The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-09
First Of the adyantages of such an

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! reporting dweIls. of course, is the saving
OF expense to laborers which it permits.
Those seeking it are found work at prac-
tically the cost Of asking, instead Of be-
I ing mulcted for fees of s1.25 to SO each.
I The service which labor-seekers obtain,
moreover, is disinterested. That is, the
| efforts of the agency management, while
! primarily directed toward giving employ
ers who invite It's assistance the kind Of
{ help they want. are also bent upon pre-
! senting TO the laborers the exact facts Of
the positions TO which they are referred.
There is nothing whatever in the practice
Of the municipal agency resembling the
plan Of private bureaus. in sending men
from one unsatisfactory job TO another
with the purpose Of extracting a success
sion OF fees, or in nisrepresenting con-
ditions in order to clinch payments. This
Observation-Disclosures of the Intermediary il
q quality which employers also esteem.
For the condition of the labor market
varies greatly in Seattle, largely as
result of the southwark migration from
the gold fields at the approach of the
Arctic winter Now il is the workman,
now the work, which IS in scant supply;
at one time the employer, at another
chiefly the employee, who is seeking the
bureaus aid.
Notwithstanding the activity Of private
agencies and the thorough organization
Of skilled craftsmen in Seattle. corol-
larry of the latter condition being that the
unions generally find the men when me-
chanics are in request, the city agency
III h
applicants placed We're general laborers,
the others hop pickers, Iumbermen,
craftsmen, clerks, domestics, laundry
workers and hotel help. Nearly six
thousand women found work through
the bureau, and almost half of these
were general houseworkers. Applicants
for gentlemanly jobs. bookkeeping, cleri-
cal work. and the like, were the only
class IN chronic over-suppIy, while do
mestics seemed to be the only sort for
which it was always impossible TO state
the demand So marked has been the
general success of the establishment.
however. and so great its demonstrated
superiority to private agencies. that the
director is constrained TO conclude, 'The
ideal condition would seem to be reached
in the centering OF all employment bust
ness in a general public employment Of
fee under authority of a responsible gov
eminent where there would be no incen-
tive TO personal gain at the expense of
either the employer or the laborer."
For long period Of her history the
state of Texas permitted the leasing OF
certain lands in the huge territory set
aside for the support of public schools.
There was 10 great demand for the land
for settlement, and to let these tracts to
cattlemen and stock raisers, especially
those in the western part of the state.
was the simplest means of making them
a productive asset. AS population in
creased the demand for the state lands
from persons anxious to settle upon
them grew apace Within recent years
these lands have been so sought after
that their value in the market has be-
come greater. as it seems than the capt.
talized revenue which they bring when
leased. Furthermore certain abuses are
said to have grown up in connection with
the leasing system. The legislation of a
few years ago provided that the lessee
should have the preference in the pur-
be permitted to buy more than four sec
lions Of the lands held under one lease.
This was a precaution against the DO
nus hunter and repeater" But under
the law, as it then stood, it was possible
10 procure the cancellation of leases be
fore their expiration and a renewal of
the contract with the state in such fash
ion that the lessees could enjoy prac-
tical perpetuity Of tenure of the lands
which they had obtained.
IN the session held by the legislature in
1901 the law was changed. For certain
counties it was provided that all lands
should be opened to settlement and pur-
chase at the expiration of five years; for
others. that settlement and sale should
be permitted at the expiration of leases
then in force. il was also provided that
no purchaser should, in any case, have
the right to buy more than four sections
This was a serious blow to those who
had cancelled and consolidated their
leases for it cut off the chance to buy
four sections under each Of the different
leases by which many tenants of large
tracts had formerly held. But a consid-
cradle body of the franchise holders Of
the state is yet III content. 1t is argued
that many of the leases. and those too
of lands which could be very probably
worked BY the small stock raiser or
farmer. are leased for long periods vet
TO come, and complaints are made that
the amount of land brought on the mar
Ret under the law of 1901 is disappoint-
irgly small Ii has become r. political
issue Of the first Importance whether the
legislature shall not order the immediate
cancellation of an leases at its earliest
opportunity and throw the state school
lands open TO settlement forthwith.
Tbirs+s fo- Eiliri,o Rloo4