The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-06-06 00:00:00

THE AGRICULTURAL LOCK-OUT.

On the subject of the Agricultural Lock-out The 7 iones has
published the followlug letter :

Sir,—Mr. Arch has been in the North giving us his
version of toe agricultural dead lock that exists in the
South between the farmers and their labourers. He
left no doubts in the minds of his audience of his earnest-
ness and philanthropic motives, and also that the
labourer was in many cases very badly paid, oc-
casionally miserably housed, and frequently in-
sufficiently fed, but he altogether failed to show that
the farmers were to blame for this condition of things.
An impression was made on my mind while visiting
a farmer friend in Northamptonshire during the hay
season of 1870 that will not be easily effaced. Previous
to leaving home in Durham the ordinary staff of the
farm had not been able to keep pace with the work.
yet I hail found it well-nigh impossible to get additional
hands. Judge of my surprise to find my Northampton-
shire friend having nearly daily visits from men seeking
employment. Surely this was enough to furnish the
key to the whole question ? There were far too many of
them. But if the men chose to stick to their native
villages, take work when they could get it at small wages,
go the half of their lives half starved, and consequently
only able to do half work when they were employed,
why blame either fanners or landlords? Compare this
with the peasantry here. The May term is passed, and
the new engagements just entered upon on the follow-
ing terms : Married men for the ordinary work of the
farm, ranging from 20s. to 265. per week, with free
house and garden, coals and potatoes • single meu,
with board in farmhouse, 1:20 to 1:26 ?or half year ;
girls to milk and do kitchen work receiving from £lO
to VG, with board, for half year. But what credit is
due tithe farmers here for the peasantry being in this
position? Although they are paying 100 per cent.
more than the rate of wages in some of the southern
counties, do they give Gd. per week (if they know it)
more than they can avoid' Verily no ! Have the
men here to thank the Union or did they strike? N.!
The industries around them taught them a better
method, and they put it in practice A man simply
said to his master, "I want a certain wage, and if
you cannot give it I must find work else-
where." How would it do if Mr. Arch and his fellow
philanthropists were to commence with the worst
districts, and leave no stone unturned to get every
fanaily that is badly housed, or fails to obtain regular
employment, or is underpaid, to migrate to where these
evils do not exist; instil into the minds of the young
men that there are other farms than those they were
borne upon, and other employers of labour lx•siales
farmers; that there are railways and steamboats to
many parts of the kingdom, and that employment may
generally be found at the centres of industry ; that
money is by fax the best form of payment, and beer
and cider the very worst ; and, above all, instead of
blighting the little germ of manhood that remains by
sinking their individuality in a Union, tell them that
" Heaven helps them that helps themselves."----I am,
Sir, yours faithfully, THOMAS BELL.
Iledly hall, Gateshead-on-Tyne.

On Tuesday Mr. Joseph Arch addressed a meeting
of about two thousand agricultural labourers at New-
market. He declared that it was no use for the far-
mers to think that they were going to stamp out the
Union. The time had conic when one class should
no longer be fed and fattened at the expense of the
poverty and misery of another. Farnwrs had no
more right to demand a man's Union ticket than
the watch out of his pocket. Some farmers seemed
to think that if they asked the men to return they
would only be abused; but if they would put the
matter into his hands he would go to the men looked but.
and if they would empower him to offer fair wages, he
would have all the men back next week; but if the
farmers would not, then the Union cauld support
them as long as the masters like to keep them out.
The condition of capital and labour in this country
would soon be plunged into a very serious state if
terms were not agreed upon, for during last year forty
million pounds' worth of strong arms and muscle and
brains left this country to enrich other fields. Mr.
Arch, in conclusion, urged the labourers when they
got advanced wages (as get them they would) not to
spend them in public-houses, but to take them horge
to their wives and families, and make provision for
sickness, old age, and death. Other speakers ad-
dressed the meeting, which was very enthusiastic.