The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-05-06
FARM LABOR UNIONS.
Their Effect on Agricultural
Work In the United States.
GREAT INCREASE IN EXPENSES

Harvesting OF Grain This season Is
Expected to Cost Farmers 20 Per
Cent More Than the Last : why
Farm Hands Are Easily Guided In
to UniOns-wages TO BE Raised.
| 1t Is expected that the farmers Of
the United States will have to pay at
least 20 per cent more this season than
last for the gathering of their grain,
says the special correspondent Of the
New York Times at st. Louis. The or
! gauization Of the harvest hands into
national unions is the cause Of this
threatened increase. Notice has al
ready been served on thousands Of the
grain growers Of the middle west of
the unions demands, and the farmers
In some sections Of Illinois, Missouri
and Kansas are taking steps to oppose
the organized labor.
About 100000 men go into the fields
every year and harvest the grain. The
farms of the United States number all
most 100000 and cover an area of
81 100000 acres. The products of tile
farms sold last year for $5,20O,0OO,0O0
| the largest total ever recorded. This
year, while the income of the farmers
will be much larger on account Of in
creased acreage, the net profits will be
reduced considerably. While experts
have figured that they will have TO pay
20 per cent more for haryesters, it is
believed that increased prices Of grain
and the lessening Of other expenses
will aid them In making more money
than usual
National organizations have been
perfected in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri
Kansas, Oklahoma and several other
states. In the great wheat belt Of
Kansas union labor is practically in
control. The free employment agen-
cies have been boyeotted, and only the
labor agencies conducted by the unions
are recognized. D. w. Blaine of Pratt
county, who put into effect the famous
harvest hand bureau several years ago
and who has in the past furnished
10000 workmen annually, is in favor
and aiding the labor unions lie says
it will result benefcially to the farmer
as well as to the laborer.
AS the summer season approaches
thousands of men leave the city and go
into the country to work in the fields.
| One finds them ia all sections Of the
country, and before the end of the har-
vest the number Of strangers seeking
work on 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 day laborers in
the United States, Of whom 1.250,000
belong to the national trade unions.
Another million belong to trade unions
Of purely local interest, while the re-
mainder comprise the element of unor-
gained labor Within the past two
years several hundred thousand Of the
latter class have joined the farm labor
unions
The farm hand, MS well as other
classes of workmen, is looking to the
future. The hours Of work 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 falling.
/ Heretofore the custom has been not to
/ pay the men for this overtime. IN some
instances small sums We're offered, but
/ the farmer usually held it as a right
that his workers should aid him unre-
munerated; hence the farm hand has
been easily guided into the union, and
\ everywhere the organizers Of the
\ American Federation Of Labor have
been they have brought a majority Of
the workers into the ranks, Co-opera
ton of the harvesters, where 1t has Ill
ready been practlced has proved high
I " beneficial.
The present scale Of wages paid to
farm hands runs from S1.50 to So per
day. The work differs in the task
Binder drivers, for instance. are not
oYerworked and are classed as light
workmen; hence they are only paid
$3.50. The union scale for binder driv-
ers is set at 50, and the ruling is made
/ that neither women nor boys shall be
allowed to fill this place in the harvest
time. Wheat shockers are paid not
over SO per day. Under the new rul-
ing they are to receive $3.50. Other
classes of workmen are to receive high
en- 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 were numerous
strikes where the union was in par
tial control and were seeking to rule
out the nonunion men. This year will
undoubtedly see a 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 haryesters.
While the income Of the farmers last
year was about $5,o00000,000, the
amount paid out to workers, both ex-
ira and regular, amounted TO less than
$35O,O00,000, The average expense Of
each farm, average size 40 acres, was
SCI in 1899 and SIS last year, and this
year it viii be at least $50, perhaps 500.
x q. - 4. ~ IL -.