Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-21
BACK 70 The FARMS
No Scarcity Of Labor For the
Iowa Agriculturists the
Coming Season
A RUSH OF LABoRERs NOW ON
Laborers Recently Employed in Cities
and Now Out of Employment Seek
ing Contracts With Farmers-High
Wages Still Offered for Experienced
HeIp.
sneclal to ri1nes-RennblIcan.

Special to Tirnes-Repnblican.
Des Moines, Feb. 21.-For the tirs'
! time since the recovery from the panic
of 93 the farmers Of the state vii
Already there is a rush of laborers into
| the country to secure jobs for the
summer, and many stirrers of the sol
have even now hired their hands fol
| the coming year.
The shutting down of some factories
cutting forces in others, and the
stoppage of public works has created a
surplus of laborers. In most cases the
married men are given the preference
in the factories owing to the fact that
they are considered more reliable, and
many Of the younger ones are thus
driven to seek employment on the
farm.
While the plentitude of help in some
sections has already started a decline
in farm wages, still many tanners are
contracting to pay SIS to $50 per
month This includes board and
washing and means more money saved
to the average young anan than Il $50
jol in the city.
AS is generally known, for the past
several years the farmers in every see
ton of the state have been greatly
handicapped in the working of their
farms by lack of help. During the
nnnIitnn hepn
especially apparent and for this rea-
son it has been impossible for them
to do the work of the farm it should
be done. This condition has even had
it's effect on the yield in crops. The
corn. in particular has not had the
attention 1t needed over a great portion
of the state.
During the past few years of high
wages and much work In the cities.
there has been a general migration
of the young men from the farm to
the town. Even the sons of the farm
ers. have, in many cases. deserted the
field and the long hours in the country
for the pavement and the eight-hour
day The tide has now turned back
and the farmers are enjoying at least
this one result of the little financial
furry which has just swept over the
country
Most Of the first day Of the express
rate rehearing before the state railroad
commission was devoted to discussion
CT whether the long and short haul
and the ti-discriminatory statutes
apply to express companies as we'll as
rcilroad companies. Attorney General
II. w. Byers. who advised the commits
sion, in written opinion, that the
three sections of the code covering
thees points with respect to freight
iates applied as well to express rates.
and Governor CumminS We're present
during the discussion. The express
companies had been advised by the
publication Of the attorney generals
opinion on the subject in The Register
and Leader that the point had been
raised. N. r. Guernsey appeared for
all Of the companies, and the general
agents and general managers of the
companies who were present, made ar
guments in REPUTATION Of the position
taken by the attorney general. Gem
eral Byers was invited by the rail
road commission to discuss the mat
ter, but commended himself with the
opinion he had filed.
Considerable testimony was taken
by the commission as to the express
rates actually in force before the new
rates made by the board We're fixed
lest December.