The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-04-27

cally, for it is only in that way that
ne can get the most out Of his land"
"Will we ever have great farmers
trust, which will corner the market,
raise prices and fight the other com
binations Of capital2"
II don't think such o thing pos
sible," replied Secretary Wilson.
This is big country and farming is
big business.
AL the world is more or less en-
gagged in it and you car: control ele-
ments like that. Besides, each farmer
is independent of the other, and while
ell have to large extent common in
terests they are somewhat antagonis-
tic to one another. l think the far
mers might be united in opposition to
anything vitally against the inter
ests OF all, but hat matter settled
they would as f.fore act as indivi.
duals."
"But, Mr.. Secretary, how about
labor matters? should think you
would have trouble to get men to
work on the farms. / understand that
most of the farm boys are going to
the cities"
That was for time, but more now
remain upon the farms. Wehave had
a great immigration of farm laborers
and we have been steadily making in
ventions in farm tools so that the
average hand can do more now than
the man of the past.
Take the rice lands about the
Gulf of Mexico. One American farm
hand with our machinery can raise as
much rice there in one year as 400
Chinese laborers can raise in China
employing Chinese methods, and Chi
nese machinery. The conditions as
to other crops are somewhat similar.
Indeed, the farm machines enable
US to dispense with large number Of
hands,"
''Is farm labor organized, Mr.. Sec
retary? Do the farm hands have
trades unions?"
"Not that I know Of. The men are
80 scattered that it would be difficult
to organize them.
'They are not employed ct steady
work all the year round, and besides
the farm hand Of today expects to Own
a farm of his own few years from
now. He is so busy soheming how he
can do that that he has no time to
worry over hours and wages"
.sHow about wages. Mr. Secretary?
Is the farm laborer we'll paid?"
II think he is" replied the Score
tary Of Agriculture. Good men get
good wages, varying with the locality.
In the Northwest, where. perhaps,
the most skilled Of our farmers are
found, hired men get s25 month
and more. That is equal to $40
month without board, which is good
pay for any man.
"Such hand will understand how
to use farm machinery. He will know
all about crops, and he can, if neces-
sary, take the farm and manage it
himself. In some other parts of the
country the wages are less"
care we farming any better now
than we did in the past, Mr.. Score
tary?
Every much So" replied Secretary
Wilson. Sand we shall farm better
in the future than we are doing now.
We are learning every day and are
steadily adding to the aggregate of our
crops. What we produce now is be-
yond conception.
"Our wheat crop amounts to 600,.
10000 bushels every year end /. &c
worth in the neighborhood Of 100000
900.
The value OF the gold and silver
mined in the United States is not
half that, and all the gold mines Of
the world did not produce ss much by
800, ,000, 600 in 1902. The corn crop
is worth more than twice % much as
the wheat crop.
'It is now bringing in 81 ZOO, ,OOO,-
600 year, and for oats alone We raise
enough to equal value Of $1,000, 900
every working day. The crop amounts
co !, ZOO, 900, 600 bushels, with value
OF $500, 100000. Our hay crop in
many years is worth more than the
total product Of all the gold and sill.
vor mines Of the world, and the COZ
ton crop last gear sold for more than
q half billion dollars. These figuFes
are enormous. There is nothing like
them anywhere, and we have not be-