Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-12-01
Concerning Farm Laborers.


In old-settled countries professional
farm laborers constitute a numerous
AMI well-de6ned class of the population
They are to farmers what journeymen
are to contractors and master mechan-
les. If they do not expect to work all
their lives in the employ of others in the
business of farming, they intend to re-
main farm laborers for an indefinite pc
ried. AS they generally marry and have
children, and as their pay is small,many,
if not the majority of them, remain
farm laborers all the working years OF
their lives. A man with family once
settled down as farm laborer finds it
difficult to change his condition even If
he wishes to. lie ordinarily has no
trade and no capital with which to en-
gage in business. Farm laborers in old
countries ordinarily live in cottages be-
longing to their employers or the own
ers of the estates on which they work.
In some cases they are allowed, in ad-
dition to their regular wages, the use OF
a small piece of ground, and the oppor-
tunity to keep COW. pig, and some
poultry. Many farm laborers arrange
with their employers to obtain a supply
of fuel and common provisions at cur
rent wholesale prices. With these ex-
ceptions the contract for labor, which
generally includes the entire year, makes
no provision for board, lodging, wash
ing, and the care of clothes. The labor
er must look to his wages alone for the
means of keeping himself supplied with
the necessaries Of life. In this respect
he is in the same condition as the per-
son employed at any kind of work ex-
cept domestic employment in city or
large town.
In the United States we have no class
corresponding with the regular farm Ia
borers in European countries. In the
southern States before the late civil war
nearly all the farm laborers were
negro slaves. In the New England
and other northern States the farms
were generally small, and most of the
work on them was performed by the
owners or members of their families.
When other help was required, young
men belonging to good families were
generally employed to do it. As they
were the equals of their employers in
intelligence. they lived in the same
houses with them and constituted por
tion of their families. In the early days
of the west very democratic ideas pre-
vailed and social distinctions were al
most unknown in the country. AS a
consequence the 'hired men" lived in
the houses of their employers and asso
ciated with the members Of the family
on terms of equality. This custom is
likely to prevail in auy new country. All
present a very large proportion Of the
farm laborers in the northern States are
foreigners who have recently ''come
over" and who wish to earn a little
money to enable them to take up farm
of their own. Many Of them do not un-
derstand the English language, and very
few of them expect to work for hire for
any considerable length of time. They
are generally unacquainted with our
methods Of farming, and would not be
sought for by farmers and their families
for associates Tney are, however, re-
ceived inte their families, partly because
it is the common practice of the country,
and partly because temporary necessi-
ty requires it. The arrangement, how
ever, is not satisfactory one in any re-
spect. It interferes with the culture
and refinement of families, and makes a
large amount Of work for the female
members of them.
Il seems evident that change must
soon occur in relation to the class of
persons employed as farm laberers, and
the way they are taken care of. We
shall have at no distant period dis
tinct class of farm laborers, as they
have in old countries. Our public land
will soon be exhausted, and young men
of native or foreign birth will not en-
gage as farm laaorers with a view of
buying farms of their own, for land will
be loo expensive to be bought with mon
ey obtained by working out by the
month. Indeed, this state of affairs has
been reached in many of the older States. |
High-priced land calls for wealthy farm |
ers, and wealthy farmers will reach such |
degree of culture and refinement that |
they will not care to keep boarding |
houses for the laborers in their employ. |
They will desire to live as genteelly as
people of equal wealth do who reside in |
large towns. Their houses will be we'll |
furnished, and their tables supplied |
with many of the luxurles of the mark |
ct. When such a state of things is |
reached it will be neither profitable nor |
desirable to board the hands employed |
on the farm. 1t will not be profitable |
because the board furnished will be |
more expensive than laborers can afford, |
and it will not be desirable for the rea-
son that the farm-hands will not feel |
sat home" in the houses occupied by |
their employers, while the latter will |
desire other companyh tan that of the
persons employed in field work. Social
distinctions are established in cities be-
fore they are in the country, because
wealth is more unequally distributed in
the former, but they are certain to ap-
pear in the country as wealth accumu-
1ates. and when once established they |
are not likely to be destroyed.
Not many years ago it was the custom
for the city or village tradesmeD, me-
chanic and artisan to board the persons
in their employ in their own houses.
This custom is now almost entirely /
and employees of all kinds in
cities. with the exception of those en-
raqed In work in houses, make their
own arrangement for board and lodging
III, <>,.. rx,ho do uaf kepO housq Obtain aq-