The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-11
WEEA1 WE!!! IN DANGER
FROM LACK Of MEN
Strong inducements Used 10
Tempt Hands to the Fields.
HELP RECRUITED FROM JsILs
Sending Out Appeals For Help in
Garnering Great Crop Before
1t Spoils-Country So Busy.
Labor Is in Demand.

Labor Is in Demand.
Topeka. Kan.-Kaasas is sending
out the strongest appeal Of her his
tory for men to wor! il the harvest
fields. The difficulties Of the last
few years to get enough help TO gar
ner the wheat before j. becomes dead
ripe and skaters in the gathering
will be intensified this year if the
advance signs are any token OF what
is to come. AT least twenty-five
thousand more men than are row
in sight will be needed, and if need
be there will be resort to desperate
measures to draft men into the SER
vice behind the seif-Dinders. AL
ready a move 10 empty the Jails OF
.small offenders has been made.
; Competition this year fc:' labor Is
stronger than ever before. There
seems to be no surplus OF idle men
anywhere. Appeals have been ad-
dressed to the employment agencies
of Chicago, ST. Louis and other large
Western industrial centres. The an
swer has come back in almost every
instance that it is impossible TO fill
the orders. Factories are running at
full capacity all over the country
Building operations are going OF on
a scale exceeding anything OF the
kind in past years. These actiVi-
ties, in addition to the many public
Improvements that are going on,
have absorbed the bulk Of the labor
of the country, skilled and unskilled.
One of the heaviest drafts for men
comes rom the railroads in the
Northwest. In that region extern
sive road building is going on, and
with all the efforts at colonization
not enough men have been obtained
to make the progress desired by the
railroad management. To supply the
deficiency for the railroads alone
effort is making to divert the tide
of immigration from New York to
the Gulf ports. Several weeks ago
1t was announced that fifty thou
sand more men could be acceptably
used in the Southwest. Every de-
mand from that source increases the
anxiety and woes Of the Western
wheat producers
Farmers were comforting them
selves prior to the settlement of the
bituminous coal strike in Western
States with the satisfying belief that
they would be able to draw on this
line Of industry for men to help
them temporarily in the fields. The
coal strike is now settled. the men
have returned to work in the mines.
and that hope has vanished. Kansas
is looking elsewhere for assistance.
New York City and other Far
Eastern centres have been appealed
to for aid. The same dearth of
labor exists there as is experienced
in the Western cities. Thousands of
men who might have been counted on
have gone to San Francisco, attract
ed by the fancy prices for common
labor said to obtain in the demoi-
ished city which is now so energeti-
cally rebuilding.
AS in recent years. much store is
set by the sturdy college men who
are finishing their year of study.
Hundreds Of these men who have
worked in the wheat fields are COM
ing back this season. Those of ath-
letic training are hardened for the
most exactihg labor in the fields. and
they are much sought after by the
farmers. During the cutting and
threshing season many Of them will
make money enough to sustain them
during, half the college year
The fiat had gone out unofficially
that there must be no idle able bod
led men in Kansas at harvest time.
The street loafer who can work will
be obliged to work or leave the
State. Local authorities in cities
and towns hitherto have co-operated
with the agriculturists in enlisting
the whole available force for field
work. They will do so again this
year.
A movement Of that kind is al
ready on. In several Of the famous
wheat producing counties Of the
State, like Saline. Benton, Stafford
and others, farmers have made ar
rangements by which men confined
in county jails and city prisons for
fnable offences may be released. pro-
vided they give their word to accom-
pany the farmers to their homes and
work in the harvest fields at remur-
erative wages. This system will save
both the State and the farmer
vast deal Of money and it will give
the prisoner a good chance to regain
his liberty.