Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-03-19
TO AID UNEMPLOYED
Plan Suggested For Providing
Means of Livelihood.
GOVERNMENT HELP DESIRED.

the Initiative In Establishing Ex
perimentaI Farm Where Idle Work
men Can Be Taught Farming-views
of an Educator.
The question of securing work for
the great armies of the unemployed of
the large cities, 1t is stated, is to be
brought squarely before Secretary vii
son of the department of agriculture
within q short time with the recon-
mendation that he do all in his power
to have the federal government es-
tablish an experimental farm. Seth
Farnsworth of Chicago, who has inter
ested himself In the case of the unem-
ployed, went to Washington and is
preparing to place before the secretary
of agriculture many reasons why he
should see that the government back
the effort to solve the problem of the
idle men of the cities.
Together with Rev. John Ellis, who
is also in Washington representing the
recent st. Louis convention of idle men
do something to aid them, Mr.. Farms
worth hopes to interest the officials of
the country, from the president down,
In the project. The administration, 1t
is stated, is concerned over conditions
existing in many sections of the coun-
try, notably in the large cities, and in
tends, it is stated, to address itself to
the task of investigating the problem.
In this way it is hoped much of the
distress among the workingmen of the
country may he greatly relieved.
"What we want to do in this country
to alleviate the situation is to educate
the idle workingman in the pursuit of
agriculture" said Mr.. Farnsworth re-
Gently to a reporter of the Washington
Star.
"You hear much throughout the
country of farmers who cannot get
farm hands. From these stories one
would suppose that all a worlingman
of the cities would have to do would
be to call upon the farmer and offer
his services in order to secure employ
ment But in the case of those skilled
in machinery or other of the trades
this cannot be true.
"They know nothing of agriculture
and when they apply to the farmer are
turned away because they know moth
ing of the work of the farm"
Mr.. Farnsworth then explained that
the government should at once estab-
lish farm where honest workingmen
out of employment may be able to
come and receive Instructions in the
art of husbandry and in several months
be able to so forth into the world quail
flied to take up the work in the fields
until they may again take up their reg
ular vocations in life.
For starting point in this effort TO
establish farm for the extension of
this proposed high class agricultural
education Mr.. Farnsworth calls atten-
tion to the 500 acre tract of land own
ed by the department of agriculture in
Alexandria county, Va, which tract,
he says, is an ideal location for an in
auguration of the work TO solve the
question of helping the unemployed.
When the question was discussed
with Mr.. Timothy Healy, president of
the International Brotherhood of Sta
tionary Firemen, he expressed great
interest in the idea. Solving the prob
lem of the unemployed is taking up
much of the time of the labor leaders
in New York at this time, according to
Mr.. 5Iealy, and in his estimation they
Will gladly welcome any effort on the
part of the government of the United
States to alleviate the situation.
Mr. James l.. Feeney, president of
the Boolkbinders' union, was one Of the
local labor leaders whom Rev. John
Ellis and Mr. Farnsworth conferred
with the other day. He was also i'm
pressed with the idea that the proposed
school for the unemployed. if it could
be successfully carried out, would go
long way toward helping TO solve
the problem of the idle workmen. Mr.
Feeney explained that he stood with
Mr.. Healy in support of any effort
that will go toward advancing the in
terests of the laboring man.
His attention was also called to n re-
cent statement from L. A. Sutherland,
who has charge of the National Agri-
cultural and Normal institute at Madi-
son, Tenn. In his statement Mr.. Suth-
erland says: "Our experience has been
good. We are making steady progress,
and those things that were expert
ments two years ago are now demon
strated facts. We do not need to
walk by faith concerning them. l am
satisfied that the coming school will
have to adapt itself to the principles
that underlie the education where the
entire man is trained.
Schools that continue to adhere to
the old ideas will share the same fate
that has been experienced by men and
institutions that refuse to recognize
necessary reforms. Self supporting
schools will turn out class of men
who will be superior in every respect
to those who are trained in a school
that does not appreciate practical edu-
cation"
Rev. John Ellis, national secretary of
the unemployed at st. Louis, the other
night talked as follows of the pro-
posed plan to establish the school:
"After thorough discussion of the
Plan with Mr.. Farnsworth | approve of
the work, first, because it will afford
an industrial opportunity to many men.