Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-03-26
FARM LABOR.

A New Haven, VT, farmer hai
jumped into prominence as the author
off communication to Jacob A. Riis
, the noted sociologist, dealing witt
, the subject OF farm labor. The letter
is as follows -
"As / read in the papers of the
famine in Sweden and Finland | wish
that MANY of those people might in
some way find their way into this part
OF New England, where there is nc
lack OF food, but where there is a
great lack of reliable dairy farm help
i have small dairy farm OF less than
100 acres. and yet / am sure that the
loss for the lack of help would have
been enough to support small family
in comfort. Is there no way by
which can get single man for farm
work | can use a man who has no
knowledge Of our language, provided
he be OF good character and anxious
10 learn. Thousands OF those people
can lind permanent homes In New
England, with a good chance Tor a
home of their own in the future. As
to character, we need Just what you
would need were you to 90 to the
country to manage large dairy
/ farm-men who are able and willing
to do all kinds OF rough work summer
and winter, kind to horses and cattle !;
free from tobacco and profanity, and
ambitious to save for a home. My
need is very great, as | have been
obliged to work about 100 hours every
week for the year now past. Can
you help me in any way Pr
The author has unwittingly given
the whole case away. Even the des-
titute laborers of the old world will
think twice before journeying to far
off Vermont for the doubtful blessing
in sight. The specifications laid
down are too exacting; the remuner-
alton too inadequate.
What are the inducements for men
to come from distant countries, or
even from nearby states, to labor
on Vermont farms ? Perhaps twenty
dollars a month "and foundn They
are expected to work from twelve to
sixteen hours a day, in all kinds of
weather, at all kinds of rough work.
The average farm labor is not in the
nature OF sinecure, much rs the
poets may rave about it. 1t means
pulling out OF bed ahead OF the sun
the year around, usually long ahead,
doing halt days work before break
fast. then a long ten hours in the
field and another half day after
supper, with no let-up from the ever
lasting achoresn that are the bane of
every farmers life. The farmer him
self is to be commiserated on his
hard lot, but he has chosen it, has
been bred to it and is naturally better
satisfied with it than he who works
at il simply for the wages in sight.
The farm labor problem is easy to
understand, but hard to solve. With
the profits OF agriculture at the pres
ent low level, the wages OF farm hands
are as high as can be paid. In many
cases the hired help get it about all
and are really better of than their EN-
ployers. But the question with the
wage Garner is, Where can | place
myself to my own best advantage
The great majority find an easy solu-
tion-away from the farm. Neither
the money returns, the duties required
or the nature of the environment at
tract them in that direction. The
eight-hour day, the union-made wages
and the social surrounding of the cities
and towns draw them and they flock
there, not only from foreign countries,
but from the farm itself. The keenest
phase Of the problem now is not to get
more farm labor, but to keep what
there is.
Perhaps in time the pendulum Will
swing the other way. Mercantile and
manufacturing returns may be less
relatively than those of the farm.
This would be reflected in a reduced
wage scale and there would be a move
ment toward iarm employment for the
same reason that there is now move
ment from it, Candor compels us to
say, however. that we see no signs of
ii at present.
The best solution of the farm labor
problem in sight is an individual solu-
tion-a healthy, growing family OF
boys.
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