The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

They speculate still. but most Of their en-
terprises are on an investment basis. Dur
ing the tulip craze. along about when Bos
ton was started, one Haarieff1 tulip bull
brought $780, with team Of gray horse.
and a carriage thrown in. and an Amster
dam bulb was sold for twelve acres Of land
Both of these bulbs were Of the vArtet,
known as the semper Augustus. Of which
there were then only two In existence.
At the same time other varieties brought
enormous sums. Tulip buying was q reg
ular businessf and men grew rich and pool
from the trade.
Some Dutch mortgased their houses tc
buy tulips. and the loss Of peck Of bulbs
caused a mans ruin.
The Dutch tulips now sell for ordinar,
prices. but they are still handled on bust
hess principles. and both cultivation and
marketing have been reduced to a science
The bulbs are set out In September and
October. They are carefully cultivated by
skilled wofkmen, many OF the farms en-
ploying hundreds OF hands They are packed
for the market Just Do ana are shipped to
seed and flower dealers ali over the world
doubt II the ordinary Dutch farmer
makes money. Take the $4,000 who have
less than fifteen acres. They cannot at
best produce more than living. Indeed,
some of these are selling theif farms and
renting others.
FARM LABoRERs HIRED
FOR 30 CENTS A DAY
Lands are high and rents are calculated
at about per cent Of the land values.
Wages are yefy. low. A good farm hand
can be hired ~ rom 30 to n cents a day.
and cornmoH price 10 10 year, with a
suit Of clothes and d pair Of boots thrown
In Many Of the farm haf1dS now go of to
Belgium and France at harvest time. so
that labor IL scarce. There ID also an exc
A.. "A NJ q 10
factories where the wages are higher.
Even in the cities the wages paid seem
ridiculous in comparison With those Of the
United States. The Government usually
pays as much as any one.
Here are some figures recently published
az to what men received who worked on
state contracts: Common workmen got 5
cents an hour, carpenters 63f cents and ma
sons and brieklsyers cents.
Blacksmiths received I cents an hour and
turner's planners. fitters ana iron workers s
cents. The wages In the factories are no
better. and the hours OF work range all the
way from nine to thirteen per day. On the
farms both men and women work, and the
women, as q rule. do a. much as the men,
Tr the factories there are also women and
children.
Children are allowed In the factories at
the age OF IL The little ones 60 to their
iabors at 6 O'Clock. starting work on moth
ing but a cup Of hot coffee or perhaps
piece Of rye bread, and coming home to
breakfast at .. They 20 back an hour
later, and lay OF for dinner from Il to l.
when they return to complete the day.
The wages paid children are but few
cents a day. and boys start into trade as
low as 20 cents week.
There are fixed rules - to apprentices.
some shops refusing to take them because
there are no laws by which they can hold
- ha, IN N
Of value.
OF late, however. technical schools have
been established. and the children will have
q better chance to learn trades than in the
past. FRANK q. CARPENTER.
Copyright. 1Sos, BY F. q. Carpenter.