The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-19
The Scarcity of Farm Labor.


help? The complaint Of a scarcity of
efficient agricultural laborers comes from
all parts Of the country. The west Is
probably better provided with labor than
any other part Of the country. Out here
we use a maximum of machinery and a
minimum Of muscle. But in the east
where the nature Of the ground, the size
of the farm, or the kind of agriculture
followed do not permit Of such a free use
Of machinery, there is a great lack of
labor. The farm hands Of the old days are
gone. The cities have absorbed them.
Even the south, with its millions of
stalwart negroes, Is complaining. The
negroes, under present conditions, are not
efficient agricultural workers as rule,
the southerners; say. They don't have to
work and they do no more work than
enough to support themselves in miser-
able sort Of way. The Jacksonville Times:
Union estimates that there is about one
negro In hundred who is a f1rst-class
farm laborer. The only way out of the
southern farmers labor trouble, according
to this paper, is for the farmer to make
all the use he can of this rare negro and
teach him to handle labor saving machin-
laborer what the western farmer accom-
plishes with the hands that stray his way.
| OF course, the greater part of farm
labor in the south issfurnished by the
negroes, but it is claimed that 1T is not.
| efficient labor. The negroes love the city,
and more and more they leave the coun-
| try for it. The Richmond Times-Dispatch
says that it knows Of three counties in
t Virginia where all the work on the farms
is performed by the owners and their sons
with the occasional aid of a hired man en-
gagged in the neighborhood. s
| Then, too, there is a growing demand
for negro labor in unskilled work in the
cities. The New York Independent says
| that 1t would have been difficult to get
on during the present season in New York
without the importation of help Of this
sort; and it proves to be quite as good as
the average from Europe.
Our immigration laws keep out some
classes Of foreigners that would make good
agricultural laborers. The farmers Of Cal
ifornia would have no trouble in getting
good Chinese labor In abundance If it were
not for the Chinese exclusion act. Their
operations are greatly restricted and often
their fruit crop is not gathered in full be-
cause they can not get white labor at any
price-and of course there is a limit to
what can be profltably paid for agricultural
labor.
Il Much could be done toward making con-
ditions better If the 800, 900 foreigners who
annually come to our shores could be
directed to the country and kept from the
city. A large part Of them are Of the peas
ant class, and would make excellent farm
laborers If they would not insist on going
to the cities. One reason why the north
west fares as relatively well as it does in
respect to farm labor is that large pro-
portion of the Scandinavians who emigrate
to this country go directly to the numerous
settlements Of their people in this part Of
the country.
If we are to continue to permit hordes O.
aliens to enter our country, have we MOI
the right to take a hand in placing them.
Would it not be better for them and fol
!, us if they are paternally taken in charge
i when they arrive In this country and sen
where they are needed, where they cal
do good and receive good?