Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-03-20
HARD LIVES Of
WHITE WOMEN ON
COTTON FARMS
Mrs, j. Borden Hartman
Hears Stories Of Conditions
Said to Exist on Certain
Texas Plantations,


Dallas, Tcxns. March 1.-THE ef-
feet on the health of white women
on tenant farms from dragging cot
ton sacks Ia the fields at cotton pick
Ing seasons, was investigated by Mrs.
j. Borden Hartman. OF the federal
commission today on land problems
II was one Of many aspects Of land
tenancy considered. w j.. Thurman.
~ sulphur, okla. who said he had
praci'ccd medicine IN the southwest
and Is now lecturer IN oklahoma,
WIS On he witness stand
DO women drag cotton sacks?"
asked Mrs Hartman
They very generally dor
AS a physician, what do You think
.s the effect on the womcn's health?"
~ positively know that the health
Of many women has been ruined by
u, replied Mr Thurman adding that
women sometimes did such work uu-
III near The time for children to be
born.
what is the effect on tho chld?"
asked Mrs. Hartman
VERY detrimental"
Extreme Cases Occur.
Or Thurman said he had seen eX-
tremo eases IN which babies less than
month old were bedded on the sack
fun of cotton riding about the field
on Il as the mother dragged II. lie
said such cases, however, We're few
Describing tenancy In Oklahoma,
Mr. Thurman said I'm the old indian
Territory section, many tenants were
poorly fed. clad and housed. but that
sucn conditions did not generally eX-
ist i'm other sections Of the state.
IH..s fsrufEl I.
who farms 1000 acres and has bank
ing interests, said il was a mistaken
idea that tenant farmers are shiftless
as class. lie said they were highly
skilled I'm cotton raising
a sidelight on womcn's farm ace
tvtics was furnished by former
County Judge T. o. Meltzcn, of Hal
lettsyille, TeX, lvho told of q Ger
man girl Of 10 IN his section. who, ac-
cordiug to court records was hired
out az So per month 10 q farmer
Court testimony indicated that she
could pick $50 pounds Of cotton day
saw wood, plough, drive "a four-hurs"
eciaper aud do the cooking on Sun
days The case got into court when
her parents sued because her em-
pluyer refused 10 keep an alleged con-
tract 10 pay her $3.50 per month
Judge MelDzen said the American
woman aid not do such hard farm
w0rk
Professor Ianey uscribcd some Of
the migratory tenancy land to the
speculative fever OF farmers. This,
he said caused them TO he more in
tcrested IN chances tu buy and sell
than in improving crops and farm
conditions. His reports Indicated, ne
said that about one-third of the
farmers who borrow money In Texas
pay more than the legal rate Of inter-
est. This excess however was small
on the average, as compared with
some extraordinary instances Of us-
urv presented In evidence 10 the com
mission.
Tile one crop system was scored by
George w SIMON, of Chicago. western
agent Of the Jewish Agricultural and
Industrial Aid society lie said there
could not be a successful credit sys-
tenn for farmers SO long as the one
crop idea is practlced He related /
Instances on which the Texas home |
stead law. intended to protect home !
owners. had operated TO prevent his /
who came to this section. This law, |
he said hudered the farmers from |
raising capital on their land for many |
legitimate uses.
Consideration of big farms, covering .
q county in area, was not reached by /
the commission today II viii be I
taken up at the closing session of tho
hearings tomorrow