The Detroit times., 1915-11-19

But IL 10 10 LOUISIANA ana Iehas
that the migration is starting now.
Every train bound south has its
quota OF tourists" Every day
takes them closer 10 warm weather
and good "fiops," for through the
south the cotton gins are the ho-
boes friends. Seed house and en-
CINE room are always open, and l
have seen as many as IS men sleep
ing in one cotton seed house, In
southern Oklahoma. Those who
have made the southern trip before
will spend a few days picking cot
ton. a back breaking Job for a
grown man. but one with which
children seem TO have no trouble.
That, parenthetlcally. Ii the chief
cause OF the appalling illiteracy OF
the south.
Last year, when the bottom fell
out OF the cotton market, the plant
ers could not afford to pay high
wages to pickers. In other years,
common wages were $l.25 per hun.
dred pounds. Last year. however.
with the best crop of years, all that
was offered was 60 cents per hun
dred. As result, few OF the itin-
Grant workers went TO the cotton
fields, although later. many pulled
bollies," that is. stripped the cotton
bushes OF the small, late pods that
did not burst.
All winter long. the working
stiff is Stacking up in one OF
the southern ports. trucking cotton
bales. working in the cotton gins,
OF doing general stevedore work at
odd times for just enough on which
To live. But the cotton gins close
early in March, their seasons work
done. BY that time the cotton is
! ready TO chop" or thin. With the
+ first Of May. Oklahoma starts TO
take in it's first alfalfa crop. and
there is work on hundreds of hay
balers. BY June. the wheat crop in
the southwestern part OF the state
is ready. and the workers are in a
week ahead of time, waiting for
the harvest TO start.
Last spring. Oklahoma sent out
call for 10000 more harvest work
ers than ever used In the state be-
! fore The crop at that time justi-
| fed such call But hail and tor
nado destroyed a great measure OF
the crop. Thousands OF harvest
hands, many OF whom left good
positions in the east to make a for
tune in the tabled harvest fields,
were left without work. or with
merely a few days Continued wet
weather held the harvest back. II
was then that the men, after the
'privates" had refused TO give any
more handouts. went to the may
ors Of various Oklahoma cities and
towns, and demanded that the town
should feed them. Oklahoma rec
ognized its obligations. and the
men were fed.
By the time the Oklahoma har.
vest is completed. most OF the men
have drifted on into Kansas. where
they are sure Of good pay and fair
treatment. For the brotherhood OF
'bo's has taught the Kansas farmers
one or two lessons. A few years
ago, the Kansas legislature sought
TO pass bill prohibiting the riding
of freight trains in the state. Kan
sas had prohibited almost every
thing else, The following year, the
Kansas farmer looked out over his
wheat fields. and said Gosh durn
II. / wonder why some OF them no.
boes don't come around" The crop
was largely harvested by home
hands, and as a result, many farm
ers were late in the harvesting. The
next session OF legislature. the
farmers petitioned for the repeal
of the vsgrancy law.
Four cities of the Middle west
owe much OF their wealth 10 the
Kansas harvest and the harvest
hands When the "stiff" has made
his stake. providing he successfully
escapes the hundreds OF high
jacks" and "stick-up men" that
hold up and rob whole train loads
OF men. and manages to deafen his
ears to the siren calls OF the men
who are out each year to harvest
the harvesters by means OF poker
and crap games, he blows" for
Kansas City. st. Joseph, Omaha or
Sioux City, Ia. The bartenders vel.
come him with open arms. He Is a
live one"
But when he has spent his Jack"
there is only one thing left, to start
into the Dakotas and earn another
stake South Dakota is a poor pay
ing state. and, as result, the stifr
does not stay there long.
The nakotas have so recognized
the importance OF the hobo to the