The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-01

KsBURG VA SATURDAY july 4. 1899.

lHc uEIlCultuIa tIfnfUt II tue lhiktH
in our population, 3. 500 600 persons be
ing employed in 1890 in Rainful agri
cultural occupations out Of %, 750, O0l
persons employed in all gainful occupa
tions . 800. coo were farmers constitut
ing the proprietor class not only rs own.
ors but proprietor tenants. and 600, 0o(
were agricultural laborers working foi
wages The statistics Of wages rare.
the Agricultural Department collected
since 1866 had been brought down "a
1898. In the latter year the ogricutu-
raj laborer received an average Of 81 go
"A month without board, a decline Of
81. 80 from 1893 In the Eastern States
in 1898 the average wage without board
vas $40 in the Middle States, Sl3 SO
in Southern States, Sl2 IL; in the
mountain States, $50 o., and in the
Pacific States, s3lGS In the year 1898
the average allowance for board was
- g. per month
"Here are 3. 600 900 Of workers, read
Prof. Holmes, having we do not know
how many dependents upon them In
their families, but very likely 5000, COO
to 10, 900, 600, who are receiving but
Sl7 SO per month without board, and
then only when actually employed, and
| could hardly use figures or other state
ments better to show how low Is and
must be the social and economic Condi-
tiou Of this large population group "
LOWEST PAID OF ALL OCCUPATIONS.
Continuing, Prof Holmes stated that
ne mad been able to compute the actual
earnings Of these agricultural laborers.
but taking from the last census the
average time they were out Of employ
ment for the year 1880, and subtract
ing il from one year in order to find
time for employment and found the
actual earnings of the agricultural
laborers in 1890 amounted to SGl5, 900,
600, or an average Of only S9l5 per indi-
yidual.
This is the lowest paid labor Of all
the great occupation groups in this coun-
try" he said, land the income would
hardly seem sufficient to provide subsls-
tence for a family
L
the subject Of the farmers themselves,
VINO do not work for wages. In the
last census year he had found the agri'
cultural product Of the country amount
ed to SOB for each farmer and farm
laborer The lowest per capita was in the
south Atlantic states, sl77; the highest
in the western, s5l9.
PRICES OF FARM PRODUCTS FALLING.
The prices Of most agricultural pro-
ducts are and have been for years de.
clining. The reduction Of freight rates
had given the farmers new problem TO
solve. as it had made them competitors
with one another which is almost OF
as great importance as the fact that
foreign competitors have been created.
The eastern farmer in competition with
the west had to change his agriculture
materially. The gradual extension OF
the area of competitor had largely been
the cause Of the falling prices Of pro-
ducts.
At any rate, said the professor, the
average farmer in ordinary years finds
his product of wealth limited one in
comparison with the product Of persons
in most other occupations. He called
attention to the fact that farmers were
living better and expending more on
their homes and their tables, and that
they often fail to be as thrifty as they
should be. Again, the farmers OF this
country are too much disposed to rely
on one crop. A diversiication Of crops
would make the farmer more indepen-
dent