THE riEST $1,000,000 



109 



large contingent of laborers in Xewark, as elsewhere, out of 

 emplo}TQent. The Presidential election was pending, and 

 the great struggle between the ]\IcKinleY and Hobart sound 

 money forces and the persistent advocates of a silver cur- 

 rency, under the leadership of TT. J. Bryan, was going on 

 and had already resulted in an extended business depres- 

 sion. The labor situation was still farther depressed by the 

 continuous arrival of hordes of emigrants, especially Ital- 

 ians, many of whom found their way immediately to Essex 

 Count}'. The commissioners understood that this class of 

 labor was then being employed by contractors on railroads 

 and other large works at prices as low as ninety cents to $1 

 per day. They wished to have the work done as cheaply 

 as it could be done, and done well, and at the same time to 

 insure the laborers receiving whatever rate was paid. This 

 would prevent the large margin, which, without some such 

 restriction, might be exacted; as in cases then occuning 

 where the contractor would be paid the contract price (of 

 perhaps $1.25 per dav), but actuallv pav the laborer much 

 less. 



In establishing the prices noted, the commission intended 

 that they should be the fair current rates for the service 

 named. This view was not shared by some of the other 

 public boards, and the action was severely criticized by some 

 of the labor representatives. 



The Board of Freeholders at the meeting June 11, 1896, 

 voted down a drastic resolution offered by one of the mem- 

 bers protesting in vigorous language against such a restric- 

 tion ^'in fixing the pay of the laborers on county park work 

 at $1.25 per day, as we do not believe good men should be 

 compelled to work for so small a compensation/'^ There 

 was a lively discussion over the resolution. Freeholder 

 Medcraft denied that he had offered the resolution "for elec- 

 tion purposes" on his own behalf. Mr. Condit suggested 

 that "if the Park Commission should pay any more than 

 the market prices for labor, they would be doing wrong, and 

 taking money wrongfully out of the pockets of the taxpay- 

 ers ; and the rate per diem of wages was evidently the mar- 



