Year: 1877

AN OPEN LETTER TO MAYOR ELY FROM Mr..


ROBERT D. RoosEvELT-CoNDrrIoN OF THE


UNEMPLOYED IN THIS CITy-TAKE CARE OF


THE POOR.


Hon. SMITH Ely, Jr.-


am impelled TO write this letter to you from
strong conviction that the pub lie does not fully appre
ciatc the unhappy condition OF many laborng men in
this city. All Of US, rich and poor, ee the hard times
that upon the country rich by enforced sacr
fee OF pleasures or exravagances the poor by closer
approach of hollow eyed want aud the nearer buyns
OF the wolf at the door, There used to be a saying In
country when these two classos coscr allied
than thoy to have become of late years, "Take
care of the poor; tho rich can take care Ot thcn-
selves The present Is ono Of thoso occasons-
happily side Of the Atianticwhere private
benedcence cannot reach tho pressing nced. The per
sons Tor whom l would speak need work, not alms; ;
they are steady workingmen, not criuging bcggars.
Work cannot be obtained through It's ordinary chan
nes shops, factories foundrics AMI mills closed
the entire community Is having It's relapse
into torpor after fifteen years OF cversh excitement.


would ask you if II be not possible that work could,
a certain extent be wisely anu prontably furnished
by municipal government. IL is not my purpose
discussion Of the everlasting principles
O political economy, nor to argue whether or not
portion OF the community is under any legal or moral
obligation to help another or whether IL IS the duty
OF the state to take paterna caro- OF its children.
The Crisis IS peculiar one and may justify unusual
remedies OF the line .! what Is ordinarily sound
statccrsft. Contumey and abuse have been hcapcd
upon tho foolish part oil the laborng classes who
started the late railroad strikes thought increase
their wages by destroying tho capital which alone
gave them wages Riots have been denounced and
bullets called Tor to convince rcters But after all s
there any good expect greater wisdom from
"a laborng than from any other man, for the labor
question has perplexed the world since the days of
Roman agrarianism and the best thinkers havo
failed 10 solve it, A gentlcr class Of advisers have
preached patience to tho sufferers but in struggle
between patience and starvation starvation Is apt to
have the best OF it. IL Is vain to argue with empty
bellies. The man who has no work and sees mis- wife
and family hungry Is not 10 good mood for cain DIS
cussion ol theoretical problems


know the city not in condition to add much TO


its debt. II has been robbed during the day Of rob
bcries but rs still wealthy and It's credit sound.
There pubic works which are needed, and which
be chcapIy built at present wehave system, by
mistake called Charities aud Correction" (t should
be named Wasteiuncss and Encou rascmc mt OF vIce')
by which all the tramps idiers, vagabonds and crimi
nails OF the entire country arc invited to lake up their
abode with US during the winter. Even tho money
thrown away in TINS direction could be made vast
help the honest and intustrous II properly used
certainly the increase 10 our population which II
brings IN It's ordinary viii be anything but bcnc-


cal addition to large labor element out OF WORK and
suffering or the needs Of lie. Weil-to-io contrac-
tors hire day laborers III this city ior seventy
Ave cents day Now, ask those VINO preach
patience If seveDtylve cents day Ii nota very lair
limit OF patience TO large family would suggest
that we no longer handy words nor wait TIL winter is
again upon us before take some steps to effect


lief. There may be difficulty ID The arrangement oi auy
plan but lot try plan and convince the poor
that We have the blood vi civilized mon 10 our VEINS
and tb.l we do moi value our money more than their
hvos There IL also danger that any plan may be used
as political machine But the community has known
you long, both IN public aud private capacity; II has
confidence IN you, and bears sun ires ~ ts memory
that YOU can ride above partisan entiments In what
YOU consider matter OF principle or honor To you
IL would entrust the preparation ana execution OF a
scheme with entire confidence, oithcr TO complete
buildings pave our streets, or hnish general
improvements and AZ least all the chari-


table and generous OF taxpayers Will stand ny you.
Our police and citizen soldiery are admirably pre-
pared ana can suppress any outbreak, but the mere
tbreak itself Is an expensive thing uoes not do
10
us which mu y be met We tried snuiling when the
draft was and only hastcned W correct our
mistake after days of anarchy and three nights OF
terror We then issued county bonds and insisted on


revision OF the enrolment after the mob had enforced
their demands with the torch and tho KNIFE Let US
be be ore them this time Honest mon may not be
riotous but honest men become wonderfully indifferent
TO the safety OF the worldly possessions oil their neigh
tors when they themselves are starving Yours very
truly. ROBERT b. K00SEvELT.