The morning call., 1893-08-26
NO RATE DECIDED.
Variable Wages Paid to
Grape-Pickers.
Large and Small Growers Cannot
Agree on a Uniform Rate for
Field and House Labor.

A Fresno dispatch says that the grape
growers have again met and agreed to pay
81 day and board to the men who gather
the grapes of the coming crops. The in
formation is misleading, because the raisin-
producers are not organized to an extent
that permits of such an agreement The
20. 40. 80 and 100 acre vineyardists, headed
by William Harvey. have an organization
that was primarily formed for the purpose
of escaping from the clutches of middle
men VINO style themselves commission
merchants, In this purpose they only at
tame partial success. but practical free
dom from the consuming grasp was at
tanned. Besides forming a plan of market
ing their product the Producers Associa-
ton has endeavOrad 10 arrange the prices
that should be paid for picking. The rack
ing rates are beyond their power to con-
troll, because none of the smaller owners
have either drying or packing houses
Previously the principal share of the profits
went to the MIDI ieman, and it was on this
account that wages slumped and producers
grew poor. Through Mr.. Harvey's efforts
he growers ship and sell the majority of
their products and receive directly the en-
tire profit on the same. In consequence
of this amelioratiOn they are enabled to
pay better prices for picking grapes, and
hence the raise in wages from IS cents To
81 day.
In the raisin center the principal output
comes from tho great vineyards, such as
Buffers, Forsyth's, Wooiworth's. Eisen's,
EggerS'. Whites, Ball's, Bailing's, the
Fresno vineyard, La Mangherta. OothOuts
and dozen others that have their own
spur rail- oads and packing-hOuseS. The
owners of these places regulate their own
prices for the labor, and also generally
| name the figure at which their product can
be secured. They are the largest employ
ers, and put exclusive brands on the mar
| ket, yet they are in no way organized, nor
are they in any degrees dependent upon
each other Consequently when one thinks
ne can afford to pay men 81 % day and
board his neighhor may determine tn at 81
is all he can stand, while the next grower
may offer compromise figure. They
argue that differences in crops, fullness of
the berries, prevailing prices and the de-
mands OF the Eastern market are factors
til at must be carefully considered by each
extensive grower, and that no two persons
can arrive at the same conclusion.
The chances are that 81 will be the
average rate Of wages. The picking sea-
son will begin next week and continue
until the arrival Of cold weather. A. B.
Butler, who has an S00-acre tract near
Fresno, insists that there is no need for
any more men 10 the grape region, provid-
Ing the IDLE persons now there are willing
to work. If they are not disposed to
labor for the highest price that the times
permit the COuncilmeu and Supervisors
of the county have determined that they
shall do time in the chan-gang. Mr.. But
Ter employs from 500 to 800 persons during
the season, and he says that he has n OF
been party to arranging a scale of wages,
! but he adds that he Will pay all the market
permits. His liberal nature assures his
employees that he will equally share the
! profits.
While discussing the labor affairs in
/ Fresno County at present G.. f. Precht of
the firm of W. d. Ever & Co.. employment
agents, on Clay street, had this to say yes
| teTday:
Doubtless there are a large number OF
Idle men In Fresno who are willing to
work, but close inspection will demon
/ strate that this. army OF unemployed num-
| Ders IN lis. ranks a larger percentage Of
! tramps and other Objectionable characters
| than real workers. The vineyardists will
find, when grape picking is in full blast.
that either there are not sufficient capable
men in Fresno County to go round. or, if
they hire men indiscriminately, a large
| number in the lot will form disturbing
and Objectionable element, exciting the re-
! mander TO continued strikes for higher
wages and shorter hours. We advise en-
plOyers to pick the W heat from the chaff
and draw the rest of the men wanted from
San francisco. where there is sill larger
number OF unemployed and plenty of good
men among them. though the foregoing re-
marks apply equally well to our army.
1T is now three seasons since we were
| first called upon by several leading vIne-
yardists of Fresno County to replace
Chinese pickers with white help. The
matter was 10 be. so these gentlemen in
| formed US, an experiment, and the first of
] its kind in Fresno County. The expert
ment however, proved so successful
with our help that these same gentle
men have continued to draw all their
! grape-pickers from US each season, and
have made the assertion that they would
not again employ Chinese.
The wages paid were 81 day and
! board, and with the class OF help sent out
very few changes were necessary during
the season. We are ia conjunction with
several relief societies and are furnishing
large number of men from them with
work In the disturbed districts. Many of
| the men we send out are Germans and
Scandlnayians, and better lot of workers
never stepped between vines