Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-03-14
White Slaves at the North.

The great design of the Helper book as the object of the Beechcr tracts, IS to array the non shareholders in the South against slave owners. Appealing to the inherent jealously of human nature, they have gone further and asserted that the condition of non shareholders at the South would be bettered and their labor better rcwarded.- Here, where a forty acre farm can be bought with five dollars and that amount of mo- nev earned in less than week; where la bor commands prices double those at the North, and where all white men are equal such a fallacv scarcely necls a refutation. Without now stopping to dwell on the crowded poor-houscs at the North; their paupers hired to the lowest bidder, the thousands who beg to be permitted to work, their sewing girls stitching for a few cents day; the thousands yearly driven to vice and crime to obtain the means to live, in fine, the continual struggle between capital and labor, we wish to show the wages of the laboring man in the "rural districts" In the cities servant girls obtain from three to eight dollars a mouth; in the country from two to six dollars. Out of this, they are expected to clothe themselves and pay all doctors bills. Moreover, if taken sick, the time lost is deducted and their wages are proportionably less. As to how men are employed and paid we have some evi- dence to submit to our readers and will let them weigh it and contrast the situation of white men North and South.
 Sometime since the New York Tribune asked for answers from all sections to cer- tain questions, five in number, as follows:
 "I What have you paid day and month to the laborers employed upon your farm during the pre- sent winter, with or without board?
 H. What do you propose to pay month, or q year. for farm laborers for the next season, mencing, say, April l
 III. Are wages ln your section likely to be higher or lower than last season?
 " Is it your opinion that farmers will employ more or less laborers this year than last, gene ral thing?
 w. Will farmers generally employ more laborers if wages are, many expect they will be, consd- eraby lower the next season than they have been ill past seasons!"
 received and published. We select few at random:
 Ne,c York-W. B. Sweet of Pompey, Onondaga CO.,. answers In winter 37 15 cents day, or Ss a month, and board II. Say $l3 and board. III. Wages. will be lower. ". think less. V. If considerably less, farmers may employ more.
 Jas. E, Farr of Big Flats, Chemung CO.,, Jan. s, answers: I. Per day 621a cents; per month. SS to slO and board II. From $lO to $l3 with board and washing; per day, 50 to 621 cents for ordinary farm laborers. III. About the same. ". As a general thing more, in my opinion. N II consd- erabIy lower much more for then they would plant every table acre, which Of late has not been done, owing to high price of labor
 Loud. Ulster CO.,, Jan l7.-Abraham Wicklow, answers: l. We pay $6 month for four winter months, with board, washing and mendng By the day. 50 cents and board. II. We have engaged our winter laborer for year from April for Sl5 with board, washing and mcndng, and boy of ls tears at S6 for eight months, with board. III Probably a trife lower, certainly no higher. " Ditto. V. If wages were reasonably lower, far mers would hire more, and make Improvements Now they are unwilling to undertake any. We live six miles west of New Paltz landing, and lant | is worth $50 to $e5 an acre.
 In the answers from all parts of th' State of New York, the respondents com plain of the present high prices'' for la | bor
 From Connecticut, Vermont and tn other New England States the answers art | all alike. The price per day is from 30 t. ]! 50 cents in winter and 50 to 75 in summer | Girls get from 50 cents to one dollar week. The same complaint is made tha these exorbitant prices prevent farmers iron hiring as many hands as. they need.
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