Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-03-29
Tho Great "Meltlng.Pot."
GREELEY, CoLo., Mar. 8, 1910.

| Tho Great "Melting.Pot."
| GREELEY, CoLo., Mar. 8, 1910.
Editor Democrats:
Nine immense sugar factories have
been established In northern Colorado
within the past ten years. Millions arr
invested in these factories, and new
industry, the raising OF sugar beets, hal
sprung up, calling for laborers from
other localities. Accordingly numbers
of Japanese and Russian laborers have
been induced to come into Colorado tc
cultivate the vast tonnage of beets. Some
of the largest factories cut 1900 tons OF
beets in "a hours. When once the sugar.
making campaign is started there Is nc
stopping night or day, Sunday or holiday,
till all the beets have been handled. In
another letter I may give some account
of the beet-sugar industry, but at this
time my object 10 to describe our Rus.
sian workers who have settled a portion
of Greeley known as Little Russia. "
! Across the street from where sit Ia
their church where they have preaching
in their own language, many of the peo-
pie being as yet unable to understand
English.
Most of the Russians in this vicinity
are hardy, stalwart race, the women
matching the men in strength and en-
durance, and the boys as seen from my
window are tremendous wrestlers and
fighters. 1t is said that Peter the Great
invited German workers to settle In Rus
STA under promise that they should not
be compelled to serve in his armies. He
told them he did not desire them as
fighters but as farmers, leaving war to
his Cossacks. Under this agreement,
made so many years ago, the Mennonites
who were conscientiously opposed to
bearing arms, accepted the Cars offer
and settled in Russia, and while German
is their mother tongue they have had to
acquire the Russian language. 1t seems
that some of the recent czars have
abrogated the ancient agreement of
Car Peter and forced these people to
enter the army. Some people say that
this is one reason why 80 many have re-
Gently left Russia.
We have engaged in the beet sugar in
dustry for several years and have en-
ployed several families OF Russians and
have had an opportunity to become &C
quainted with their characteristics. If
there have been times when property was
liable to be destroyed and we have need
ed helping hand there has been re-
fusal with the remark, "If work Sum
day 90 to hell"
1t is no uncommon thing to hear the
almost universal European opinion that
we Americans are nation of money
grabbers. One will see this denuncia-
ton cropping out in the magazines and
papers of many European countries. 1t
would be bard to believe that anywhere
in the whole world there are people who
love money more than these Russians or
who work harder to get it or who would
hold on to it tighter or who are more
exacting of their employers.
A certain lady, learning that little
Russian Lizzie had never tasted ice
cream, thought to give this ten-year-old
child a new sensation. Accordingly she
treated the child at the cost OF dime.
The next day the little girl echoed the
fathers opinion of this extravaganza, for
fools and children are given TO telling
truths. "My fadder, he say
American womens no goot! They no
help their man in the field. They waste
their husbands money buying ice cream.
Ny ladder say you 'Merican peoples have
too many things to eat. We buy ten
cent soup bone and have only soup all
time. The odder day we buy fifteen
cent bone and company come and eat it
Ill up. You peoples have all kinds
shings on table at same time. We have
only soup and bread" All this to a
woman with two young children, keep
rg house for family of five.
Now let me point out what have seen
With my own eyes. And remember that
he Russian peasant looks down upon
lis women the same as among savages
md would not have them vote, because
If their gen eral unfituess. On our farm
child five years old was seen Juggling
,abe from the house long way across
he beet-tield to the mother and the
mother arose from her knees and stand
ng, sucked the child, and then sent it
% the house in the arms of the other
infant. And then man and wife went on
coping the heavy beets, the man always
aking the nearer and easier row, and
he weaker vessel throwing her beets /
,ome eight feet farther than the man,
md he was heard reprimanding her be-
,ause she seemed inclined to work slow
" than he. Two little children of six
md eight years l have seen topping
oeets from early morn till dark, the
parents pleading all this time with our
,chool officers that the law be set aside
regarding school attendance. You see
his beet work is done under contract
md the people save neither themselves
nor their children. / am told of a sick
babe whose mother could not be spared
from the beet field, and one time she
went to the house and found the baby
had died In her absence. And not q
month ago relative of mine was fined ,
s56. Is for having a sore .shouldered horse
that an employee was working in the
owners absence. Colorado has some
stringent laws protecting animals and
children.
I often talk with the Russian men
about conditions in the Cars empire.
Most of the men have spent years in the |
Russian army. Henry told me yester-
iay that he was taken into the army at
the age of 81 and served five years. AL
ways the policy of the government is to
send recruits as far from the place of
their birth as possible, so that there will
be less incentive to desertion. Henry
was born north OF st. Petersburg and
was sent to the Caspian Sea region, and |
the soldier born in the latter place was |
sent 1000 miles in another direction. |
Henry was paid as wages 45 cents every |
two months. Men in other departments
got as high as go cents every two months:
Upon hearing this some one remarked
that it was no wonder that the Japs lick |
ed them. When Henry was asked how |
be could exist on % IL cents per month,