The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-11-13
Tue Judge waved his hand toward
an0fhAr Aeld

TIE Judge waved his hand toward
another field.
"That is still mine." he said. 1T
cost me something In labor and money
to get 1t planted, and the unemployed
Of the city deprived ME OF the crop"
Bullard saw that it had been plant
ed to potatoes, but had run to weeds.
Before he could speak, the Judge point
ed to an orchard.
"That represents a part Of my in
vestment," he said, but the unem-
ployed of the city say that 1t shall be
nothing but loss to me this year, as
other fields and other orchards have
been in other years"
Bullard saw the fruit rotting on the
ground and began to understand
"The lack of labor!" he exclaimed
"The lack of labor" repeated the
Judge, bitterly. "The country boys go
to the city, and the city boys and men
stay there, even when they starve.
Aside from my own trivial troubles,
is there no menace to the country in
thatf"
May not the fault be with you?"
asked Bullard. There certainly is need
Of work"
There is need of work, and here Is
work." said the Judge. "The combina-
tion seemed to be SO favorable that 1t
gave me no worry-at first But 1t
proved to be constant and bitter
struggle. The farmer with the large
family Of boys that he was able to
keep at home was the lucky one. My
financial resources dwindled through
losses due to my inability to work my
farm properly. could not understand
1t. There always has been cry for
work in the city, and here was work
that any able bodied man could do.
The few that came along In the fruit
season we're of the restless, romantic
kind, upon whom no reliance could be
placed; they would move on whenever
they happened to take notion. And
these conditions continued until
found myself seriously crippled finan-
cially. l sent to the city for men;
advertised in the city papers; I ap-
piled to employment agents; but 1t
was always the same story; many men
were seeking work, but 1t was work
In the city they wanted, and the farm
had no attractions for them. read Of
destitution, Of appeals to the chari-
table; of the deserving poor who could
not get work-and these unemployed
were taking from me every year the
little profit Of my farm. | abandoned
some of my land, because was un-
able to use 1t; some of the fruit that
cultivated proved dead loss when
the time for picking and shipping
came; l decided that was spreading
out too thin the work that was able
to get done. So | concentrated all ef-
forts on the most promising fields and
orchards, and let the rest go. But this
made the margin of profits small, even
with success, and l was carrying the
load of unproductive land | had to
let some Of 1t go, charging the loss up
to the unemployed of the city, who re-
fused to be employed in the country.
opened ledger account with the un-
employed who would not come to me
in spite Of my most earnest efforts to
get their services for fair pay"
The Judge paused for moment.
II shall not attempt to give you the
figures In dollars and cents" he said
at last, ''for they would seem to you
preposterously large, but nearly a
quarter of my original purchase has
gone at sacrifice, even as the farm
came to me; more than a quarter of
what is left has been abandoned, and
will soon follow; an orchard has gone
to practical ruin; large berry patch
has become waste land; the margin
of cash l had has disappeared; my
wife works as no woman should have
to work at her age; and only the most
rigid economy enables us to exist at
all. This, briefly, is my ledger ac-
count against the unemployed of the
city. Now, sir, how much ought to
be expected Of me?"
Nothing" replied Bullard prompt.
ly.
"Yet, wish to be fair, absolutely
fair" said the Judge, 81 must Judge of
them as class by what their per-
verseness has cost me, but know that
many, having families and owning
their own homes, feel the necessity
of finding work where they are; they
cannot we'll go to the country. try
to look at the question from all sides;
but, taken as a whole, the unem-
ployed Of the city are begging for help
while taking from me the little have
left by refusing work offered. Yet I
will make this proposition through
you: will take small family on this
farm, provided my conditions are sat
iHfactory. They must agree to remain
here at least two months, and I shall
be glod to make more permanent ar
rangement If things turn out we'll. I
shall expect the man to do a full
mans work, and shall pay him the
wages customary for that work. These
| WILL pof ho fba ruo 0ac of tho c1rtIIa al