The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-01-24
Hours Of Labor on the Farm.

Fifty years ago the mechanics COM
menced work at sunrise and with the in
termission of one hour at noon, worked
until sunset; during the spring and sum-
mer months and during the autumn and
winter months he worked until nine \
O'clock in the evening. having an inter-
mission at six o'clock, long enough for
supper. At that time the farmers worked
less hours in the winter than the me-
chanic, and not many more in the sum-
mer; for the year his hours of labor were
less than the mechanic.
If we come down to the present time,
we shall find that while the mechanic has
greatly lessened the hours of labor the
farmer has made but little progress in
this direction. If the mechanic has
been able to reduce the hours of labor
one-third, and at the same time get
twice or three times as much wages a
day, is there any reason that the farmer
should not do the same thinga. Certain
it is that the farmer does not depend on
the product of the mechanics labor so
much as the mechanic depends on the
product of the farmer labor; therefore
he has no particular advantage over the
farmer, by which he NAV be able to dic-i
tate the number of hours he shall labor,
or what he shall charge for the product
of his farm; on the contrary the farmer
has greatly the advantage of all other
professions, because they are all entirely
dependent on him for the food they eat,
and the raw material of which their
clothing is made. Should the farmer
stop these supplies for q single week, he
could bring all classes to his feet and
dictate his own terms; having this ad-
vantage, there can be no possible reason
whv he cannot keep pace with all other
professions, as to the number of hours
he shall Dor, or the price OF his labor.
To the farmer it Is very unpleasant to
contemplate the fact, that while he con-
tinues to toll from daylight until dark.
through summers heat and winters
cold. the mechanic works but eight or at
most ten hours, and the city merchant
rarely works more than from four to
eight hours a day, and he does not feel
verv much better, when he calls to mind
the fact that all classes except the farm
ers are working less hours and getting
more pay. Even the clergy in former
DAYS were required to be on duty fifty
two Sundays in the year, and three SER
muns each Sunday, but now, many Of
them give but one service week, and
become so exhausted that they yearly
ask for one or two months vacation, and
perhaps to have their expenses paid to
some foreign country. Surely the farmer
cannot contemplate these changes with
out feeling that he, too, should share
in the lighter labors and larger pay. The
thinking farmer ctnnot conceive why the
professional men, the merchants, and the
mechanics, should have one or two
months vacation every year, and he have
none. But whose fault is itp cannot the
farmer leave his business rs wen as those
who follow other professionp He may
not be able to leave in August, the fash
ionable season, quite as well as some,
but there are portions of the year when
his business can be left with hired help,
quite as well, il not better than either
the merchant or mechanic. The farmer
should take decided stand aud resolve
to keep pace with other professions; if he
works more hours for less pay than
others it is his own fault, he has no
one to blame but himself. If the
armersathroughout the country would
unite as the mechanics do, and resolve
to work but ten hours q day, at a
price as high as the mechanics obtain,
the work would be done: there are none
who have the power to dictate to them;
they are complete masters of the situa-
ton, and can demand for the product of
ten hours labor as much as they now get
for fifteen. Undoubtedly the reason why
the farmer has not demanded. and se-
cured what is so evidently his rights, Is
because of the want of united action.
When the farmers of the country work
together as the mechanics do. there will
be more equality in regard to hours OF
labor and the price per hour than there
now is.
Z 1.-THE farmer could complete his labors
by working ten hours day. he would
have more time for reading, investiga-
ton and thought, and thus he would be
better prepared to direct his labor in q
manner to secure the largest return pos
sible. He who works from daylight un-
til dark has but little time and no dis
position to read much, and therefore Is
very likely to fall behind the times, and
todirect his labor in a manner that fails
to secure the best results,
There are but few, if any occupations
that more surely pay for the time spentin
Thoughtful reading and investigation
than farming; therefore he who
spends so many hours at work on the
farm, that there is no time left for study
is. wearing out his physical energies to a
Ereat disadvantage.
Some farmers have learned that less
work and more thought secures larger
returns at the end Of the year. An in
| 5elligeut farmer, with his eyes open, can
not visit other intelligent farmers with
ut learning something to his advantage
20 great that it will more than pay fol
| The time and expense of the visit. Far
mers should be quite rs independent a
those who follow other occupations, anC
should not feel that they are obliged Il
work so many hours that there is no tim,
for social enjoyment or intellectual i'm
| provement-
If it is true, as it is asserted, that it ha
been found by actual tests that in man,
| occupations the laborer can perform
more work in a year by working tel
hours a day than he can to work sixteen
there can be but little doubt but it woul,
be better for the farmer to work tel
hours. and occupy three of the six hour
in reading, investigation and thought
on subjects relating to the production o
| crops.
With the many improved machine
which have been introduced on the farm
during the last few years, there is n
danger but the farmer ca greatly re
duce the hours of labor, and still obtail
a larger product from his farm than h
formerly did.
The reduction of the hours of labo
will not only give the farmer more tim
for moral. social and intellectual i'm
provement, but it will make his calm
more respected, and will keep large
proportion of the boys on the farm
Massachusetts PsouQhnIan.
SabOts.