The San Francisco call., 1899-06-22
Good Wages Offered
for WilIin g Help.
CHINESE FILLING THE PLACES
MANY ORDERS GIVEN TO CITY
EMPLOYMENT OFFICES.
Strange Situation Presented by Those
Who Would Toll and Those in
Need Of Harvest
Hands.

Men walking the streets of the city beg
glng for an opportunity to work or the
price of a meal and a place to sleep.
Farmers frantic over the prospect Of los
ing their crops, representing time, labor
and money expended, because help is
scarce-almoSt impossible to secure at any
price.
Such is the peculiar condition of the Ia
Dor market to-day. The laws of supply
and demand seem to have slipped a cog,
thereby stopping the machinery which
moves the prosperity Of the State. a
number of prominent land owners holding
properties in several parts of California
have been obliged to send to the city for
Chinese and japanese help to harvest
their crops because they were unable to
get white men at any reasonable price.
One Of them yesterday in discussing the
situation stated that never in his recollec-
tion has there been such a scarcity Of
workingmen in the country as at the pres
ent time. From San Diego to the far
north the same complaint has been made,
and to-day hundreds of orders for work
ingmen are on the books of the employ
ment offices in this city. f. w. Neile.
president of the Mercantile Trust Com
pany, had his attention called to the situ
alton, and in discussing the subject yes
terday said: "Within the last few weeks
l have met number of landowners from
all parts of the State, and they are com
to secure help to get in their crops. These
farmers do not represent any particular
locality, but come from the Sacramento
and San Joaquin valleys, from the Salinas
and the Santa Clara districts.
I'm the big valleys there is hay and
grain to harvest, and in the smaller val
leyS the orchardists are beginning to feel
the necessity of having a few additional
men to help handle the fruit crop. From
what / can learn, all kinds of good wages
are offered. The common hay and grain
handler from n Il
and found. The more expert harvesters
can earn more Order after order has
and still they remain untitled. There has
been some talk to the effect that the la
boring men in the city have not the means
to reach the farms and that Is what is
keeping them from going into the country.
Whatever may be the reason, the fact re-
mains the same-the farmers are sadly in
need of help and hundreds of idle men are
to be seen around the city every day ask
ing for work.
Inquiry proves that the lack of means to
get 10 the places where work is to be OBJ
tained is not the reason for the idle men
remaining in the cities. 1t has always
been the custom for the employer to ad-
vance the necessary money for the sturdy
worker to get to the country, the amount
Of his fare being deducted from the first
money he earns. Whatever may be the
reason for the worker and the farmer not
same-there is plenty of work to be had
in the country and the farmers are
obliged to fill the places of white men with
Asiatics. 1t has been stated that at the
present time the country is overrun with
men seeking work A reputable gentle
man owning several farms in Various
parts of the State asserted that nearly all
who have come to his places are nothing
but tr3mps, who are thoroughly unrelia-
Bile and worse than useless in any work
at which they can be put These are the
fellows who are believed to be responsible
for keeping many worthy men away from
the country by spreading the statement
that work Is scarce and wages low The
hobo is worthless at any price.