The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-17
AGRICULTURAL.
Wages Of Farm Help.

o6Co VI al LII 33OiP.
The Commissioner of Agriculture has
| taken much pains to obtain information
| from every State and almost every county in
the United States respecting the rate Of
wages paid to farm help and the average cost
OF living. The information thus gathered
shows that, with the exception of MinneSo-
ia, California, Colorado, Oregon, Washing
ton Territory and New Mexico, in all parts
of the country, the average wages of farm
labor declined during the year ending in
April last, from three to fifteen per cent
The cost of living in the same territory de-
cllned even in greater proportion and the
condition of the farm laborer actually i'm
proved, Notwithstanding the falling off in
| his wages.
In New England, the average rate of pay
by the year without board was S20.31,
against S22.60 at the beginning of the year,
showing decline of 10 per cent. The cost
OF living from the same time declined from
1913 to $500 per month, about Is per cent
In the Middle States the showing is some
what different, the decline in wages being
per cent. and in the price of living only T.
The average monthly pay here was 5000
In the South Atlantic States, the price of
labor was reduced Is per cent. and cost of
living is. In the Gulf States labor fell 5
per cent. In the nine inland States east of
the Mississippi, the pay per month varies
from $3.50 per month south of Ohio to
S3O.9O at the north of it. In the six states
east of the Mississippi, the average pay of
farm help is S25S1 per month"; slight ad-
vance over the year previous, while the cost
OF subsistence is 2 per cent. lower
AT points west of Mississippi river, wages
have increased, which is chiefly due to the
increased interest in mining operations In
this Section also, large number of mechan-
les have appropriated public lands and are
paying for them by working portion of
their time at their trade. Common laborers
to some extent are doing the same thing:
that is, they spend portion of their time in
working upon the farms of others. H. the
Pacific States the monthly price of farm
labor is S3S.22 against S36.62 a year earlier,
he cost of living increased 10 per cent In
Utah farm laborers obtain $2S.S7 month. a
decline of per cent, and the report indi-
Gates surplus of laborers. In Dakota,
New Mexico and Washington Territory
there is constant demand for laborers at
remuerative prices, both skilled and I'M
skilled. In the New England States sur
plus OF labor is reported from some places
and deficiency from others. the average
demand being ABOUT equal to the supply
The pay for skilled labor of all Kinds is on
The increase. These reports were generally
made before the late improvement in bust
ness and before the recent advance in the
prices of everything needed to support
family. The increase in the price of wages
has not, probably quite kept pace with the
advance in family supplies during the past
four months, but work will command more
pay than it would last winter and labor is in
greater demand, and in the spring, in all
probability, there will be fair adjustment
between the price of labor and that of sub
sistence.
The quite common practice among our
farmers OF hiring new help every season, is
in our judgment bad one. When farmer
has good farm hand he should try ami
keep him even if he has tc pay him a trifc
more than he would new one. After
hand has become accustomed to place and
mas learned the ways of the family and the
methods of his employer, he is much more
likely to take an interest in his work than
does one who understands that he has but
short time to remain. 1t always takes time
for the employer and employed to learn each
others dispositions and ways so that har-
mony may at all times prevail, and when
farmer finds man whose disposition is com
patible with his own, he should, other things
being equal, keep him as long as he can.
Upon large farms 1t is well for the owner to
nave tenant houses erected so that his help,
II married men, can be tenanted on the
farm On the large dairy farms in Yer
mont, this has long been the practice and
The best results have followed. The trouble
Of looking up hands in the spring is thus
saved and the uncertainty as to whether
when found they will fill the bill is removed.
If the work of the hired men is not wanted
all the year round. if tenanted on the farm.
they will be conveniently near to take hold
Of any JOB which happens to come up during
the winter, and there are many farmers
doubtless who would find it for their inter-
est to hire their help by the year.
AS to the wages of farm help compared
with the pay of mechanics. if the former
are tenanted upon the farm they can afford
to work at much less price. The mechan-
ic must residein the city where his rent,fuel,
and subsistence is much higher than in the
country. The laborer Who is employed has
to pay only small rent while his fuel and
much that he needs for himself ard family,
can be furnished from the farm at a much
less price than after IT has passed
through the hands of middle men. The
mechanic works by the day an loses much
time during the season from bad weather:
he also frequently loses time after com
pleing one job, before he secures an
other, while the farm hand loses no
time. The man who gets sixty dol
lars per month and board, for season of
eight months, upon the farm as general
thing, will have more money saved up at
the end OF his term, than the one who gets
a dollar day in the city. and if the farm
hand is an unmarried man and gets his |
board and fifteen or sixteen dollars per |
month, he ought to feel that he is doing |
well. This is nearly twenty per cent more
than ordinary farm help obtained before the |
war. Between the actual cost of living of |
the city laborer and the cash wages of the |
farm hand. therefore, there is not SO much |
difference as many might suppose.
A comparison of the wages of farm labor
ers in the United States with these in some
Of the countries of Europe, may be of some
interest in this connection. 1t must be borne
in mind that this class of help is not fur
nished with either board or lodging in the
European countries herein named. The data
which we here use were obtained for the re-
port OF the Secretary of State, Hon. Mr..
Eyarts, and refer to the year 1878. Since
hat time, there has been much depression
n all departments of business in those coun-
ries, and wages including that for farm
lelp, have more or less declined. AgricuI-
ural laborers in England, then received.
Without board or lodging, an average of
$3.50 per month; in Ireland, $l473; in Scot
aud $40 40. in Nnrpnoy,1,,