Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1910-05-12
LABOR CONDITIONS IN vIasISlA.
T. u. laBaums Says The Scarcity Of Labor
is a Serious Prpnosltiou.

In speaking Of the labor conditions in
this State, F. II. LsBsume, sgricultur-
al and industrial agent of the Norfolk
and Western Railway. in Roanoke,
says:
The scarcity Of of farm labor is q
proposition that is staring every vir-
ginia farmer in the face, and is proving
the most serious handicap to the devel-
opment Of the agricultural resources of
the State. Thousands Of acres Of high
class. fertile land are lying utterly idle,
because labor for the cultivation of
same cannot be obtained at any reason
able price.
The facts of the case are these: The
farm laboring element 10 Virginia, at
tracted by the larger wages paid in 9TH
er lines Of work, have deserted the
farms and gone to the cities, to the
contrsctors' camps and to the railI Dads,
and cannot be induced to return to the
farm.
II have given this matter a great
deal Of attention and have at last sue
ceeded in getting in touch with parties
who represent a class of settlers who
are anxious to get back into the coun-
try on little farms that they can cult
vate and call their own. The PROPOSE
ton made me by these people is this:
eff we can induce owners of produc-
tive lands along our lines of railroad to
sub-divide their lands into ten or twenty
acre farms and build a small cottage
and other buildings actually necessary
to make the place comfortable on each
alternate farm, then they will agree to
furnish the settlers, who will rent the
farms at price that will show good re-
turns to the owner en- the investment,
under their plan Of colonization. 1t ia
understood that they shall also have the
privilege OF buying on the installment
plan
1T can be readily seen that the bene-
hts that will accrue to the land owner,
are very attractive, as it puts his idle
lands into cultivation on an interest
earning basis and increases the value of
the property.
"The whole trouble with the South
up to date has been that owners Of large
tracts Of land are not inclined to put it
on the market themselves and assume
the responsibilities and the risks that
accompany farm land promotion. They
are not skilled in the promotion of these
enterprises and have had little or no ex-
perience in this line of DEVELOPMENT.
More unfortunate still, however, is
their utter refusal in most instances to
cooperate with men who do know the
business and have demonstrated their
ability by the successful engineering of
large farm land enterprises in the West.
In other words, the Southern land own
er Immediately gets cold feet when he
finds that any one else but himself is
going to realize profit from the bust
ness and the natural result has been
that the people who can make good in
this development work have let the
South severely alone.
1--WE have the proposition, we have
the soil, and we have the climate and
transportation facilities. Let us show
q more cordial spirit of cooperation
with the new conner who is willing to
put his experience and money into the
field.
81 will be glad to hear from any own
ers of large tracts of land who are open
to the development proposition and will
be glad to put them in touch with the
parties above mentioned, who believe
can be of assistance in settling up the
lands"