St. Landry democrat., 1882-08-12
Farmers and Farm Help.

AS there are ''books and books
meaning good and bad ones-so there
are "men and men," Some farmers
never have any trouble with their help
and the farm work moves as steadily
and with as little friction as clock-work:
Others are necessarily in trouble and
everything goes wrong. We are &C
quainted with men who are laborers by
the month or year on the farm, and who
make their employers interest their
own. They work as well when the
"boss" is away as when he is near,
and, in everything they do, they consid-
or how they would actifin their employ
er's position. There are others, also,
who labor simply for the money they re-
ceive; they have no interest in the work.
but listen with keen ear for the dinner
horn and watch with eager eye for the
setting of the sun. To do the work
somehow-not necessarily wells the
principle which governs them
The farmer who is particular as to
whom he employs; who has the bargain
well understood, who pays well, pays
willingly and pays promptly; who APP
preciates good service and fairly fultills
his part of the agreement, need have
little fear Of being troubled by his help.
For such employers there is always some
one to offer service; such employers are
sought by ''hired men," and in nine
cases out of ten, satisfaction is mutual
But, unfortunately, not all employers
are thus careful as to whom they hire
or how they treat their help. They Sc
lect from the trough scutf'' class, from
fro, hoe rbo
steady situation, simply because they
can hire them for twenty-five cents less
per day though. in reality. they receive
a half dollar per day less in return for
services. The usual result is that the
farmer has to oversee all his work per-
sonally, look after the implements when
not in use. 90 here and go there to give
instructions, and thus lose largely his
own time which. with intelligent, in
dustrious help, could be elsewhere more
proftably employed. In fact, each is
intent on getting the most possible from
the other, neither having the welfare OF
the other at heart Such condition of
things is neither agreeable nor profta-.I
BILE.
We are aware that the same differ
ences are liable to arise between en-
ployers and employed in other occupa-
tons, but the effects are more striking
and more noticeable on the farm than in
the workshop or store where the rou-
tine Of duty is more easily marked and
the. labor is more mechanical in its ma
ture. Farm work can never be reduced
to such exactness in detail that the
workman can perform it satisfactorily
unless he is thoroughly interested in it,
and in hearty sympathy with his en-
ployer. So much for the hj,.ed hand.
and on the other hand, to keep this in
terest alive, there must be on the part
of the employer the approval and appre-
citation of work faithfully done
But there is something more in this
than the bare facts of work well done
and well remunerated. There is gen
uine satisfaction on the part of both en-
ployer and employee, and the resultant
happiness which accrues to the men ,
and to their respective fsmi- +,
lies is q thing to be sought for and priced.
But when the men are continually at
4sloggerheads, +" their families feel the
reactive influence, and even society is,
in degree, affected adversely by it.
Whatever, then, viii bring about mutu-
al contentment and good will among
farmers and their help should be fos-
tered, and while s'hired men " are falli- ]
BILE, the farmer should remember that it
is largely in his power to make their
mutual relations agreeable. --Ratral Neso
Yorker. Ii