The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1884-04-19
Farm Labor.

The question Of farm labor Is one oi
the matters which is always up for dis.
c%ussion. and one In which those who
ARE Interested must answer for them.
selves, and that a. influenced by III,
conditions by which they arr surround.
ed. To say that help Is scarce because
the farmers are selfish and mean does
not answc the question Mt all. for. Ms n
class. farmers are quite ~ liberal aud
lenlent as any class Of persons who buy
labor. One Of the reasons ut the start
why labor Is scarce Is because Young
men who have labor 10 sell object 10
farm labor. prcfcrring shops, factories
and the alluremenis Of clerking In all
sorts Of stores. under the impression
that the employment Is steady. the
wages more uniform, and the chances
for rapid promotion (P) more promis.
ing. That they succeed III the end bet.
ter than the saving, industrious boy
who hrSt hires out a q farm hand. then
becomes a tenant spd finally To buy n
farm and become n farmer and home.
owner. Is for the two classes 10 decide
for themselves.
The salaries Of city clerks and IN.
higher grade Of employees look ycry
large TO the country boy. who does not
from knowledge figure up the actual
city expenses. and ascertain what j. left
on December 3ist Of these seemingly
princcly salaries.
As II now stands. farmers will have
10 pay more wages. or else the famine
for good labor will continue. The
Western farmer pays better wages than
In the East and can AFFORD 10. because
the section Of land that costs $3.vOo,
produces exactly as much or more than
the section Of Eastern land that Is worth
$4,000 The difference In investment
Is In favor Of tho Western farmer. aud
so he divides with his help. astaSes aud
intcrcs, on 5000 Is only a fraction Of
tho other. Perhaps. II the Eastern
farmer will try intensified farming. he
might 80 increase the products OF his
farm that. while employing three or
four times as much help. as he would be
obliged 10. h. could raise the wages cor.
rcspondlngly. There isyetanothcr side
issue Of this same problem 81 labor.
As farming l. now carried on. the NET
income docs not warrant the farmer IN
paving "elty salaries To his help.
Would \ change give larger net income.
when hired help and all the extra cx.
pcn.e was compuicdf Why do the boy'
shun the farm and 70 clsewherrF Sim
ply because they Imagine that oshe,
things pay better than the usual one d
farming, that other vccations promise
them better social advantages and .
freedom from the ISOLATION u farm life
The time will soon come whom ths
city will become over supplied viii
help. The chances 10 obtain easy Job
aud large salaries will DECREASE. ans
then there will b . resurn 10 farm III
and an acceptance u farm wages
When farmers 20 order their calling
that their incomes arc commensurate
with other wcll.ccnducted indusirie
then there will BE- no further coanict
and farm-iahor will again become oh
tainahle and Al eqnitah.e rates. Agri
culture will some day be The M grva
occupafion u this country. and vii b
conducted by men Of wisdom and larg'
understanding and Judgment and shes'
will stop The balance u power. Let y
hold . momeati Il the farmer. amer al
In any coonict 9th labor. such - y a
the sims .uHgisg' between capital ~
The min<n. iron workerS spinnsrs -
wesvrrs. railway employee. ssilofz
giss>-hlouers. and I'll kinds q lahc
employed in iks erection q city beild
ing. ctr Wh<a did Tn faruer NV
70 contend with . strikef Wh>af-
Cztviasd H<rsii