Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-27
DEMAND FOR LABOR
Great Scarcity Of Workmen in the
West.
KANSAS WILL NEED THOUSANDS
People Have Been on the Lookout
for Possible Disaster.
NO CLOUD ON THE HORIZON


Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, May %. 1901.
The people Of the west have taken with
considerable seriousness the warning ut
tered by President Mckinley as to posi-
BILE relapse in business conditions during
some time in the Immediate future. A long
period of prosperity in view Of what has
happened heretofore, has generally brought
the country that much nearer to depres-
sion. which. though temporary, was always
more or less disastrous in it's results.
Never has the United States enjoyed for
80 long a time such bouyant conditions in
every branch Of industry, and people are
asking each other whether this is going to
continue Indefinitely. The people Of the
west have followed the fluctuations Of the
market in Wall street, not only with inter-
est but with their hard money. few
have lost heavily, but, as a rule, the win
nings have been more numerous in proper
ton to the number Of people playing the
market than in the east. The reason for
this Is found in the constant fear which
has existed for several months past, that
the top notch had been reached. Nearly
all the western holders of stocks realized
on their investments some time ago. only
to regret that they did not stay In the
market little longer; when the crash
came they were reconciled, however.
There is no sign on the horizon that any
depression is at hand, though it Is realized
that crop failure would have much to do
with bringing 1t to pass In consequence
the crop conditions throughout the west
are being most anxiously studied by every
business man who Is now reaping the har-
vest Of prosperity.
Pessimistic Wheat Reports,
Pessimistic reports have been sent out
recently as to the presence of the louise In
the Kansas wheat fields and a spread of
the Mexican boil weevil toward the north
The boil weevil is undoubtedly gaining in
the area 1t occupies, but it's advances have
not been sensational In view of the re-
ports which have been made from the
Kansas wheat fields, thorough investi-
CATION of the matter was made this week
with the result that the reports of dam
aged crop are largely discredited. The
granger railroads deeply interested in
each harvest, and their agents have been
making a careful examination Of the traf-
Reproducing area. These agents have
reached the conclusion that the bad re-
ports which have been sent out are for the
purpose OF bulling the market. The farm
ers are perfectly willing to lend color to
such reports. In hopes 1t will have a buoy
ant tendency upon the price Of wheat The
most. conservative estimate places the
wheat crop of the Kansas and Oklahoma
territory at about 70 per cent Of what 1t
was last year. This loss Is said to be due
to large acreage Of wheat planted upon
stubble ground and not to the presence of
any insect. The farmers do not seem able
to explain why this stubble wheat should
have made such a poor appearance, but it
remains fact that wherever wheat has
been sown on stubble ground there is a
very poor stand The loss from this cause
per cent to 80 per cent of what it was a
year ago. This is not enough to cause any
serious reaction In the regions affected.
The farmers all feel very well satisfied
MI 10 nittl md thn
chinery men are busy filing large orders
for implements. Careful inquiry among
the farmers shows that few actual COM
plants have been made as to bad condt-
tons or the presence of the louise or fly
and the conclusion is unavoidable that the
reports have been sent out merely for
their effect upon the market.
Great Scarcity of Labor.
The most serious situation which con-
fronts the west at this particular time is
the great scarcity Of labor. Kansas needs
10000 men from other states to harvest
her crops. The harvest will begin in the
southern tier of counties about June 10 and
will be completed by the middle Of July.
Men will be offered and paid from 81. so to
$3.50 day, and laborers desiring to enter
this field will find the railroads and the
farmers ready to assist them in every pos
slble way. Already rate Of l cent mile
from Missouri river points to the wheat
belt has been made with this object in
view. If there is any considerable number
Of men seeking work in Kansas at this
time the free employment bureaus estab-
lished by the state have no knowledge OF
it. These bureaus have had their books
open for month and have even advertised
for applicants. In some places there have
been none, in others only three or four.
and those not properly laborers, but peo-
pie desiring positions clerks.
The effect Of this labor shortage is ap-
parent In the western cities, for the big
packing and manufacturing establishments
are having great difficulty in getting
enough able-bodied men to supply their
needs. At Armour's, for instance, In Kan
sas City, where there are usually several
hundred applicants each morning for work
in the packing houses, it is difficult for the
superintendent to find even fifteen or TWEEN
ty available for his purposes. Kansas is
usually confronted with this situation about
harvest time. but never before has the need
OF labor been so acute as at the present
time.
With these things in view and the prices
for all agricultural produce more than hold
ing their own, the people Of the west See
no cloud upon the horizon, and they view
the antics in Wall street with considerable
amusement feeling no iil-effects therefrom