New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-27
FARM LABOR SCARCE
TnNIGRANTS DESIRED.
Trades Hare Enough Men, but Land
in This State Needs Soil Workers.
From The Tribune Bureau. J

Washington. July 26.-An authoritative con-
tr.bution TO the discussion of New York's "aban-
doned" farms has been received from Governor
Hughes by the United States bureau Of Inlni-
grafton. T. Y Powderly. chief Of the recently
created bureau Of information under the Com
missioner Of immigration. had addressed in
QuiTies 10 the governors of all the states asking
for 3 statement Of the labor conditions existing
in the given state and the opportunities for I'M
migrants, Governor Hughes asked his Commits
slontr OF Agriculture. Charles a. Wieting, for
TIE desired information and his report forward
% here is in part as follows:
Settlers OF land needed within this state
cannot give the number. except 10 state that
re list or farms which ! sending you shows
mat there are 1872 farms advertised for sale or
rent each Of which would be more productive if il
mad good earnest soil workers upon il. There are
IN mis- state 20 farms. and I inclined 10
mink there are many more than 1872 that need
more attentive work upon them and that will be in
the market soon The lands in this state that are
Tor sale and that need more active work are not in
any one locality. but are in nearly every agricult-
ural section Of the state. VIII be seen by
examination OF the bulletin
There many farms along every line Of rail
road for sale. and many Of them are remote from
railway lines. The water facilities for trsnsporta-
Ton would be limited TO the canals and the Hudson
River.
Prices Of land vary practically between SO and $50
acre: there less than that and some
II IS fair to say that in nearly every section Of
Ing. some sections being better than others. The
lands u this state, whole, Will produce cereals
with good results
Industrious immigrants with a knowledge Of agri-
culture are desired. irrespective OF nationality II
IS believed. however that those OF northern Europe
rs rule possess these quaIihcations-for instance
Danes. Swedess Germans and Hoilanders.
The State Of New York does not offer induce
rrants settlers
There IS no commission or board having for its
object the cement OF settlers herein There
is. however. a bureau in the Department Of Agri-
culture in this state that IS putting forth efforts to
en.ig ten the immigrants as 10 the inducements
which the agricultural conditions in New York
state offer settlers, whether they come as pur-
chasers Of land or as farm laborers.
The chief statistician Of the State Department
Of Agriculture submits. through the Governor,
the following memorandum relative 70 the dis
tributioT Of immigrants:
Nest Of the inquiries Of the federal bureau 81 i'm
migration and naturalization 5 industrial con-
ditions this state answered in the annual and
quarterly reports Of this department. which are
regularly sent 10 the bureau
Our latest statistics show that there upward
Q; 5000 building mechanics and laborers out Of en-
Ploynent az the end OF March In manufacturing
industries there were fewer out Of work, but no
general scarcity be said 10 exist either Of me-
charcs or Of laborers. The manufacturers Of brick
have mad no difficulty in obtaining full quota Of
unsklIed men this summer. at wages below those
paid last year. So far demand exceeds supply OF
Iabor IN this state the present time, Il may be
oassed Under local or temporary scarcity. which
can be met from other localities rather than from
abroad
Occasional complaints are made Of the lack OF
thoroughlv trained mechanics but such complaints
are directed principally the faults Of the APP
--a7-fra system or school system No specific IN
forn1a ZION has been collected What would be OF
service 20 the Immigration bureau.
Scarcity % farm labor, especially FOR harvesting
Is z standing complaint. and the state has created
z bureau II the Department % Agriculture to sup
rly Information 70 agricultural laborers That hu-
reau has 81 hand Information OF the kind desired
by fh= immigration authorities