The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-04-17
Farm Labor.

The question of farm labor is one OF
the matters which is always up for dis
cUsSiOn, and one in which those who
are interested must answer for them
selves, and that as influenced by the
conditions by which they are surround
ed. To say that help is scarce because
the farmers are selfish and mean does
not answer the question at all, for. as
class, farmers are quite as liberal and
lenient as any class of persons who buy
labor. One of the reasons at the start
why labor is scarce is because young
men who have labor to sell object tC
farm labor, preferring shops, factories
and the alluremcnts of c&rking in all
sorts of stores, under the impression
that the employment is steady. the
wages more uniform, and the chances
for rapid promotion (?)- more promis-
ing. That they succeed in the end bet
ter than the saving, industrious boy
who first hires out as q farm hand, then
becomes a tenant, and finally to buy a
1arm and become a farmer and home
owner, is for the two classes to decide
for themselves.
The salaries of city clerks and the
higher grade of employees look very
large to the country boy, who does not
from knowledge figure up the actual
city expenses, and ascertain what is left
on December 31st of these seemingly
princely salaries.
As it now stands, farmers will have
to 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 to, because
the section of land that costs $4,000,
produces exactly as much or more than
the section of Eastern land that is worth
$50, 600. The difference in investment
is in favor of the Western farmer, and
so he divides with his help, as taxes and
interest on s., 600 is only a fraction of
the other. Perhaps, if the Eastern
farmer will try intensified farming, he
might so increase the products of his
farm that, while employing three or
four times as much help, as he would be
obliged to, he could raise the wages cor
respondingIv There isyet another side
issue of this same problem of labor.
As farming is now carried on, the net
income does not warrant the farmer in
paving " city salaries to his help.
Would a change give larger net incomes
when hired help and all the extra ex-
pcnse was computed? Why do the boys
shun the farm and go elsewhere2 SIM
PLY because they imagine that other
things paw better than the usual one Of
farming; that other vocations promise
them better social advantages and a
freedom from the isolation of farm life.
The time will soon come when the
city will become over-supPlied with
help. The chances to obtain easy jobs
and large salaries win decrease, and
then there Will be a return to farm life
and an acceptance of farm wages.
When farmers so order their calling
that their incomes are commensurate
with other weIl-conductcd industries
then there viii be no further conflict,
and farm-Iabor will again become OBJ
tainable and at equitable rates. Agri-
culture will some day be the one great
| occupation Of this country, and will be
conducted by men OF wisdom aud large
understanding and judgment, and these
| will stop the balance Of power. Let us
! hold a momenti Is the farmer, after all,
| in any conflict with labor. such as is all
the time raging between capital and
the miners, irOn-workers, spinners and
! weavers. railway employees, sailors,
| lass-bIowers, and all kinds of labor
/ employed in the erection of city build
/ inps, etc? When did the farmer have
to contend with a strike? Nhen?-
| C7crcland Herald.