The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-06-21
FARM LABOR.

LII VIII NC SScu3 1IUIu tu6
paragraph taken from the American
Farmers Advocate published at jack
son, Tenn, that farm labor is betterpaid
for or receives higher pay at the North
than at the South. We think there are
two good reasons for this. The laborers
there do more work-they work longer
and more industriously; and they are
skilled in the use of improved agricul-
tuFal implements, which enables them
to do a great deal more work and con-
sequently makes their services a great
deal more valuable to the employer.
They simply illustrate the two old max
inns that knowledge is power" and
Labor overcOmes all things" When
the farm laborers at the South become
intelligent and skillful in the use of i'm
proved or labor saving agricultural ma
chinery, so that n a do the same
work in the same time which now re-
quires several laborers, and do it in a
superior manner, then farm labor here
will bring a higher price than it does at
the North. The superior intelligence
of the masses-skill and industry of the
North is the cause Of her great success
and prosperity; and the inferiority of
the South in these respects is the princi-
pal cause of her present condition. If
none of the planters" will get out of
the ruts wherein their fathers moved,
and bring labor saving machinery into
use, we would like to see the intelligent
small farmers do it. AS h ecolored pop
ulation accumulate means and buy land,
the number of laborers for wages or on
shares will necessarily be reduced; and
this will take away the better class, leav-
ing the improvident who care for moth
ing more than a mere subsistence, and
who will not labor beyond that point.
We have no immigrants worth speaking
of, and even if we shouldhave hereafter,
they will want and will soon acquire
land of their own. All successful farm
ers will therefore have to do more or less
of their W work; and'in order to do a
great deal in a short time, as they do at
the North, they should begin to use and
become skillful with laborsaving imple-
ments. If the farmers would organize
clubs to promote the interests of their
class, they would make quickerand fast
or advances in this direction than they
will ever do by each one depending on
his individual experience acquired under
a system of labor which, is past and gone.
While on this subject, we hope an effort
will be made throughout the parish-in
fact, throughout all the parishes-to or
game farmers clubs.
The following is the paragraph allu-
ded to:
In 1865 the average value Of farm la
Dor, skilled and unskilled, white and
black, in the United States was $26 per
month, without board. In 1869 the av-
erage rate of wages paid to all farm la
borers was $25.13 per month, without
board with board, 1858. In the East
eTn States the rate was $32. 02 per month;
IN the Middle States, $29.15 in the West
ern States, $S7.01; in the Southern
States, S16.18; and in California, $46.38
per month. The wages to-day are about
the same as they were i'm 1859. Farmers
complain that they pay too much that
the employee makes more than the en-
ployer. This is an old grumble on the
part of the farmers. Farm work is Sc
we're on clothes, and it stimulates the
appetite, and when man receives a dol
lar q day for hard work, and feeds and
clothes himself he is not makingmoney
extra fast.