Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-09
Farm LabOrers i'm England.

Phebe Earle Gibbons in Harper's Magazine
The foreman on the farm was described by his
employer as man of high principle, who had
been with him % years. Perhaps l would bet
ter say Mr.. Thompson had been with the FORE
man %. for, when farm changes hands.
the labOrers, by choice, remain on the place
AS comfortable place, cottage and other fix
lures, Mr.. I. said: "When man has nice place
he does not want to move" What a contrast to
us restless Yankees! Four generations of the
foreman's family have worked for Mr.. Thomp-
son, beginning with the grandfather; and it is
his great-grandson who is driving the horses
in the reaper.
And the land now hold on your honor's estate
Is the same that my grandfather titled"
It is quite probable that living thus on one
spot limits the ideas In near hamlet called
On an old pair Of well-to-do class. who spoke
In the Sussex dialect and still used the old style
of reckoning for their rent days. AS new style
was introduced into England in 1852. may say
that they were in this matter only 1872 years be-
hind time
As to the pay of the agricultural laborer, Mr..
Thompson's foreman earns a pound. or about
S. weekly, and an extra pound every quarter.
but not boarded Employment, however. is found
for him In the winter as well as summer, the
open winters of this region differing from those
of Pennsylvania. At Mr.. Ford's am told that
the plowmcn get about $3.75 weekly, or Is
shillings, and their rent, and the shepherd about
II shillings, but he has to work every day in the
week. When the land is heavy, here, they gen
orally plOw with from three to five horses in
single line, and must therefore have two men,
called the carter and his mate. To their ami
mails they use old Sussex cries. such as "Mather
woot," or "cOme hither, wilt thou?" The
hours of labor are moderate, men going out to
work about seven, even in summer, and coming
In about half-past five. But during the har-
vest they work from five In the morning,
as long as they can see, stopping only for break
fast, dinner ana afternoon ''bait" or lunch
During the harvest month, August, they receive
double wages, or sometimes the farmer simply
pays f2 extra for the month.
Is the labOrer intelligent? Twenty-eight
years ago. when Mr.. Thompson came to his
farm in the Downs, he thinks that there was
not man on the place who could reai tiuently;
now every house takes paper. Education in
England Is now compulsory, and when the
labOrer can read and vote we shall doubtless
cease to hear OF Hodge and his MASTER Mr..
Thompson's foreman "of high principle has not
q vote, because he does not occupy house
paying rent of f12 year. (In borOughs all
householders have votes.) Mr.. Thompson says
that as the foreman does not drink, or use
tobacco, he has no tax to pay for the support
Of the government, excepting that on tea.
What is it's pecuniary status? With this high
his life on this one estate, what has he accumu-
lated? Probably he has not laid by anything;
he has not even joined one of the benefit
societies." common among labOring men. In
his old age, he is entitled to relief from the
parish; to accept It, says Mr.. Thompson, Is no
disgrace. 1t is his share Of the wealth of Eng
land.