The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1909-03-18
The Farm Workers Average.
BY Fl. e. BLAKESLEE. JACKSON.
- Q e.

Figures have been known to lie, or
possibly be criminally in error, and
somebody has said that there are three
kinds of liars-plain liars, burned liars
and statistics. At any rate, there IS
great deal of pertinent truths contained
in the farm statistics sent out period
ically by the United States Department
of Agriculture. This department is for
titled by a splendid system of report
ing and has at its command an army of
fact gatherers that seldom make griev-
GUS errors. It's statistics are acknowl-
edged as reliable all over the country.
A great deal has been said and writ
ten concerning the miserable showing
made by the average farm worker in
Mississippi as compared with the farm
worker of some of the Northern and
Western States. Iowa, with her aver
age of approximately $1,000 per man per
annum, is compared to our approximate
ly $3.50 per worker, and much ado made
about it. 1t must be acknowledged that
in the face of statistics, and we have no
means of showing that they are incor-
rect, this is a miserably poor showing
for our man as against theirs, but there
are many things to be taken into consid-
Grafton when we investigate the cause
for this wide discrepancy.
OF course, the placing of too little
muie power against too much man power
in Mississippi is the cause for conider-
able portion of the discrepancy, but it
must be remembered that it will be q
long time here in our State before we
can take the big gang plows and turn
as much land or the cultivators and
clean up two rows at trip as does the
man in Iowa. We've got too many
stumps and too little prairie land. OF
course, we waste entirely too much man
power, but this condition is growing
better year by year and it won't be
long until the Mississippi farmer will
be doing as we'll under the prevailing
conditions as does his Iowa brother.
Then, too, here in Mississippi we do
not have as intelligent farm laborers
as rule as does the States with which
comparison is made. There is no need
to bring the negro into this more than
can be helped, but we all know that on
his shoulders will full major portion
of the blame for our poor showing. Ours
is general average and the intelligent,
Woodworking farm hand has his average
of production cut fearfully low by the
shiftless, ignorant laborer that is with
out ambition to make more OF save any
thing.
Taking the intelligent white farmer of
Mississippi and. comparing his earnings
with those from other States, he does
not show up so bad after all. Some
months since the writer began an inves-
tigation of what was actually done by
our real farmers in the way of earnings,
and from letters and statements received
up to date is very much gratified at the
showing made. Taking some forty let
ters received and making an average, the
figures are nearer $3.50 per man than
$3.50. These are not from fancy farmers
or show farmers, by any means, but
from representative class of citizens
who are making farming a profession
and a means of sustenance.
Here is sample statement from
farm of 100 acres for the year 1908. The
owner has two sons, sixteen and eighteen
years old, respectively, and one younger.
He ran about an average of three plows
and with the hoe hands averaged four
workers.
O holas Of cotton & 45O M