Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-10
A WARNING FROM OREGON.

land, in an official letter bearing the
signatures of it's president and secre-
tary, has issued a statement on LABOR
conditions in Oregon which is design
ed to offset the glowing claims made
in fake advertisements boosting Ore
gon. The Courier today received the
following copy Of a letter sent to GOV.
Carroll by the Portland labor body: e..
TO Your Excellency:-The Central
Labor Council of Portland and vicinity
herewith submits for your considera-
ton the evils caused in the state OF
Oregon through false advertisements
which have brought to the state OF
Oregon many thousands of men, Wom-
en- and children from the eastern ana
middle western states.
Large numbers of these people are
now destitute, after having spent
their savings in railroad fares and in
vainly seeking work. Their suffering
at present is so intense that the city
council Of Portland was forced to ap-
propriate large sum of money to put
some of these actually starving people
to work on park and street work at
wages below the prevailing rate for
laborers. Private charity has and is
still being taxed to it's utmost.
The fault for this lamentable con-
dition of affairs lies with INSCRIPTIONS
employers of labor and certain type
of real estate men. For years false
advertisements about land and labor
conditions in Oregon have been placed
in the eastern papers.
These advertisements lured to Ore
gon home seekers, mechanics and Ia
borers, who on arrival here quickly
found that they had been duped.
Oregon comprising a territory OF
$4,000 square miles with population
of about 100000 people, is in the main
a great wilderness of forests ana
mountains The forests are largely
held for speculation by the railroad
interests and other great corporations
To clear an acre of this forest land,
after it has been logged off, costs from
$50 to S100 per acre. Hence there is
little chance for paying farms on sucn
lands, except for men with consider
able capital.
Open country, suitable for farming,
has long age been taken up and prices
for such farm land are very high.
Railroad transportation throughout
the state is very poor.
The orchard lands are held for al"
most fabulous prices, in the hope that
fasteners can be fooled to buy them.
The same trick that was played TWEEN
ty years ago in southern California,
when orange orchards sold for 81 coo
an acre.
The bottom of these wildcat
schemes dropped out in California and
the Coxey army followed. The bottom
of Oregon's wildcat schemes is now
dropping out: hence idleness, destitu-
ton and a general reign Of crime COM
mitted by misled and desperate men.
Of course the great majority of the
employers Of Oregon deplore the prac-
tees which have brought about the
present chaotic industrial conditions
in this state The great majority or
real estate men are opposed to the
bunco tactics of the minority.
But up-to-date there are no tangible
results for betterment. Therefore, the
Central Labor council Of Portland and
vicinity appeals to you to give this
matter publicity in your state and pre-
vent great injustice and suffering to
men, women and children of your state
who otherwise might fall victims to
false advertisements sent from Ore
gon.
Specially dealing with labor condi-
tons in Oregon, we wish to state that
out Of the population of 100000 there
are 2O7, 900 in Portland-our principal
city. This readily shows that the re-
naming 100000 are scattered over &c..
900 square miles. In the east when