Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-06-02
FARM HANDS UNITE.
STRONG UNIONS ARE FORMED
THROUGHOUT THE VEST.
Organization VIII Boost the Rate OF
Wages and Lead to Greater Cost IA
Farmfng-Arny of 100000 Men
Who Harvest Our Grain.

1t is expected that the farmers of the
United States will have TO pay at least
70 per cent mere this season than last
for the gathering OF their grain The
organization of the harvest hands into
national unions is the cause of this
threateTsed increase. Notice has already
been served on thousands of the grain
growers of the middle Wet of the
unions demands, and the farmers in
some sections Of Illinois, Missouri and
Kansas are taking steps to oppose the
organized labor.
About 1900, 900 men 20 into the fields
every year and harvest the grain The
farms Of the United States number al
most 6.O00,000, and cover a. area of
S41,000,000 acres. The products of the
farms sold last year for s., 200 100000,
the largest total ever recorded.
National organizations have been per-
fected IN Indiana. Illinois, Missouri. Kan
sas, Oklahoma and several other States.
IL the great wheat belt Of Kansas, union
labor is practically in control. The free
Employment agencies have been boycott
ted. and only the labor agencies con
Quoted by the unions are recognized. ID.
w. Blaine Of Pratt County, who put into
effect the famous harvest hand bu~au
several years ago. and who has in the
past furnished 1000 workmen annually.
is in favor and aiding the labor unions.
He says it viii result benefcially to the
farmer as well as 10 the laborer.
Crowding into tas Union.
As tie summer season approaches
thousands of men leave the city and go
into the country to work in the fields.
One finds them in all sections Of the coun-
try, and before the end of the harvest
the number of strangers seeking work en-
farms exceeds the million mark. 1t is
indeed a vast army that is called to the
aid Of the 100000 farm owners of the
United States.
There are 100000 of day laboreEs in
the United States, If whom l,25O.000
belong to the national trade unions An
other million belong to trade unions Of
purely local interest, while the remain-
der comprise the element of unorganized
labor. Within the past two years several
hundred thousand of.the lStter class have
Joined the farm labor unions.
The farm hand. as well as other
classes Of workmen, is looking to the
future. The hours of wcrk upon the
farm are from sun-up until dusk and
often then the farmer puts his men
through an hour after dark. especially if
the grain be in danger Of failing. Here
tofore the custom has been not to pay
the men for this overtime. In some in
stances small sums were offered but the
farmer usually held it as right that his
workers should aid him unremunerated.
= b0 fa-
guided into the union, and everywhere
the organizers of the American Fedora
ton of Labor have been they have
brought a majority of the workers into
the ranks Cooperation Of the harvest
ers, whore it has already been pracciced,
has proved highly benehciaA
To Raise Scale of Wages.
The present scale of wages paid to
farm hands runs from $3.50 to So per
day. The work offers in tlse task
Binder drivers, for instance, are not over
worked, and are classed as light work
men, hence they are only paid $3.50.
The union scale for binder drivers is set
at 81, and the ruling is made that Meth
er women nor boys shall be allowed to
fill this place in the harvest time. Often
in a rush the farmer brings his wife or
daughters into the field to drive the
binder. while he puts the men into the
harder places Wheat shockers are paid
not over s. per day. Under the new rul-
ing they are TO receive $3.50. Other
classes of workmen are 10 receive higher
prices in proportion, the raise being ON
an average of 20 per cent. In the grain
belts of the Southwest some of the big
ranch owners are organizing to fight the
union, but there is doubt whether they
will succeed. In central Kansas last
year there we've numerous strikes, where
the union was in partial control, and
were seeking to rule out the n0n-union
men. This year will probably see great
many strikes and so will the following
season, until the farmers are willing to
accept the union, which, with its present
growth, is certain to gain a solid footing
in the ranks of the harvesterS.
While the income of the farmers last
year was over S5,000.000,00O, the
amount paid orr 20 workers, both extra
and regular, amounted to less than $3.50
100000. The average expense of each
farm, average size 40 acres, was SCI in
1899. and SO last year. and this Year 1t
viii be at least $50, and perhaps $50.