Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-05-05
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
Sideights and SearchIights on Pub
lie Men and Events

Washington, May 3.-The aepaft-
ment Of Agriculture's Year Book
for 1915 Uncle Sans publication de
luxe for farmers, is now off the
presses in the big government print
ing office, and readers of this letter
can secure the book free by applying
to their congressman. Hundreds OF
thousands Of farmers in this country
have in past years received the an
nual Yearbook. The farmer who has
never yet read one has a treat III
store for himself. A set of these
books makes one of the best farm
! libraries imaginable.
Interest and attractiveness are the
chief aims of those who compile
these annual volumes, which are
handsomely bound in blue buckrum
with silver lettering. Outside of the
annual report OF the department. ana
the statistical tables of the 1919
crops, the book is filled with a series
of articles written by the best sci
entists in the governments employ.
These articles are written in pop
ular style and are copiously illus
trated.
In fact, the illustrations are one of
the chief elements in the volumes
attractiveness. There are seventy
five plates in the book, most of them
| I1oIf in, h1ocly and
white, but few plates in color.
The subjects treated range from
cooperative buying to winter crows
roosts. There are twenty-five Spe-
cial articles, including such subjects
as civil engineering on the farm;
how to market the products Of the
farm wood lot; fruit packing and
boys pig clubs. There is also an
interesting story on a cooperative
rural laundry. Although the govern
ment provided for the publication OF
100000 of these Yearbooks, the sup
ply is usually exhausted early.
Slave Labor Binder Irvine
America abolished human slavery
fifty years ago, yet how many OF our
citizens know that one of the most
important supplies Of the American
farm, binder tWine, is a product OF
lslave labor?
Binder Irvine is nearly all manu-
fractured from sisal hemp which is
raised in the state of Yucatan, Mex
lico. During the investigation into
the alleged Mexican sisal trust, it
was testified before the Senate Com
Imittee that the farm labor in Yucca
tan is enslayed.
The British manager of one of the
Yucatan railroads was testifying. He
kept talking about "slaves" and ''sla-
VERY"
"You mean peonage, don't your
asked one of the committee mem
lbers.
mo, | mean slavery" he replied
but l thought that only peonage
existed in Mexico" pursued the
Senator
ct does in all the other states
except Yucatan," replied the rail-
road man. Then he went on to tell
j, how the wretched Yucatan slaves
) are held in bondage through debt.
Either they actually owe their mas
ters money, or they are assumed to
owe them. But however real or fan
ciful their debts, they can nover
ransom themselves, because the mas
ters refuse to accept money in pay
ment even should the slaves be able
to save it, which they are not. When
man buys a slave, he simply pays
to the slaves master the sum which
the master says the slave owes him.
5 The master makes this sum what
ever he considers the slave is worth
to- him.
Carranza, said this railroad man,
came into power with good intentions
: toward the slaves. He emanclpated
them officially, but the law is not
? obeyed. 1t simply transferred the
ownership OF the Slaves TO the gov
| eminent officials, and now the plant
ers, in order to get slaves, must pay
money to the officials. It's a nice
} little system-for the planters and
f officials.
Hot Weather Orders
Three hundred light cotton under
shirts and large order for electric
ally operated ice cream freezers is
< Uncle Sans latest for his soldier
boys. Mexico? That's the question
in Washington. Uncle Sam orders
strange things for his boys. A recent
: order for the troops in Mexico was
: an enormous quantity of candy, with
/ which Uncle Sam tries ito smooth
, over the many hardships Of soldier
/, life Uncle Sam also supplies to-
t bacco to the soldiers.