Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-01-16
THE HERALD.
FARM TOPICS.
The Rate of Wages of Farm Laborers
in the United States.

In single hundred years q change
has been wrought in this country
which may challenge the admiration
of the civilized world, and all that
has been accomplished is the direct
result Of labor, and of that labor, the
largest portion, if not the most pro
ductive Of net profits, is the the labor
of agriculture.
Only one branch of agricultural in
dustry is to be considered at this
time. Farm workers are here farm
proprieters. Scarcely more than
onesfourth Of those who obtain their
living by agriculture, in this country,
hire out their services to farmers for
q monthly or other consideration.-
1t is of this class that a systematic
course of inquiry in every State
and Territory has been made, and it
is, as is believed, the first attempt of
the kind ever made here.
The result shows an increase of the
rates of wages in five years amount
ing TO about fifty per cent. This is
less than the increase Of the cost of
living still the purchasing power of
q months wages is probably greater
than in any other country in the
world, Farm laborers, especially in
the west, can enjoy more of the com
forts of life, and attain a higher rank
in the social scale, than those Of any
other country. They do not obtain
the wages conceded to mechanics
and other classes, perhaps better ems
titled to be considered skilled labor
ers, yet they enjoy an advantage,
which is partial compensation, in
lower rents and cheaper subsistence
supplies, and fewer temptations to
extravaganza and waste.
In view of the superior condition
Of the class, in comparison with ru>
raj laborers in other countries, it is
not strange that the European peas
ant should oovet such advantages,
and seek them even at the expense
Of exile from the fatherland.
Immigration. 1t is a suggestive
fact that the immigration Of millions
OF foreigners has not, as native labor
ers once feared, proved a serious
competition, reducing the rate of
wages. On the contrary, it has ad.
vanced great public works which
have opened new and wider fields Of
industry, aud has pushed the native
laborers into the artisan ranks and
the sphere Of skilled labor, with
higher wages, more exercise of mind,
and less Of muscle than before
Whom it is remembered that in 1860
there were 4,136, IFS foreign resi-
dents, and At least 5000, 200 at the
present time, or one sevnth of the
population, and still larger proper
ton Of the actual labor of tho coun>
try,this result must be acknow ledged
to be convincing evidence of the
great resources and vast power of
labor absorption possessed by the
United States.
Increase Of rate Of ,oageS. More
than thirty years ago Mr.. IL. G. Ca
ry made the following estimate of
the average Of agricultural labor in
this country: agricultural labor
has not varied materially in these
forty years in its money price; but
the variation that has taken place
has been in it's favor-the wages of
men having been very steadily about
nine dollars per month and their
board but higher wages are now
not very unusual" The average for
white labor at the present time, as
presented in the accompanying table,
is fairly stated at S2S per month,
or nearly $3.50 and board. This
indicates an advance of seventy per
cent. in the lapse of generation,
mostly in the last six years, or fifty
per cent. since 1861.