Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-01-04
Hiring Help br the Hnnr


"A correspondent writes: 'tI have tried
the system "f hiring help on the farm
| 0y tn2 hour ,aS recommended by You. /
Ind itp4ys. keep three men-1sualIy
one by the month. The men / hire bv
the day usually have families tosuDparf.
When paid them by the day, without
any understanding as to the length
or the day, they arrived late or
early, as was most convenient for them,
Now that l pay by the hour, they gem
orally want to work full as ls,any hours
as 1 need them; but if they do not, they
know that they will get paid for only
The work they do; and If they do not
regard my wishes somewhat, workiI 2
until the work is accomplished, they
teel very certain / will hire some one
who viii stick by me; and I find men
are more willing to accomplish all the
work, regardless of the number of hours,
if they are sure of being paid proportion.
ateiy, as they are by the hour system.
think we shall adopt the same rule in
reference to household help. It re-
quires little time to break In and
make laborers understand It; but
when they do, they like it better, and
so do I.o
This system OF employing by the
hour i5 being adopted In many Indus
tries which have hitherto been ruled
by the adherents of the ten-hour or
'eight-h0ur system. A farmer hires q
carp nter at a given price per day. He
works eight or ten hours only, when he
might work twelve. The work Is pass
ing, but he knows that If he puts In
two or three extra hours work the
farmer viii not expect to pay for 1t; but
If he IS paid by the hour he makes
more hours wages per day accomplish,
es the work in fewer days, saves
the farmer the extra board, and
is off, out of the way, doing a job for
some one else,
"a laborer is worthy of his hire" So
he IS but theempioyer who pays money
for labor is also entitled to his moneys
worth at market rates. The DAYS are
now short and the evenings long. Hired
men who pick apples all day, or dig
potatoes, etc, are not always willing to
go into the barn after supper and husk
corn two or three hours. But If they
known that each hours labor adds to
the cash they will receive they will
work rs late as the employer wishes.
So it is said a w0man's work never
ends-especilly on farm. And this Is
one reason why girls object to doing
housewOrk there. But if girl who
rises at FIVE in the morning and works
till nine OF ten o'clock at night, knows
she will be paid for that work, she will
do it more cheerfully; and if she knows
that the time sh spend fsshioning,
washing and ironing her own frills and
furbelos, will be taken out of her wages,
she will spend less time at them; or, il
not know that it Is her own.
The more man accOmplishes for an.
other in an hour, the more the employ
er can afford to pay him. 1t is as easy
to regulate the rate of wages per hour
as per day. And, of course, it can be
stipulated what number of hours
man shall work if necessary. This hour
system, therefore, equalizes things
more Justly. Ifa man chooses to take
two hours for his dinner, he must loss
two hours wages. The eating isfor
his own benefit-to enable him to do
ar hours work and earn the money
offered him, Just as man buys tools In
order to be able to build house for an
other. And this system will apply to
the men who work by the month, as
to others Let the number of days, ofs
certain number of hours each, that
shall constitute a months work, be
agreed uponi bat let it be stipulated
that if extra hours work are required,
be paid for pro rata. There is no need
ofcOnfusion or discord. Let the days
time be recorded every night after
mutual consultation. SOas to the work
of The house servants. 1t is not diff
cult system toadOpt, nor to follow after
it is adop' ed, when it becomes thor
oughly comprehended.-RurGl Nes0
Korkez