The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-04-20 00:00:00

THE FARM LABOURERS' STRIKE.

The Warwickshire Chamber of Agriculture held a
special meeting at the Shire-hall, Warwick, on Satur-
day last, to discuss the Labour question. Mr. Ford,
the 'President of the Chamber. occupied the chair, and
there was a numerous attendance of tenant-farmers
and landowners of the county, the subject for discus-
sion being of special interest, owing to the agitation
among agricultural labourers having spread from War-
wickshire into the adjoining counties. Lord Leigh,
Lord -Lieutenant of Warwickshire, wrote explaining
that an important engagement in Cheshire rendered it
impossible for him to attend the meeting. Among
those present were the Earl of Denbigh. Mr. H. C.
Wise, M.P. for South Warwickshire; Sir R. N. C.
Hamilton, K.C.8., Messrs. James Dugdale, C. M.
Caldecott, J. Cove Jones, John Mordaunt, G. F.
Muntz, T. A. Perry, W. Smith, and G. Wise.
• •

The Earl of Denbigh referred to the importance of adopt-
ing a conciliatory tone, and of impressing landowners,
farmers, and labourers, that their Interests are all identical,
and then observed that he was fully convinced that the
strike among Warwickshire agricultural labourers was the
work of political agitators, who had their own objects in
view. The best way to frustrate their designs was by
endeavouring to affect an amicable arrangEment of the existing
differences. This, he thought, could be most effectually ac-
complished by conferring with the labourers, as he had found
it most successful in his own neighbourhood, when a strike
was organised on the farm of one of his tenants. He had,
therefore, great pleasure in proposing :
" That, with a view of promoting a better understanding
between farmers and labourers in tonal Warwickshire, the
Council of this Chamber be requested to use their exertions
to bring about a conference between properly-appointed re-
presentatives of the landowners, farmers, and labourers."
This course would make them better acquainted with the
difficulties to be met, for in the settlement of them all par-
ties must be considered. In some parts of England, and
even in some portions of Warwickshire, the condition of the
agricidtural labourer might require to be ameliorated, but
it was also equally true that in some cases farmers could
not afford to give higher wages, nor the landlords to take
lower rents, when the latter only got 2i per cent. for the
capital invested in land. The question appeared to him to
form a sort of "vicious circle," and demanded most serious
and ti telnlconsideration. lie concluded by expressing his
cordial approval of the conference. suggested in the resolu-
tion.

Mr. 2. Holley, of the Fosse Farm. Radford, seconded the
preposition He spoke of the importance of improving the
cottages of agricultural labourers, the insufficiency and
character of which be thought constituted their chief ground
for o mplaint. A mere temporary arrangement of wages
would not settle the difficulty. unless better cottages were
provided for labourers, and they were given an interest in
their homes. The fact was that by the gradual diminution
of cottages on large estates, to avoid settled poor, prior to the
VIII, In Chargeability Act, the labourers had been removed from
their natural home, which should be near to the farm on which
they were employed, and thus their sympathies were alienated
from their work and their employers. He recommended the
members of the Chamber to read the leading article in The
Times of Thursday bat as a fair and just statement of the
giue stioa at ISM. a was a fad Mit many farmors now

spent everyakfllng they °odd afford on Mom% and many
farmers then present well kaem that If they had materially
to increase the amount, they had far better give up their
farms at once. The increased demands of labour would have
to be met in various ways. Warmers would have to do with
fewer hands, suspend the improvements that had been going
on for the last 25 years, and curtail expenses in every legiti-
I mate manner. He then strongly advocated the abolition of
all perquisites to labourers and the payment of their wages
the day before the market day ins the district where they
lived. There was nothing, he remarked, that did the
labsurers so little good as perquisites, mid he was convinced
they were never estimated at one-half their real value.

