Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-08-14
FARMERS COMPLAINT.
FARMERS O. ANNor GET Ia
BoRERs. -"
Answer to MIR. stones Assertion that
American Boys will not Learn Trades
The Farmer Says They VIII,
but will not Learn
Farming.

A representative of the REPUBLICAN
met a prominent farmer yesterday from
near Newport. Ginning up to the report
er he said: "Ste here, wish you
would contradict what George w. Stone
said some time ego In public address,
that It was almost impossible to get an
| American boy any more to learn the
mechanical trades, and manufacturers
were compelled I'd depend upon foreign
help, or something to that effect.
The farmer In o somewhat sgitated
manner said: "Tell Mr.. Stone that 1t is
not the manufacturers that suffer the
most, 1t is the farmers. Why we can't
get help nowhere ior love nor money. l
am told there are crowds at Harlan and
Hollingsworth's gates asking for work,
while we farmers must lose part of our
crops for want OF help. / am told also,
upon very good auth ority, that applica-
tions of American boys to learn traces at
the machine shops have been made for
years before they were old enough that
they might stand the better chance when
vacancy occurred. The fact Is, the
people look upon farming as drudgery,
as something quite beneath them. Even
tramps Will come aloDg and beg vlctuals
but care nothing about work. Nobody
wants their Children to become farmers
any more, but if.tlIey can't be clerks they
must be some kiad of mechanic. Trades
are not now what they used TO be.
Years ago 1t required an apprenticeship
OF four years to learn trades, but now the
fellow thai can raise saw and Ratchet
enters in as carpenter, and trowel and
plumb line make passport for q brick
layer and mason. Machinery has taken
the place OF mechanics. A few ingenious
men to make ard improve on ma.
chinery, are now the mechanics, and
those who operate he machines are the
laoorer5. But everybody wants q place
In these shops, and the poor farmer that
raises the stuff TO feed them Is given the
go-by. What we are to do l do not
know. There is Ilenty OF unemployed
labor In the couu try, but If you ap-
proach It 10 employ It, you are met with
the answer, VI dor q care about working
to-day" And II some of them should
agree to give you . few days, like as not
they Will not turn lp on the second. Here
lew days ago neigh hbor of mine, want
Ing hand tps help n threshing, thought
that he wculd have no trouble in getting
baud at Kiamfnst, as the mills were
Then shut down. ard the hands were idle.
Approaching stalwart workmen he
asked:
won't you come and help me to
thresh few days while you are idlef"
wv hat do you give day" asked the |
workman.
25 and 81. SO a day and boarded"
was the farmers reply.
'You don't catch me working for such |
wages" answered fhe workman, as he |
turned aud walked away.
''And this Is tho way it goes" said the |
farmer, while our crops are running. |
Plenty OF help iu the community, but
nobody wsnis to pull weeds out OF corn
anu potatoes, haul manure or thresh
grain. They would rather work even for
less wages at shop or some such
place"
"Why, recolect, +" said the farmer.
Che was getting ltp In years) "when |
everybody turned In and helped the
farmers along, on d considered 1t an |
homer to do so.
Nobody was then afraid to work on n |
farm, and farther, farmers then exchang-
ed help, but they can't do 1t now be-
cause they can't Get their own work
done.
Looking ahead, see no bright spot in |
lhe future Tor the farmer. Country boys |
are all rushing to The city and want to |
learn trades In the shops, notwithstand-
ing Mr, stones ASSERTION that American
boys cannot be got 10 learn trades. Just
Lell Mr.. Stone this. Mr.. REPUBLICAN,"
said the farmer as be walked away. Mr..
Stone has been told.