The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1904-02-04
FarmhandS Better Off.

The bureau of statistics, says the Phi
ladelphia Record, has been rummaging
among its records for the past forty
years with a view of ascertaining how
farm labor is paid today, compared
with the wages earned in the past, and
incidentally to throw some light on the
character of this labor, and the cond-
lions under which it finds employment.
AS is proverbially recognized, the far
mer is hard taskmaster, In fact, he
is credited with being harder on himself
and his family than he is on his beasts
of burden. Consequently, it is to be
expected that the figures would show
that the greater number of farmers in
the country do their own work with the
assistance of their families, with an &C.
casional exchange with neighbor for
work requiring more hands than the
family can muster. What is still more
interesting, however, is to learn that
the female field labor, which the city
layman is wont to look upon as a part
of ancient history something that might
have been countenanced in the fedora
days, but which would be frowned
upon today, required Of the daughters
of the farmers is much greater than the
proportion of female hired help. In
short, that the farmer compels from his
children what he cannot purchase at
any price from strangers.
Female farm labor, that is outdoors
and afield,is characteristic Of the South
ern states and finds its task mainly in
the cotton fields. In the far West,
Wyoming, Idaho. Oregon, Montana,
the number Of women and girls so en-
ployed, for the statistics takes cogniz-
ance of laborers over 10 years of age.
could be counted in some states on the
fingers, and certainly on the fingers and
toes, whereas in the Southern states
they are numbered by the hundreds of
The woman field workers
constitute about 10 per cent OF to total
hired help, aud over 40 per cent OF the
class embracing members Of the family. |
While the numbers are large, the pro-
portion of women who are thus EN-.
ployed is only about 10 per cent OF the
total number of laborers.
Notwithstanding the fact that the de-
mands Of country life upon the purse
are not nearly so great as those of the
city, the wages paid farm labor are not
conducive to the accumulation of large
estates, or the prevention of the young
m IN drifting TO the cities, where more
remuneratiyc employment may be Sc
cured, Farm labor. as whole, is bet
Ter of than it was in 1866 by from 10,
10 40 per cent. but the highest average
wages paid today, those Of
viz. S46.,5, are not very
attractive, especially when it is under
TODD that the wages are exclusively
Without board, As was to be expected
rom the large number Of women labor
rs, the South pays the lowest wage
ate, the monthly pittance in South
carolina Sill 90 being but a few
ents over half the average for the
ountry.
Living expenses necessarily bear some
citation to those Of the income Of the
wage Garner, and the cost Of board and
atoms may be taken as indicative Of
he other items, such as clothes, enter
ainmcnt, etc. The cost OF board per
Month, Of farm lsborers is very much
igher in the West, where lager wages
revail. than in the South and East,
&c maximum being reached in Nevada
hitch is given as $3.50. The lowest
found in South Carolina where board
'sy be bad for s.. 50 per month,