Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-07-15
THE NORThWESr'S LABOR PROB


Farm, StOcK and home: FOR some
years there has been a growing
scarcity of good harvest labor thru
out the Northwest. For this several
reasons have been assigned. Some
say the old stock of good hired men
is dying ont. Possibly this is true,
but f., S. & H. is not satisfied with
that explanation. Others have 1t
that the rapid increase of acreage
under the plow, both in this country
and IN Canada, has made the demand
for lei greater than the increase in
supply. This probably is true in part,
but it should not be forgotten that
at the same time machinery has gone
on increasing the capacity of the in
dividual, and setting free some lines
Of labor to take part in the harvesting
OF the grain. Others e in the great
public improvements, including the
remaking of many lines of railway, an
outlet for the day labor Of the coun-
try. Much Of this is handled in gangs
by contract, and it is a well-known
fact that day laborers prefer where
they can to work together rather
than to 50. one man to a place and to
work alone. Probably this is one OF
the most positive of the reasons why
the harvest labor supply is low. These
contractors furnish work tho year
round. In the summer time they
work in the north, and in the autumn
they ship south. On the other hand,
the farmers hires for only a few
weeks, and while the wage he pays is
higher than he can oftentines afford,
1t does not net the labOrer as much,
when his fare coming and going is
taken into account, and some lost
time has been figured in, as would
steady work at a much lower day
rate. The charge that the average
harvest hand does not want work is
unfair t. these men as a class. I'm.
der the conditions named only the
more restless and the least reliable
are tempted to 80 to the harvest
fields. And the poorer of those who
do 60 make SO much trouble that they
give the harvest hands as d whole a
reputation they do not d~erserve.l
The fact that there may be a over
supply of men in New York. for in
stance, does not help US OF the North.
west, in any particular. Such a over
supply does not now exist. as a matter
Of fact. Day labor is brisk there as
here; but were it slack, fares comiug
and going would SO eat into the total
harvest wages paid thatAnen from the
east could not afford to come to the
Northwest for the harvest and thresh-
ing season.
The h%arvester's rates furnished by
the Canadian roads, permitting men
to so west in carload lots, and to get
cheap return transportation upon pre-
s~e1tation OF a certificate showing the
days; Of labor performed, signed ny
the employer, would In all probability
not be allowed by our Interstate Com
meTce Commission, and the railroads
are not inclined to make an attempt
that Is liable to end in failure. Con.
sequently the matter boils down to
50 handling the supply OF available
labor west Of Chicago, north OF Sa.
Louis. and east OF the Rockies, that It
shan be where We want it at tho tinio.
II ~ needed.
The only practical scheme so far
suSsested is for the individual far
Mef 10 kifs - sooneas he canain the
season. putting his men to work, rain
81 Shine and paying them wages that