Mr. Mark Phillips, of Welcombe, and formerly M.P. for
Manchester. supported the resolution, which he considered
embodied the only rational view that could be taken of a
troublesome questisn. He regretted that labourers, instead
of stating their grievances to their employers, had adopted
an attitude of hostility and opposition. Still, a great deal of
good might yet be done by friendly conferences ci Rh the
men, and it would take the question out of the hands of
agitators, who had no connection with agriculture, and were
not even locally interested in the matter.
- • - • • •

Mr. 11 C. Wise, M.P. for South Warwickshire, also sup-
ported the resolution, which suggested the course he had
thought most desirable ever since the agricultural labourers'
strike commenced. Had the farmers and labourers met in
the first instance and talked over their differences dispas-
sionately, he believed they would long ago have arrived at a
satisfactory settlement of them. It was not yet too late to
hold friendly conferences, and that appeared to him
decidedly the best course to adopt.
Mr. A Startin, the Tice-President of the Chamber, argued
that the proposition that landowners should reduce rents
waif a fallacy. because rent depended upon the valise of the
poorest land that could be cultivated at a profit. The effect
of higher wages would simply be to throw out of cultivation
land which could now be profitably tilled, but woule-not
depreciate the value of other land. Ile affirmed that land-
owners were deterred from building cottages, and farmers
from improving farms they held on lease, by the unfair inci-
dence of local taxation, because in each case they were sub-
jected to poor-rates and other local taxation, which would be
avoided lithe capital thus expended were invested in the
funds, railway debentures, or other similar securities. There
most he free trade in capital, as in everything else, Vetere
they could settle the question of labourers' wages, or induce
tenants to invest capital in labour, or landlords to provide
better cottages and improve their property.
The Chairman complained that the agitation among
labourers had been fanned by interested parties, who would
be the gainers, while the labourers would be great sufferers,
by the agitation. Ile asserted, hom long personal Cape-
rience, that the labourers' hardships had been unduly magni-
fied, and their earnings greatly underrated. They had
shared in the general prosperity of the country during the
last 20 years. The statement that they only earned
10s., its., and sometimes its, a week would be proved to be
totally incorrect. Their average wage had.been 13s. or its,.
and in some cases 18s. a week, and their perquisites and
privileges were not fairly estimated.
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
- - •

Mr. G. F. filuntz, of Umberslade-hall, pointed out that
the argument that because meat fetched a high price
farmers could afford to pay higher wages was fallacious.
The fact that farmers had bad several bad seas 'us, and had
lOst a large amount of capial as well as stock by the cattle
disease was entirely overlooked. With only one-half the
stock, etien though It made double the price it other-
wise would have done, the farmer was really no better
off. A great quantity of keep, which ought to have
been profit in the farmers' pocket, was wasted last year be-
cause stock could not be procured to consume it. lie ac-
knowledged the right of labourers to form a Union, and de-
precated any attempt to prevent their doing so, so long as
, the Union did not prevent them faithfully and fairly per-
forming their duties. He hoped, therefore, the action taken
in some quarters to prevent the men joining the Union would
not be continued. He then alluded to the payment of
wages in kind, deprecated the m stem as giving a very
unfair representation of the actual wages of labourers in
different districts, because the actual cash payment was
alone taken into consideration, and moved the following
resolution:—

" That the practice of paying wages in kind prevents a
just estimate of the value received by thelabourers, induces
unreasonable demands on the part of the employed, and
affords facilities for impositions by unscrupulous employers,
leads to improvident habits, and increases intemperance.
That the first step towards arriving at a just and accept-
able settlement of the Labour question should be to abolish
all kinds of payments or remuneration for labour except
payment in coin; and where it is necessary that any part '
of the -neeessairies of life should be supplied by the em-
ployer that such should be sold andtpaid for in coin by the
employed."
Mr. J. J. Burbery, of Stratford, seconded the propositio
which warisupported by
Mr. C. M. Caldecott, of Holbrook-grange, who expressed
himself strongly in favour of the abolition of payments in
kind, as they were not properly appreciated or their value
justly estimated.
Mr Mark Phillips and Mr Foster, of Monk's Kirby, sup-
ported the resolution, which was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Simpson, one of Lord Leigh's tenants, proposed the
next resolution, as follows :
" That this Chamber recommends employers to pay wages,
when practicable, according to the kind of work and the
quantity done, instead of according to the time occupied in
performing the work: that this Chamber is of opinion that
by this system of piece work more wages may be gained by
the employed with greater economy to the employer."
Mr. James Dugilale, ex.lligh-Sheriff of Wmwickshire.
seconded the resolution, and cited statistics of what his men
had earned In the ordinary way and by piece work to prove
that their condition was not inferior to that•of labourers in
towns.
The Earl of Denbigh thought the system of co-operation
which hail for years been so successfully adopted in Italy was
deserving of serious consideration. A man took a piece of
land on lease and selected labourers to co-operate with him

