Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-29
DEMAND BIG WAGES
FARMERS COMPLAIN REGARDING
the HIGH PRICE PAID FOR
FARM HANDS THIS YEAR.
Many Acres Of Rich Land May Be IN.
cultivated on This Account-Wages
of Farm Hands Near ottumwa Bet.
ter Than Ever Before.

That much land in Wapello county
may lie idle or be improperly worked
this season on account of the high
wages demanded by farm hands is
very probable according to the state.
ments made by several of the real es-
tate dealers Of the city. The deter
mination OF the farmers to let their
lands go idle rather than pay what
they term the outrageous price de-
manded by farm hands is only equalled
by the Independence Of farm hand in
Monroe county who drove away from
farm in high dudgeon last summer
because he was asked to keep his horse
In pasture. vowing that he would 80
some place where he could drive a
horse that was kept in the barn and
fed hay.
One prominent real estate dealer
stated today that many of the farmers
were selling their farms and that there
was any amount of farm land that
could be rented at a reasonable price
Last season he said was a most disas.
trous one for the men living on rented
farms.
Farm hands in some parts of the
county are getting from $25 to $50 a
month and board where two years ago
they only received from SIS to $25 said
Alderman Samuel Johnson today. Mr..
Johnson has large farming interests
in Monroe county and keeps well post.
ed on the situation. He states that
last year was a poor one for the far
mers on account of the floods which
came late in the season and that this
year there are few farmers that can
afford to hire the necessary help on
account of the high wages.
Problem Serious One.
Mr.. Johnson talked quite freely con.
corning the farm hand situation and
thinks it is one of the serious cues.
tons that confront the large farmers
of today Economists are beginning
to make study of the high wages
paid to farm hands in the western
states.
Taking in consideration the fact that
he is furnished with board for himself
and horse or possibly two horses, and
that his living expenses are almost
nothing and that there are number
of days each month when he cannot
work, the farm hand is better paid than
almost any other kind of common la.
borer.
Works by the Whistle.
The farm hand of today doesn't work
any longer. hours than other labor. He
is generally near enough to town to
hear the whistle blow and when he
hears it the plow Is left in the furrow,
he takes his team in, goes to supper
and he is ready to go out for the even
ing. He has another horse in the barn
and thinks nothing Of drive Of few
miles to town in his new buggy. He
has q new buggy every year, and has
no care until the next day.
Farm labor is not as hard work as 1t
was a few years ago. Modern ma
chinery has lessened it's drudgery and
there is scarcely a farm implement
used that does not have comfortable
seat for the operator.
1t was the general impression among
farmers and others that farm hands
would be easily obtained this year and
that there would be a greater demand
for places because the pay of the fac
tory men in the city is not as good this
year as before and consequently many
of the men were expected to go back to
the farms but there seems to be NO
likelihood Of movement from the city
to the country, even though the wages
are much higher there considering the
living expenses in the city.