The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-01-08
Vermont Farming Seriously
Handicapped by made
quate Labor Supply
COMMR. BRIGHAM
OFFERS SOLUTION
Make Employment More
Satisfactory with Ad-
vancement Possible

Rutland, Jan. S.-The inability OF YER
mont farmers to get adequate help was
the cause for the decline in farm prod
ucts during the decade from 1899 to 1903
declared Commissioner Z. S. Brigham OF
the state department of agriculture, be-
fore the Vermont State Dairymen's con,
yention here to-day, and he added that
if Vermont is to make progress in this
line the state must have larger sup
ply of farm labor. He offered as a solu-
tion, an attractive job, good wages with
a possibility for advancement and great
er publicity.
Commissioner Brigham said in part
1T is fact known to all practical
farmers that If intensive agriculture is
to be developed in Vermont we must
have larger supply of farm labor. The
census OF 1910 shows a drift toward
less intensive work. We had 25,0OO
fewer acres of cereals, $4,000 fewer acres
OF corn, 500 fewer acres OF potatoes,
and 10000 fewer head of cattle, on our
farms in 1909 than in 1889. The acreage
az hay increased $4,000 acres. The In
ability of our farmers to get adequate
help was the most important factor in
causing this decline.
Last spring there was organized in
the state department of agriculture a
bureau OF agricultural labor to devise
uays and means of securing an increased
supply of farm laborers.
at is a general proposition that a
Job on farm must compete In all
ways with Jobs offered in other lines OF
industry. Work on farm, which begins
in March and ends in November, leaving
man to shift for himself during the
winter, does not offer an attractive OPP
portunity. Our ability to get the class
OF help we desire will depend on general
industrial conditions.
"For several years the demand for
men in other industries has been so
great that it has been difficult TO get
men to take short.tlme jobs ON farms.
Industrial conditions have now changed
so that BY February or March we should
have no difficulty in getting some good
men to seek employment on Vermont
farms. The information office of the
bureau of immigration in New York,
which ia at the service of all men seek
ing employment, whether newly arrived
immigrants or not will assist us in get
ting men. / suggest that you write the
bureau OF agriculture, st. Albans, VT,
early this spring, stating your needs.
"There are, however, jobs on the
r. ,tfhs snI n
and offer attractive opportunities to men
in search of employment:
u. Those giving employment to sim
Gle men throughout the year at good
wages.
%. Those giving employment to mar.
ried couples.
"3. Those giving employment to mar
red men where tenement house is fur
nished.
Il believe that as we provide more
of these three kinds of jobs on our
farms, by a better system of farm man
agement, the sooner we shall solve the
farm labor problem satisfactorily. / am
convinced that tenement house is the
best Investment which Vermont farm
or can make.
mont must look without the state to
secure adequate supply of farm labor.
Though the wave of immigration from
Sweden, Denmark, Holland, and Ger
many is less than it has been in the
rast there are still large numbers of peo-
Pile coming to America yearly from these
countries Vermont can offer to these
a desirable opportunity. !
believe it is a matter of good policy
for us to advertise to desirable immi
grants that we have an opportunity in
Vermont for good farm laborers TO Sc
cure employment, throughout the year
at wages which will enable them to save
money and to becomel land holders on
their own account. If our farmers will
provide this opportunity there are a
number of organizations which will help
lis to advertise this opportunity. If we
car show these organizations that real
exists in Vermont for the
men with whom they are employed, we
may expect their cooperation and as
q would not have you understand
that / wish to devise or further any
plan which will lower the wages of farm
In borers, or which will bring to our state
people who will not become desirable
/ believe that we should use
improved methods of production and of
marketing on our farms, so that we
can pay good wages. Let us make de-
sirsble Jobs on Vermont farms then we
may encourage people to come to us
from those countries which have been
so instrumental in building up our west
ern states.
'1n conclusion l would gay that the
solution of our farm labor problem de-
pends upon our providing, first of all,
an attractive job, paying good wages
with the possibility of advancement,
then by advertising we should let peo-
pie know that we have these jobs. We
should advertise our comparatively cheap
land. The farm laborer who is am
bilious to become a farm owner is the
man we want, both for an employe and
for a citizen. ] believe we can succeed
in getting such men if we give them