The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-06-08

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and wellde6ned class Of the population.
They are to farmers what joulneymen
are to contractors and master mechan-
ics II they do not expect to work Ill
theR lives in the employ of others in
the business Of farming. they intend to
remain farm laborers Tor an indefinite
period As they generally marry and
have children, and as their pay is small.
many, if not the majority Of them, re-
main farm laborers all the working
years of their lives. A man with .
family once settled down as farm la
borer finds it difficult to change his con.
ditlon. even il he wishes to. He ordi-
narily has no trade and NO capital With
which to engage in business. Farm Ia
borers in old countries ordinarily live in
cottages belonging TO their employers
or the owners of the estates on which
they work. In some cases they are al
lowed, in addition to their regular
wages, the use Of . small piece Of
ground and the opportunity to keep .
COW, . pig. apd some poultry. Many
farm laborers arrange with their en-
ployers to obtain . supply of fuel and
common provisions at current whole
sale prices. With thee exceptions the
contract for labor. which generally in
oiudes the entire year, makes no pro-
vision for board, lodging. washing, and
the care of clothes. The laborer must
look to his wages alone for the means
of keeping himself supplied with the
necessities of life. In this respect he is
in the same condition as the person en-
ployed at any kind Of work except do
mestic employment in city or town.
In the United States we have no class
corresponding with the regular farm
laborers 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 gener-
ally 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 belong
ing to good families were generally en-
ployed to do it. As they were the
equals of their employers in intel
ligence, they lived in the same
houses with them, and constituted
q 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 asso.
ciated with the members OF the family on
terms of equality. This custom is like
ly to prevail in any new country. At
present 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 a
farm Of their own. Many of them do
not understand 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. They are, how
| ever, received into their families, partly
because it is the common practice Of
the country, and partly because tenn
| porary necessity requires it. The ar
rangement, however, is not q satisfact-
ory one in any respect. 1t interferes
| with the culture and refinement of fam
lilies, and makes large amount of work
for the female members of them.
Not many years ago it was the Gus
tom for the city or village tradesmen,
mechanic and artisan to board the per-
sons in their employ in their own
houses. This custom is now almost en-
tirely abandoned, and employees of all
kinds in cities. with the exception ol
those engaged in work in houses, make
their own arrangement for board and
lodging. Those who do not keep house
obtain accommodation in boarding
houses. This plan gives excellent sat
isfaction to all concerned. Employers
are not burdened by keeping boarding
houses, and employees are better salts
fed to obtain accommodations suited tc
their taste and their income. There
is no good reason why large farmer
should board the men in their employ
There is no more occasion for their do
ing so than there is for employers II
large towns. Most of the comforts Of ,
home are destroyed by filing hous'
! with boarders, most of whom are stran
gers about whose habits of life little o.
nothing is known. Any farmer runs ,
great risk who takes int,
his family strangers who g
: about the country in search o
, employment, and who makes them tn
constant companions of his children
So far as the experiment has been triet
men employed on large farms prefer t.
, board elsewhere than in the houses O
their employers, even if the food an,
{ sleeping accommodations are not a
e good. Those who are married desire t
keep house, and those who are singl
. prefer to board IN the house of one Q
: their fellow-laborers. The experimen
, of allowing the single men employs
on large farm to board in the famil
of married associate is generally yer
0 satisfactory. They find enjoyment i
, each others society. and to use thei
own language, I" have q better time.
] They are free from the restraint the
habitually feel In the presence of thel
. employers. their families and visitor.
: They can make the hours for thei
n meals more to their liking, and can er
gage in games and other pastimes will
2 out fear of disturbing persons who d
n not engage In them. Where sever.
men are employed on farm they woul
generally prefer separate sleeping
rooms, q common room in which TO tax
their meals, and q large room in whie
they can read and enjoy themselves 9
they choose. Such building can |
n to q married couple on the farm, or
n nHy otucH COAp0tcut PcTSonS WuO Iii
wish to take boarders. The plan of q
y lowing farm hands to make their ow
!. arrangements for board, lodging an
to washing, makes it necessary to pa
n them for their services in cash or i
equivalent at specified times. Th
y plan is the right one. Justice demant
q that q farm hand should receive
Ie monthly wages when they are earne
| hn If hA so
to him as to his employer. An ord
n. on store where farmer has runnir
account is not worth as much as Il
y sum called for. Cash is required to bl
o goods at the lowest prices, and the pu
- he pleases. Chicago Times.
n: -
g. The Peualty Of Civilizatisn.