The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-07-03
Large Farms and Protit-sharing.

There were no weavers' strikes then.
The workman and the capitalist were
the same individual. AS soon as
power came to be used to drive
looms, they were no longer owned by
the workmen, but were furnished by
the party who owned the power and the
building. Greater economy Of produc.
ton was secured by this separation of
capital and labor, and to expect that
the workmsn will ever go back to the
s'good old times" when they strained
arms and legs in making the fabric is
absurd. That capital and labor should
become thus separated was unavoidable
when power was introduced. That
they should become antagonized, as we
unfortunately find them, might have
been, TO great extent, avoided, by
giving the workmen a share in the
profits. When this shall be done, we
shall hear less of "labor troubles
What the weaver's art received in
the last century. the farmers art needs
to.day-the application of mechanical
power-and it means to get it. Cheaper
production; is demanded. That it can
not be had by the system under which
each man owns and works his farm, is
lamentably too apparent. We would
not, if we could, Introduce the English
system, under which the land is owned
in enormous tracts by an aristocratic
few. Divided into farms, it is leased
at fixed rent, to tenants, who hire the
laborers that do the work. True, under
the system, capital is interested and
invested in agriculture. and the art inn
proves, but the condition of the farm
hand does not. Neither is the cost of
production practically reduced. What,
then, is to be done for our agriculture?
The question has been asked a thous-
and times. Confessedly, it is most
difficult Of solution. Too often, we
avert our eyes from it, instead of, like
men, looking it squarely IN the face.
The more searching our gaze, the more
clearly We perceive that the course TO
be pursued lies in the general direction
already taken by manufacturers, and
that included in its object must be the
sharing Of the profits between the cap
ital and the labor engaged, condition
which, with few notable exceptions,
manufacturers have ignored.
The simplest form of cooperation in
agriculture is that of the old Metayer
system, familiarity known as farming
on shares.' One man gives the land
and buildings, the other the labor and
intelligence. The latter's share of the
profits is taken in place of wages; the
agreement is between two only, and il
rather that Of partnership, in which
the chance of remuneration depends or
the result Of the enterprise. The kline
of agreement needed is much more
complicated. Under it the capitals
furnishes land, buildings, live stock
vehicles, implements and machinery
the work people receive wages and alst
share of the profits at the end of tn,
season. Capital makes this concession
not as a right, but as privilege. 1t il
repaid for doing SO by greater per
manance in the working force, by in
creased zeal, vigilance. punctuality ant
economy Of time and material, and b.
Identification Of interests. The opera
tion of these motives and qualities add
to the profits all that is given back il
the way of "bonus." There is les
necessity for incessant personal super
vision and greater amenity and agree
ableness in the relation between
employers and employed.
The present revival of public inter-
est in proft.sharing schemes finds al
interesting example in the Trafalga
estate of 1000 acres in England. be-
longing to the Hon. George Holloway
member Of the House of Commons
He puts the land into the enterprise a
an annual rent of $3.50. On his farm
animals, machinery, implements, wag-
ons, ETC.. appraised at 5000, b
charges 5 per cent interest, bri ngine
the rent Of the farm stocked, up tt
1926. he pays his agents salary ant
the workmen the current rate of wages
He divides the profits in way which
if not the best, is ingenious and vel
worthy of the general interest it hal
awakened since it was begun, lasl
spring a year. The object, as will be
seen, is to enable the work people tc
pay off the $25, 900 advanced to stock
the estate. As soon as this is cleared
of. all future profits will go to them III
cash, to be distributed according to the