The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-01-21
An6erson AnteIligeneer,
Hiring Labor,

yearis upon us. Most ofour farmers have
hasFbut little experience.in such matters ;
indeed, none whatever except that-of the
last two or three years, when labor was
more or less controlled by Bureau and
outside Influences. 'Fhe following sensi-
BILE, practical article, by contributor to
the Macon Telegraph, will we'll repay a
careful consideration by farmers:
Within the next thirty days most of
the contracts for labor on farms will be
made for 1869 In some c,neighborhoods
the landowners have fallen into the prac-
tice of: hiring their hands "tor q part Of
the erop"-generally forstho third, when
the hand feeds himself, OF, fog the fourth,
when the farmer feeds. the hand free OF
charge.
This way of paying for labor is runious
in it's effects upon both proprietor ar Ia
borer, and ought to be discontinued at
once,sfor the following reasons:
LIST. 1t almost totally .deprives the tar
mer of proper direction and control ofthe
affairs of lis farm, each individual hand
so hired feeling that on account OF his in.
terest in tife crop he should have 'say.so"
in the manner, time, place, ETC., of plan.
ting, cultivating, gathering, selling and
dividing the crops gy
2. 1t generates q spirit of thriftlessness
in both proprietor and laborer, which soon
becomes manifest in rotten fences, gates,
buildings, ETC., and in filled-up bitches and
q large and thrifty growth OF pine bushes,
briars, and broomsedge.
Sd. 1t almost precludes the use of ma
nures of all kinds. -
4. 1t causes the farmer to pawn his
mules, crops, etc., and to spend half his
time with lawyers and sberffs.
5th. Because there is not vestige OF
progress or common. sense it it. When a
hand hires himself in this-way, it is with
many mental reservations, and always
with the distinct understanding on his
part, that hc-is to do pretty much as he
pleases-to work when and how he pleases
that. his time is his own, and that
whether much or little is made, he will be
fed and get something. he does not know
or care much what and the farmer feels
and thinks about in the same way, never
appearing to remember that he is paying
dearly for something which he does not
get, to.wit: labor, and without which his
whole farming. project must be failure.
This is,the secret of the matter, and the
sine oua non O! farming. 1t does not mat
ter what terms be makes with his hire
line,sit'is certain, absolutely, that if he
does not get faithful labor out ofhim, that
he IS Badly bitten. When, on the other
hand, the laborer is hired for stated wages,
no, matter whether to be paid daily,
monthly or yearly, in money, he feels at
oncetlia faithful work is expected OF him,
and he will do moro and better when so
hired. The employer expects tand will
have it-for there is no logged and mud
died question ,oftninterested hands" "lose
nothing if nothing is made'-it is serl-
Gus, pressing, and MOTTO .be-s -staved-otf
question. He can't afford to pay fornotn-
ing, and he ut once makes the issue with
his delinquent laborer, who either at once
comes to time, or is discharged. and gets
no pay, which is game be will soon find
out is not profitable, and will perhaps be-
come faithful laborer in the future. And
the consequence of all Of which is, thrift,
life and energy take the place of this
tumble-down condition Of affairs. The
gates and fences are~put up the bitches
opened, houses repaired, aud everything
moves up lively. The farmer buys better
mules and plows, invest in manures makes
large crops, and what is more, gathers
them, which is generally the reverse of
what his neighbor does who goes into
"copartnership" with thriftless laborers.
1t may be said, in reply to all this, that
inasmuch as the common laborcrs of the
country are not be depended on except
they are given an interest in the crop etc.,
that.to insure their remaining to cultivate
and gather the crops, they must be inter
ested in the crops-tbat they mustbe paid
out of the crop. That Us certainly the
reason why most people so hire them.
There is way in which the laborer can
be hired to cause him to 'stick" equally
as We'll as this, which is as follows: The
employer, tor-instance, agrees to give him
l50sdollars per annum, and to pay him
the one half thereofat intervals OF a week,
during the year, or 81. "A every Saturday
night. -
Now, supposing the hand to be q single
man having only himself to feed, and that
he only consumes weekly 4 pounds OF
meat and peck of meal, which his em-
ployer sells to, him at, say, 1Sc per 10. for
the bacon and S1.45 per bushel for the
meal-he will take Sl.O3 in this way, leav-
ing balance Of only 4lc to be paid in
money, and if, on the other hand, the
hand should have a family and the far
mer should advance anything in provis-
ions to the family, be would have no mon
ey to pay. In this contract it should be
agreed that all time lost should be deduc-
ted from the wages of the laborer, and
that in case lie should violate the stipu-
Tations Of the contract so as to necessitatc
/ IL. Il nlaunr In On q