New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-09
BAIT FOR LAB0RERS.
Farmers Make Some Queer Offers
an Harvest Time.

Nhen FARMER has acres upon acres or golden
grain ready to be cut and gathered in. and not
the requisite hands 20 do the work. he Is driven
to novel expedents to obtain them.
Never before has labor been in such urgent
demand in the harvest fields OF the United
States as this season. In addition TO high wages.
farmers in the State of Kansas have been offer
ing roast chicken dinners and motor rides as
inducements 20 workers. Notwithstanding that
several train loads of labOrers have been i'm
ported from Missouri. the demand is still in ex-
cess OF the supply, and unless more forth
coming rich crops will have TO remain ungath-
cred
TO avoid such a loss still more enterprising
farmer has gone one better than chicken dinners
he offers free baths free shaves and Tree hair
cutting by trained barber. capable of doing
his work IN hrst class style"
AS a further inducement 10 all and sundry to
assist him in his harvest WORK he offers the I'M
rivalled attraction Of balloon ascent in a cap
tive balloon. Most people being glad of rise
in the world, this Will doubtless prove an ire
sistible offer.
II is stipulated. however. that no worker shall
go up more than twice in one week, and If any
body breaks his neck coming down the farmer
shall not be considered liable for the funeral or
other expenses.
other equally entertaining offers have been
made by a farmer who has upward of a thou
sand acres OF wheat. He has rather a pull over
his neighbOrs inasInuch as he is justice OF
the peace. This has enabled him to make quite
a unique offer 10 men who are willing TO work
for him.
the married state he undertakes to splice free
Of charge provided that the marriage takes
place before harvest time comes round again.
Further. while not promising anything in the
nature Of an elaborate wedding spread he
offers 10 provide the wedding party with rea-
sonable refTeshment for man and beast.
Moreover, when all the corn has been gathered
in, he offers the workers a glorious feed" and
entertainment, the bare recollection of which will
make their mouths water in years TO come
Probably however. the offer made by farmer
in another state appeals forcibIy to possible
free iced water ad libitum throughout the har
vest, while cold tea or toast water can be had
by those who prefer IT,
The same farmer also promises 70 hands
coming from an adjacent town to provide con-
veyance for them to and from their work. For
binary way sleeping places in clean, straw lit
tered sheds offered free.
An interesting inducement OF a different order
IS held out by farmer who is blessed with three
or four talented daughters. musically inclined. II
is nothing more nor less than a sacred concert
on Sunday afternoons and a substantial tea
afterward all free, gratis, for nothing"
During the BOer War farmers in this country
were at their wits end TO obtain hands for har-
vest work. Even double wages failed 20 attract
the requisite amount Of labor, with the result
that still further inducements had 10 be offered
for men.
The proprietor of a large farm in Lincolnshire
undertook TO supply his workers with an unlim-
tied quantity of harvest beer and a gTamophOne
entertainment three times a week.
Another undertook 10 provide a quart OF milk
per day for each worker free and butter and
eggs at half price when required. In addition he
offered load of potatoes 10 each married man.
ton Of coal for the winter. But even these
unusual inducements failed TO bring him as
much help as he really needed.-Tit Bits.