The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-11-23

IN olQ@Settleu countries pfOIesSlOHul luIlI
laborers constitute u numerous and we'll
defined class Of the population. They to
farmers what journeymen are to contract
ors and master mechanics, II they do not
expect TO work all their lives in the employ
Of others in the business Of farming they
intend TO remain farm laborers for an in
definite period. As they generally marry
and have children, and as their pay is
small, many, il not the majority Of them,
remain farm laborers all the working years
OF their lives. A man with u family once
settled down as farm laborer finds it diff
ficult to change his condition even il he
wishes to. lie ordinarily has no tpde and
nocapital with which to engage in business,
Farm laborers in old countries ordina.
rily live in cottages belonging to their
employers or the owners Of the estates on
which they work. In some cases they are
allowed, in addition to their regular wages,
the use Of a small piece OF ground, and the
opportunity to keep COW, pig and some
poultry. Many farm laborersarrange with
their employers to obtain supply of fuel
and common provisions at current whole
sale prices. With these exceptions the
contract for labor, which generally includes
the entire year, makes no provision for
board, lodging, washing, and the care Of
clothes. The laborer must look to his
wages alone for the means OF keeping him.
Belisupplied with the necessities OF life, In
this respect he is in tho same condition as
the person employed at any kind OF work
except domestic employment in acity or
large town.
In the United States we have no class
corresponding with the regular farm labor.
ers 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 1t. AS they were the equals
OF their employers in intelligence, they
lived In the same houses with them and
constituted o portion OF their families. In
the early days OF the west very democratic
ideas prevailed and social distinctions
were almost unknown In the country. As
q consequence the "hired men" lived in
the houses OF their employers and associat
( ed with the members tho family on terms
/ ofequality. This custom is likely 10 prevail
in any new country. At present very large
proportion OF the farm laborers in the north.
ern States are foreigners who have recently
"come over" and who wish 10 earn little
money to enable them TO take up q farm OF
their own, Many Of them do not under.
stand the English language and very few
ofthem expect to work for hire for any
considerable length Of time. ThCyare gen.
orally unacquainted with our methods OF
farming, and would not be sought for by
farmers and their families for associates.
They are, however, received into their
families, partly because 1t Is the common
practice ofthe country, and partly because
o temporary necessity requires It. The
arrangement, however, Is not0 satisfactory
one In any respect. 1t interieres with the
culture and refinement OF families, and
makes large amount OF work for the ie.
AAAltV Vi
II seems evident that change must soon
occur in relation to the class OF persons
employed as farm lAborers, and the way
they are taken care Of. We shall have at
no distant period distinct ClNss 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 engage as farm labOrers with n
view Of buying farms Of their own, for
land will be too expensive to DO bought
with money obtained by working out by
tho month. Indeed, this state Of affairs
has been reached In many Of the older
States. .High.priced land calls for wealthy
farmers, and wealthy farmers will reach
such degree Of culture and refinement
that they will not care to keep boarding.
houses for the laboreH 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 well furnished, and their tables
supplied with many OF the luxurics OF the
market When such n state OF things is
reached II will be neither profitable horde.
sirable to board the hands employed OH the
tatm. It will not DO profitable because the
board furnished will be more expensive
than laborors can afford, and II will not be
desirable for the reason that the farm.hands
will not feel "at home" in the houses occu.
pied by their employers, while the latter
viii desire other company than that OF the
persons employed In field work, Social
distinctions are established In cities before
they arc In the country, because wealth il
more unequally distributed in the former,
but they are certain to appear in tho Coun.
Try as wealth ncCumulates, and when once
established they are not likely 10 be de.
Htroyed
Not many years ago II was the custom
ior the city or village tradesmen, mechanic
and artisan TO board the persons in their
employ In their own houses. This custom
y now almost entirely abandoned, and EN-.
ployes Of all klndsln cities, with the cxcep.
ton oil those engaged In work in houses.
make their own arrangement for board
ana lodging. Those who do not keep
house obtain accommodation in boarding
houses This plan gives excellent satis.
lacuon to all concerned. EMPLOYERS are
not burdened by keeping lodging houses,
and employees arc better satisfied 10 Obtain
Recommendations suited to their taste and
theft income. There IL no good reason
why large farmers should board The men
IN their employ. There Is no more occa.
sion for their doing so than there il for Elm.
pioyefsfn large towns. Most Of the com.
torlsof home are destroyed by 6llinp n
house with boarders, most OF whom arc
litangets about whose habits OF life little or
nothing is known. Any iattuerruns great
Ilskwho takes into his family strangers
who 50 about the county In search of
employment,and who makes them The con.
slant companions oil his children, AL
iarmer u generally very careful In pur.
chasing horse or other animal to take on
his place TO ascertain II II Is free from
vicious practices. He has poorer oppor.
unity to find out the character Of the men
ne takes into his house, and he IL general.
. n lIittle pains to DO 50. A careful and