-
in cultivating it. At the end of the year the master took
a certain share of the profits and the rest was divided
among the labourers. No doubt there would be difficulty
In applying the system in England, but still it did not
appear insuperable, The working expenses, including in'
terest on capital, should be put against the profits, and the
difference would be the amount to be divided, the farmer
placing his brains and intellectual capacity against the thews
and sinews of the labourers. If a year was a bad one, the
farmer would have to settle what would boa fair wage to pay
his men, and the sum thus advanced would have to bedieducted
from the profits of the ensuing year. Ile thought at any
rate that the subject was at least worthy of consideration.
- • -

Mr G. Wise and Mr. ri. F. Muntz supported the resolution,
and the latter described the stimulus that piece work gave
both to the ingenuity and industry of the labourers.

t
This resolution was also unanimously adopted and the
meeting separated.

The agitation for an increase of pay has extended to
the county of Worcester, the greater portion of which
is purely agriculturaL The wages paid to the labourers
(remarks The Tines, from whom we are quoting), are
certainly not higher than the pay of the same class in
the neighbouring county of Warwick, and the condition
of the men probably is about on a par in the two coun-
ties. The introduction of machinery has led to a de-
mand of a higer class of skilled labourer; but the
farmers have considerable difficulty in arranging their
pecuniary bargains with their men, so that each labourer
shall receive his due hire. The wages average about
10s. for ordinary labourers, with an addition of 2s. per
week to carters, and a certain allowance of cider to each
man and. boy. This custom of giving cider is inj Uli-
OU9 both to master and man, and if it could be
abolished would tend to the benefit of both parties.
In summer time almost an unlimited quantity of
liquor is supplied to the men when at hay-
making and harvest work, and it is a very common
thing to see them all fuddled together, men and
boys, at the close of their long, toilsome day. The
ordinary "drink" supplied to the agricultural labourer
is worth 3d. to fici. per gallon; but by proper care in
the manufacture a beverage may be produced which
would obtain a ready sale at is. per gallon. The cus-
tom of giving drink as part of the wages is especially
pernicious to the rural youth. Every boy has his
allowar ce, and he very soon becomes habituated to it,
and grows up with a vitiated taste for liquor which
does not diminish as his years increase. If the present
agitation should lead to a readjustment of the rate
money wage between master and man, and the aboli-
tion of this bad custom, a great moral good will have
arisen from what at present seems to be a state of
things much to be deplored.
Besides the weekly wage and the allowance of cider
there is also a "harvest money" payment of £1 or
£1 10s, made by the Worcestershire farmers to their la-
bourers. As a rule, cottages are not provided, but these
are generally so he obtained in the villages at rents of
from £3 to £6. The cottage accommodation, however,
is by no means up to the mark; there is too much
crowding, and consequently too little regard is
paid to decency. The men, being exposed to all
weathers, are very liable to rheumatic complaints, so
that they become "old men" before their natural time;
and being unable to earn even the ordinary labourers'
pittance, too often end their days n the work-
house, or eke out a scanty living by parish relief. The
women—wives and daughters of agricultural labour-
ers—often work in the fields, stonepicking, hoeing and
weeding, pulling turnips, &c., and their pay is Bd. to
9d. per day. They also assist in thrashing (by machine)
and in the haymaking time, and in harvest they tie up
the corn as it is cut by their husbands on piecework.
These women have also the privilege of gleaning in
the corn fields of their husbands' master after the corn
is carried. Many of the careful husbandmen manage
to keep a pig, and there is generally a small garden
attached to their cottage, in which they grow a few
potatoes.
The meetings of labourers held in Worcestershire
have been at Keinpsey, about fourmiles from Worcester,
Hanley Castle, and at Colvin, near Malvern, which
is, in fact, on the borders of Herefordshire. The com-
plaint of the men is inadequate pay ; it is the same
complaint everywhere. At Colwall the meeting was
presided over by the Rev. R. 0. Carter. A Mr.
Strange, from near Leominster, told the men that if
any of them were discharged for attending the meet-
ing he would undertake to find them situations of not
less than 15s. a week. A farm bailiff named Watts,
who was described by the chairman as "a sort of
half-way house between a labourer and a farmer,"
made a long speech, the bus-then of which was that
the men were not fed as they ought to be to do a
good day's work, and that they could not be properly
fed on 10s. or lls, a week. "They would do better if
better fed "—a truth which few who know what a
Worcestershire " clod-hopper " is will gainsay. Mr.
Strange also commented on the want of cottage
accommodation, many cottages having but one bed-
room. He recommendissi emigration to the north of
England or even to 1,17 w Zealand, if necessary. He
considered no man should be required to work longer
than from six a.m, to six p.m. The carters and cow-
men, in addition to their ordinary daily labour, have
to attend to their cattle on Sundays.

