The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-13
KANSAS NEWS.
An Atchison Man Talks Inter-
estingIy of Russia.
Travelled Two Seasons in the
Land of the Car.
SELLING HARVESTERS.
The Laborers Work for About
% Cents Per Day.
The Bulk Of the Wheat Is Still
Cut by the Sickle.
SELLING HARVESTERS.

Atchison Kan. Oct 1S-The Globe
says In the controversy between Glenn
Rohr and Perry Hayes as to whether or
not William Johannes of Nortonville re-
Gently returned from Russia, Mr.. Rohr
has won out. He summoned reporter
to his harness store last evening. and
introduced Mr.. Johannes. who not only
stated that he was in Russia this year.
but that he was there a year ago, as
well. He tells a very interesting story
of life among the rural element of Rus
STA, class seldom if ever visited by
writer's and correspondents. His bust
ness was selling and setting up har-
vesters for a Chicago company, which
work put him in actual contact with
conditions there, and he declares that
the difference between farm life around
NOrtonVille, and around Odessa in
heaven to the other place. The COM
parisOn may be little strong, but he
says that is the only way he can put it.
He was in the country Immediately
east of Odessa. and says while the quail
fty of wheat raised there is fine and the
resources extensive. the land is held in
large tracts, thousands of acres, by
b&rons and other rich natives and the
laborers work for them at about 25 cents
day. The land holdings are so large
that from five to eight Mccormick ma
chimes are frequently sold TO one pur-
chaser while the sale of SINGLE ma
chine is unusual. The big farms are
usually presided over by a foreman who
llrds it over the laborers; they are used
T. it, and ii seems necessary. Johannes
says he found in setting up machines
nat he had to lord it a little himself
The working classes have been trained
70 look up to some one. and when Jo-
hannes placed himself in the position
If a sort of a dictator, he got good in
n -al n az
from the ordinary American IabOrer.
Mr.. Johannes had an interpreter with
him who spoke both German and Rus
sian and who received less than so cents
possessed by the laborers, and when
Johannes found it necessary to be Sc
we're in a statement, the interpreter
would greatly modify the same, In re-
peating it. Harvesting machinery is
admitted into Russia free of duty. The
object is to bring about the raising of
wheat there as cheaply as it can be
raised in America, and competing with
us in the German market. AS yGt, not
withstanding the cheap labor there,
America is able to undersel Russia in
Germany.
A great many American binders are
being introduced, and while there is
some crude natife machinery the bulk
of the wheat is till cut by sickle. The
food of the wOrling classes is wretched.
Johannes saws ne would rather StarVe
that the wates is also bad Only the
natives can Sund 1t.
As a rule hi was given the best food
on the place but he lost fifteen pounds
in two months. And this, too, In view
of the fact tiat where the work he was
doing was Understood and appreciated,
he was givh Prince Henry treatment.
At one plae he slept between silken
sheets. ON baron had fifteen or twenty
old traps q wagons lined up along the
road. and lone of which were in use. A
poor mandriving past broke down, and
took a w1eel from one of the old wag-
ons Sizzling in that country is an
awful c1tne, and when the theft was
discovered, and the man brought before
the barn, he fell on his face at the
baron's feet. begging forgiveness. At
this pobt Johannes took a hand, and in
duced The baron to let him go I'M
punishd, and to present him with the
Wheel
At ne town of Perekop there was a
fire, nd three hundred families were
rendeed homeless. A citizen boosted to
johannes that 240 rubles ($120) had been
raisd by subscription for their Keller.
1t Rppened that the same day Jo-
hanes had received a paper from home.
shoking the subscriptions for the To-
peR flood sufferers. There We're -four
locations of $1,000 each and he showed
tn papers to the Russians, and told
tfm to loosen uD.
Elevators have not yet been intro
diced into that country. The grain is
sored in tall buildings. with zigzag
itairs running to the top. Up these
stairs iaborers carry grain in sacks and
dump it into the deep bins Conditions
are not as bad in the cities of Russia.
Odessa has beautiful parks, with bands
playing all the time. but when Johannes
was there labor riots were in progress.
and the people showed discomfort in
their faces. The labor riots were
promptly suppressed by the soldiers.
who run things While there Johannes
took ride on the Black sea. Last year
Johannes was in Siberia.