The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-01-21
MISCELLANY.
HIRING LABOR.

borerS Tor the present year
Within the next thirty days most OF
the contracts for labor on farms will be
made for 1869. In some neighborhoods
the landowners have fallen into the prac'
tico of hiring their hands "for part Of
the crop"-generally fer the third,
when the hand feeds himself, or for the
fourth when the farmer feeds the hand
free Of charge.
This way of paying for labor is ruin
Gus in its effects upon both proprietor
and laborer, and ought to be discontin-
ned at once. for the following reasons :
1st. 1t almost deprives the farmer
of proper direction and control of the
affairs of his farm, each individual hand
SO hired feeling that on account OF bis
interest in the crop he should have a
!4say 80" in the manner, time, place, etc.
of planting, cultlvating, gathering, sell
ling and dividing the crops.
9. 1t guarantccs..a spirit of thriltless-
ness in both proprietor and laborer;
which soon becomes manifest in rotten
fences, gates, buildings, etc, ard filled
up bitches and a large and thrifty
growth of pine bushes, briars, ard
broomsed-e.
Sd. 1t almost prcc'udes the use of
manurcs of all kinds.
4. 1t causes the farmer TO pawn Ei@
mules, crops, etc, and to spend half
his Zine with lawyers and sheriffS.
5th. Because there is not a vcsti2c
of progress or common sense IN it
When hand hires himself in this way.
it is with mental rcservationG.-aad-al.
WAYS with the distinct understanding
on his part, that lie is; 70 DO pretty
much as he pieascs-'o work when and
how lie plcascs-that lis time is his
own, ana that whether much or little is
made, he will be fed and gctsomcthing,
he docs not know or care mnch what;
and the farmer feels and thinks about
in the same way, ncVcr@pPearinG f"
rcrcmbcr that he is paying dearly for
something he docs not get, to Wit: Ia
hnr, an} uifhou. which his whole farm
Jag r'oi"c' must be a failure. This is
the secret Of tho matter, and the sine
gun r,n Of farming. 1t docs not mat
ter what terms he makes with his hire
ling, it is certain, absolutely, that if lie
does not get faithful labor ont Of him,
that he is badly hitten. When on the
other hand, the laborer is hired for sta
ted wages, no matter whether to be
paid daily, monthly, or yearly, in mo-
ney, he feels at once that faithful work
is expected of him, and he will do
more and better when so hired. The
employer expects it and will have it
for there is no logged and muddlcd
question of "iutcrested hands" close
nothing if nothing is made"-it is a
serious, pressing, and not to he STAYED
off question. He can't afford to pay
for nothing, and he at once makes the
issue with bis delinquent laborer, who
either at once comes to time, or is
discharged, and gets no pay, which is a
game he will soon find out is not profit,
able, and will perhaps become faith
full laborer in the future. And the
consequence Of all of which is, thrift,
life aud energy take the place of this
tumble-down condition of affairs. The
fences are put up, the bitches open
ed. houses repaired, and everything
moves up lively The farmer buys bet.
ter mules and plows, invests in mai urcs,
makes large crops; and what is more
gathers them, which is generally the
reverse of what his neighbor does who
goes into "copartnership" with thrift
less laborers. 1t may be said, IN re
ply to all this, that inasmuch as the
common laborers of the country are no
to be depended on except they are civ
en- an interest iu the crop, etc, that t.
insure their remaining to cultivate ant
gather crops, they must be interested
in the crops-that they must be paic
out Of the crop. This is certainl th'
reason why most people,so hire them
There is wayin which the laborcr cat
be hired to cause him to "stick" equal
ly as well ~ this, which is IS follows