Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1912-02-16
HUNTING FOR PROSPERITY

| Among those now almost starving
/ IL the west are many men from Wis
consin who undoubtedly pray for
means enough to get them back to
the good old state
We clip the following from the SUI
perior Telegram:
In northern Wisconsin there has
never been general crop failure
Some seasons are better than others
but total failure never comes. The
i soil is good and for dairying, fruit
and vegetable production this region
is not eXcelled anywhere Yet peo-
pie will pass by these excellent oppor
tunities and push for regions whioh
should have been left for the Indians
AS result press dispatches are re-
ceived like the following just sent
out from Fairpoint, South Dakota,
which, while it is not a type Of the
conditions in the other parts of the
state, is nevertheless instructive. II
| is as follows:
'Homesteaders of Meade county
have issued an appeal for aid, declar-
ing that many are in danger Of stary-
ing as the result Of crop failures Of
the last three years. Clothing, fuel
and food are wanted"
But from other states-states of
good reputation as to resources
Information comes equally convincing
CT the mistake made by many per
sons in going to remote places in
pursuit OF prosperity instead Of tax
lag the opportunities all round them.
Recently the Central Labor Council
of Portland, Oregon, sent out cir
cular from which we quote the fol
lowing:
THE Central Labor Council Of
Portland and vicinity herewith sub
nits for your consideration the evils
caused in the state Of Oregon throue /
false advertisements which have
brought to the state Of Oregon many
thousands of men, women and chill
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 in
tense that the city council Of Port
land was forced to appropriate q
large sum of money to put Some Of
these actually starving people to
work OH pal 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 condition
! of affairs lies with INSCRIPTIONS real
estate men. For years false adver-
tisements about land and labor con-
ditions i'll Oregon have been placed
! in the eastern papers. These adver-
tisements lured to Oregon home
seekers, mechanics and laborers, who
on their arrival here quickly found
that they had been duped. Oregon,
compromising a territory Of $4,000
square miles with a population of
| 700, 900 people, is in the main
a great wilderness of forests and
mountains The forests are largely
held for speculation by the railroad
! interests and other great corpora
tons. To clear an acre of this forest
land, after it has been logged off,
costs from $50 to 500 per acre
Hence there is little chance for pay
ing farms Oh such lands, except for
men with considerable capital Open
country, suitable for farming, has
long ago been taken up and prices |
for such farm land are very high /
almost fabulous prices, in the hope
that fasteners can be fooled to buy
them. The bottom of Oregon's Wild
cat schemes is now dropping out;
hence idleness, restitution and a gen
eral reign Of crime committed by mis-
led and desperate men. OF course
the great majority Of the real estate
men are opposed to the bunco tactics
OF the minority. but up to date with
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 prevent great injus
tice and suffering to men, women {
and children who otherwise might fall |