The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-08-30 00:00:00

THE RATE OF AGRICULTURAL
WAGES IN AMERICA.

The American Correspondent of The Times writes :

The United States Commissioner of Agriculture
will soon issue his report for 1879, and an interesting
topic treated of in the document is agricultural labour
in this country. The Commissioner has been collecting
statistics from all the counties in the United States of
the rate of wages paid for agricultural labour and the
cost of living, and from these has learnt the important
fact that throughout the country. excepting the Pacific
slope, Minnesota, Colorado, and New Mexico, both agri-
cultural wages and the cost of living have declined in 1879
when compared with 1878, the decline in wages
being from 3 to 15 per cent., while the decline in
living expenses is generally greater. At the same
time, notwithstanding this decline, farm labourers
are much better paid in the Northern United States
than in Europe The full reports made by American
consnls abroad on this subject have been collated,
and I quote them for comparison. These reports
show the following average monthly wages paid
to farm labourers, without board or lodging :
Normandy, 12 dole. 44c.: France, 13 dole. 65c.;
land,l4 dots. 73 a. ; Spain, 14 doll:. 95c.; Italy,ls dols.l9c. ;
England,ls dole. 60c.; Scotland,l9 d015.42c. Scotland is
much the higher of these, while in the Northern
United States farm labourers receive generally much
higher wages than in Scotland. In the New England
States the pay, without board or lodging, now
averages 20do1s. 310. per month—a decline of 10 per
cent, since last year; while the cost of living per head
averages Bdols. 2c. monthly—a decline of 13 per cent.
In the Middle States, where, as in New England, a
surplus of agricultural labour is reported from many
localities, the wages average 1930 bi. 69c. monthly—a
decline of 7 per cent. ; while living expenses
have declined 4 per cent. In New York the
decline has been relatively greater than in the
other Middle States, being n per cent. in wages
and 10 per cent. in cost of living. In the States of
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan. and Wisconsin,
the monthly wages average 20do1s 90c,, only a small
decline; while the decline in the cost of living has
been slightly larger. In lowa, Minnesota, Kansas,
Nebraska, Colorado, and Nevaela the pay is 23d015.
81c, per month—a slight increase; while the cost
of living declined 2 per cent. This increase in the
Far West is due to the competition for labour in
the gold and silver mines, and to the great demand
for labour owing to the rapid extension of settle-
ments westward. Many mechanics have taken up
public lands in this section, and seek to pay for
their gains by working part of the time at their
trades; while farm labourers who have done the
same thing also work part of the time on the farms
of others. All who desire work can get it in that
region, notwithstanding the large emigration, for it is
generally noticed that a considerable portion of the
emigrants are inefficient. Colorado constantly wants
more labourers, no county in that State reporting any
surplus. In California and Oregon the wages paid
average 38 dohs. 22c.—an increase of 411 per cent. ; while
the cost of living has increased 18 per cent. In Utah
the wages are 28 dole. 87c. monthly—a decline of 7 per
cent.; while a surplus of labour is reported. In New
Mexico, Dakotah, and Washington Territory, widely
separated regions, yet all in the Far West, the report
is uniform that wages are high, and that there is a
demand for skilled and unskilled labour. These
regions are sparsely inhabited and not at present much
sought by emigrants. At the same time, through-
out the North the reports made to the Agricultural
Department bear out what I have heretofore written,
that the general rate of pay for mechanics and all kinds
of skilled labour is slowly rising, and this leads the
Commissioner to infer that theilowest point of depres-
sion for the farm labourer has been reached, and
that his wages will hereafter rise. April is the mouth
taken in each year for purposes of comparison. These
figures, it must be remembered, refer to the North and
West. When the South is examined it discloses a
different condition of things. The negro labourers on
the plantations get nothing like the pay or the good
living of the white labourers of the North. In the
South Atlantic States agricultural labourers are paid
much less than in any part of Europe, the monthly
average being 11 dole. 19c.—a decline of 15 per cent.;
while the coat of living declined about equally. The
Gulf States pay about equal to the average in Ireland,
14dols. 80c. per month—a decline of 5 per cent., while
living declined 3 per cent In the Southern Missis-
sippi Valley in States such as Kentucky, Tennessee,
Missouri, and Arkansas, the wages average
ridols. 50c. per month, somewhat less than in Eng-
land. White labour rules the markets in the North
and West, and black labcur in the South. It will be
seen that there is little inducement for emigration to
I the South from Europe, but much inducement for
going to the West, and thither now flows the principal
stream.

In this connexion it will be of interest to quote a
statement emanating from the State Department,
which compares the rates of wages paid various classes
of skilled mechanics in this country with those paid in
Earope. For this purpose the prevailing weekly wages
in New York city are compared with those of England
and Belgium :
Belgium. England. New York.
Sc. Sc. 8 8
Bricklayers .. .. 6 0 .. 812 .. 12 to 15
Masons .. .. 6 0 ~ 816 .. 12 to 18
Carpenters .. .. 540 .. 825 .. 9to 12
Gaditters .. .. 540 .. 7 25 .. 10 to 14
Painters .. .. 420 .. 725 .. 10 to 16
Plasterers .. .. 540 .. 810 .. 10 to 15
Plumbers .. .. 6 0 .. 775..12 to 18
Blacksmiths .. .. 440 -. 812 .. 10 to 14
Bakers .. .. .. 440 .. 650 .. sto 8
Cabinetmakers .. 480 .. 770 .. 9to 13
Saddlers .. .. 480 .. 680 .. 12 to 15
Tinsmiths .. .. 480.. 7 30 .. 10 to 14
Labourers .. .. 3 0 .. 5 0 .. 6to 9

The lower New York rates are about those paid for
the respective classes of labour in the other large
American cities, while in the rural districts wages are
not quite so high as in the cities.