off the matter until just be-
fore his candidacy for reelection came on and, as
consequence it is costing the tax payers of
the City of Knoxville, and that is you, and you,
and every other man who lives in the City OF
Knoxville, by this delay more than $10OOOO0O
extra | believe in a progressive administration
of the affairs of this great city and shall stand
for such, but when elected shall unalterably OPP
pose the expenditure of more money for actual
running expenses of the city than the tax levy pro-
vides for. In other words, shall keep the living
expenses of the city within its income, just as
every other individual should do in his own living
expenses. | shall have some other matters to
bring to your attention at later date.
If the voters of this city, both men and wom-
en-, believe in honest, fair fearless, clean bus
mess administration of the affairs of the City by
a man who will give his entire time to the duties
of the office of Mayor, and who will carry into eff
feet and discharge all these duties with the same
business ability that has made his own business
a success, | appeal to you to go out and register
without fail and give to me your vote and intlu-
ence in my election in the primary. Registration
is now on in every ward of the City and will con-
tinue until Wednesday, August 21st, when it
closes This is the regular biennial registration
and every voter has to register again regardless
of when he heretofore registered, in order to par
ticipate in the coming municipal primary. appeal
to both men and women voters of Knoxville
along this line. This is your city, the municipal
government will be your government, and it IS up
to you to decide who your mayor shall be.
Very cordially yours,