American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-08-23
WAGES ON FARMS.
Some Interesting Statistics Collected by the
Department of Agriculture.


Department of Agriculture.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Aug. An in
teresting chapter in the forthcoming report
of the Commissioner of Agriculture will be
that relating to the agricultural labor a,les-
ton. The Department has been gathering
Information in every county in the Union
with regard to the rate of wages paid to farm
laborers and the average cost of living.
The returns disclose the fact that in all
quarters of the Union with the exception of
Minnesota, California, Colorado, Oregon.
New Mexico, and Washington Territory
the average monthly rate Of pay for farm
laborers declined during the year ending last
time, the expense of living in the majority of
States declined i'm equal or greater proper
ton, that the relative condition of the
laborer really improved during the year:
The average rate Of pay in New England
~ farm laborers OH yearly engagements,
withonp Saard, averages 20. 81 per month,
against 5 2. 60 ;,t .he beginning of the year
a decline of 10 per cent. The average cost
month"; decline of more than IS per cent.
In the Middle States the conditions were re-
versed; the ruling monthly pay OF the farm
laborer being $19.69-a decline of ! per
cent.-while the average cost of living had
declined only per cent In New York
alone farm-laborers receive 81 per cent.
less than they did year earlier, and pay 10
per cent. less for their living. The South
.AtiaItlc suites TeuuceU laDoT Id per cent.
and subsistence 16 per cent, and in the
Gulf States labor fell > per cent. and SUBJ
sistence only 3 per cent. the average pay in
the former being 5 10, and in the latter
east of the Mississippi the monthly pay va
ries from l3.oO per month south OF the
Ohio to S 20. 80 i'm the North--the rate of de-
cline i'm wages being a fraction less than that
of the cost of living; while in the six States
west of the Mississippi the present average
pay for farm-labOr is 5 23.S per month";
slight increase over that of year earlier
and the price of subsistence falls off about =
per cent.
West OF the Mississippi the increase i'm the
rate of wages is chiefly due to the extension
of mining operations. In this region a large
number of artisans have appropriated pub
lie lands and seek to pay for their claims by
working part of the time at their trades.
Quite number of farm -laborers have done
likewise, and they work part of the time for
wages on the farms of others. The large i'm
migration has enlarged the stock of labor,
but il Is to a great extent somewhat ineffici-
ent in character. All who desire work can
get it. No surplus is reported from any
county i'm Colorado. In the two Pacific
States the average monthly pay of farm
laborers is S 80. %, against 5 36 go one year
earlier-an increase of 1-2 per cent
while the cost Of living has increased fully Is
per cent. In New Mexico, Dakota, and
Washington Territory there is Il demand for
skilled and unskilled American labor at re-
munerative wages. In Utah laborers re-
ccive $2S.SI per month"; decline of per
cent during the year-and IA surplus of labor
is reported.
In the New England and Middle States
there seems to be a surplus of labor in GER
tain localities and deficiency in others,
which should render the average demand
| about equal to the supply. The general rate
of pay for skilled labor-shoemakers, black
smiths, carpenters, etc.-is slowly rising, and
is believed TO mark the return of better times
for the -laborers.
n statement of the average rate of wages
paid to agricultural labor in several countries
i'm Europe will be of interest affording Il
basis of comparison between the condition
of the American and the European farm-la-
borer. From the tables prepared for the
report of Secretary Evarts upon this subject
the following information is gathered, the
figures referring to 1SIS Agricultural labor
ers in England receive, without board or
lodging, an average per month of 15.60; i'm
Ireland, 5 14.13; in Scotland, 1912: in
Normandy, S12.44; in Italy, $15.19; in
Spain, 14.95; in France, $13.65.