The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-03-24
Letter from Linwood. Md.

MARcE 20, 1894
Some farmers of this community held a
meeting st Linwood, on Saturday last, 10
consider the feasibility of lowering the wages
Of the day-laborer and decided to make a cut
Of Is to % per cent. on present wages.
This shonld be regarded by the day laborer
as placing him on the level with the dumb
brutes. owned by these farmers, which they
treat as they please. Furthermore the day
laborer should rot accept lower wages.
Before these few farmers, who seem to re
gard the day laborer as their interiors, began
to tamper with the farmers of this vicinity
the laborer received IS cts. TO 81 day for
his work and no one complained. Butihese
busybodies, who regard themselves as being
above manual labor, must drive around and
try to get the farmers to form league TO grind
the day laborer to the earth. Their cry is
wheat is so low that we can not afford to pay
the present wages.
They don't ask themselves "Can the work
ing-man subsist on wheat alone? % Because
wheat is now SIS cts. bushel they seem to
think the day laborer ought to work for moth
ing and board himself. But the laborer will
not do this, Therefore these farmers say the
paliry sum Of IS cts. is enough for q day 5
work now, while wheat is so low.
Laboring man if you submit TO this reduc
ton of wages you will rue it. Did these
farmers pay any higher wages several year
ago when wheat was 81 to SIPS bnshel =?
No, not once did they hold meeting to ad
vance the wages. Not once, ] say. Also, if
they let wages reduced Is to % per cent. AS
they are trying, they will keep them there no
matter what the price Of wheat may be; un-
less it gets lower. then they will want TO make
another reduction.
Times are so hard, they say. What
makes times so hard? Not the day laborer.
No, it is the farmer himself. He buys all the
latest improved farming implements, has one
or two buggies, cart. a family carriage. IL
takes his money to pay for these.
He wants the day laborers, to whom he
would not lend any thing but his spring wagon,
to help him pay for these things. Are you
going to do it, laboring man?
Did these farmers make ii move toward
lowering the rent of their tenant houses :?
"Oh no. the rent is low enough now, they
say.
The day aborer say that wages are low
enough now. too, nevertheless they are going
to reduce the wages. This reduction would
be partially compensated if the farmer would
give more work. But he will not do this
The farmer has nothing but the meanest and
diriiest work done by day laborers.
lhey do not nave any thresnlnS uohe III
the winter because the days are too short. 1t
must be done in the summer when they can
get II days work done in day,
Some of these farmers say the laborer lives
too high, because be has as good food as the
farmer. They seem to think corn pone and
fat bacon good enough for the poor man.
They would turn up their noses at such fare.
Is not the laboring man as good as they are !?
These farmers seem to forget or purposely
overlook the fact that it costs just as much to
live now as it ever did. Also that the work
is no easier.
These farmers should beware how they
trample upon the day laborer. He is n
mighty element in the population. and he
must live.
A EnIrvn nr TILE IARnRING Man