A large body of farmers met at the Lion Hotel,
Cambridge, on Saturday afternoon last, to discuss the
'farm labour" question. Major Pemberton presided.

Mr. 0. g. Pell contended that the British farmer was not a
tyrant, treatinir his labourers as slaves, that he had been re-
presented as being.
Mr. Holten, dwelling upon the labour question, said the
agitators had argued as if wades were to he regulated by the
number of children a man had. Until the farmer was enabled
to obtain more profit in return for his outlay, he could not
meet the demand of increased wages, hut with the increase
of wealth for invested capital the labourer would come in for
his share of the increase.

Mr. H. W. Martin, Littleport, much regretted the agita
tins that was now g-,ing no, as it set class against class. In
viewing the question they had to consider the case of
the employers and the employed. He admitted that La-
bourers bad a right to use all legitimate means to get more
wages, provided they were entitled to them, but he ques-
tioned if they were justified in joining tOgOttier to demand a
rise. In reference to cottages, he denied the statement, that
'men lived in hovels not tit for pigs; and before such assertions
were put forth, it would be well if agitators woidd look to
London and manufacturing towns where families were
, herded together in one room. Then in regard to profits,
owners of laud had to be satisfied with 3 per cent., while
manufacturers were not satisfied with 10 and 20 per cent.
They paid labourers 135. per week, which, with extras,
were as WWI an 205. In town. As to the nine hours' move-
ment, he knew plenty of labourers who did not work more
than six and seven; they went elaying about 7, left off at 1,
when they went to work for themselves. He remembered the
time when labourers ate nothing but pork, but now they had
their joints of mutton and beef, a proof that they were far
better off than represented. He paid between £5O and £6O
per week for labour, and for reaping last harvest between
£3OO and RM. To one man, his wife, and two children he
paid £l7 for four weeks' work_ Farmers, he said, had been
wrongly accused, and he denied that there was a bad feeling
between masters and men.

Mr. EMI', of Meldreth, said labourers need to be paid Se.
per week; they were now receiving 125. wet or dry weather,
and some 15e. Those upon coprolite works were paid from
ISs. to 251. Farm labourers were better off than mechanics
In towns. Speaking of education, he considered it unjust
for farmers to be taxed with a school rate to teach the chil-
dren of men whose position enabled them to send them to
schooL

Mr. Wright, Fulbottrn, pointed out the injury which
agitators going about the country were bringing upon
labourers, and said those public agitators had bettor keep at
home, and look to the distress in Bethnal-green and Spital-
fields. Re contrasted the condition of the manufacturer and
the agriculturist, contending that the position of the former
was much better than that of the latter.

Mr. 0. C. Pell proposed, "That this meeting views with
extreme regret the agitation that had been attempted by
persons unconnected and unacquainted with agricultural
subjects with the object of implanting discontent in the
mind of the agricultural labourer, and that lathe opinion of
this meeting such agitation is not calculated to promote the
interest either of the employer or employed, whose welfare
must depend on the universal law of sup; dy and demand."
Major Pernbertor. seconded the resolution, and the pro-
ceedings closed.

The Birmingham News reports a meeting of
labourers at a place called Bedam's End. This
meeting, the first of a series in North Warwickshire,
was held in the skittle-alley of the "Tom o' Bedlam"
Inn, which is a ventral rendezvous for the labourers of
the parishes of Haseley. Beansale, Lowsomford,
Rowingion, Baddesley, Shrewlev, Wroxall, Finley
Green, Mearend, Hatton, and Knowle. From this
wide district several hundred men tramped to the
muster on Tuesday night. The movement here, as
elsewhere (the reporter says), has been spontaneous.
For a month past labourers have met at the "Tom
o' Bedlam," and discussed their grievances, and a
fortnight since about fifty joined in union. On this
occasion Messrs. Arch and Russell, the union secre-
taries, attended by invitation to address the branch
and to assist in the work of organization already com-
menced. Both Arch and Russell are Methodist local
preachers. The latter, who was in the chair, said
wherever he preached on a Sunday he had crowded
congregations, and he was not ashamed to preach the
rights of the people as laid down by Jesus Christ.
Over seventy members joined the union at the close of
the meeting.