Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-03-02
COMPARING farm WAGES.

" ~" shS sesS VI vu6No pohu 'hS
field workers In our principal in
dustry Is under fire for any cause, It
is always interesting to compare the
wages paid here with the rate that
prevails in some of the older white
mems countries where conditions
are presumably more civilized. II not
better.
Our Russian friends Just arrived
are disposed to ask more than $22
month, with free houses, section
of land. free fuel and free water and
free medical attendance.
In the British Isles, where the
farmer has had of late years to
stand the brunt Of advancing wages
on account Of emigration to Amer
'ir, and the Colonies, as well as a
I. lift to the towns and manufacture
Ing centers, the Northern counties
OF England pay 1Ss. Cd. or about
s4.44 per week. lu Wales iaborers
receive les. or 1884. In the Mid
land counties laborers receive ISIS
or $3.50, and for the Southern and
Western counties, they receive but
14s. Cd. or t3.4s. Combining Eng
land and Wales, the average wage
In 1908 for agricultural labor was
about les. or 1884 per week.
From 1899 to 1906 there was a
gradual decrease In the sum paid in
wages for this kind OF work, each
year, but from 1905 until 1908 there
was gradual increase, though in
Scotland and ireland there was but
little change. At the present time
conditions are such in the factory
towns that there is little to induce
young men to leave the country. and
1t is possible that the wages paid
for agricultural labor will be re-
duced, in accordance with the laws
lof supply and demand. The stats
tics indicate that the laborer re-
ceived about C 81 per year. and in.
asmuch as wages paid In 1925 were
about Ella to G Is. 1t is easy tC
compute that the wages of the Eng.
lish farm laborer have little more
than doubled In less than 200 years
(which is a very rapid increase fol
England. 20
| Another feature OF the English
situation. of interest, Is that In tho
agricultural matters they have whal
is known as gamekeepers, woodmen
gardeners and other special trade,
considered to be allied with agricul
ture. Now inasmuch ,as game
keeper receives from 24s. to 3Os. I
week with a free cottage and a Ger
tain allowance OF coal. and a wood
man receives From 22s. to 28s. PEI
week and a gardener from los. Il
26s. week, with this same add
tional privilege OF cottage and coal
II is seen that farm laborers hav,
some inducement to specialize aloni
certain lines. Gamekeepers. wood
men and farmers live under far bet
ter conditions than do the factor.
workers in the manufacturing cen
tiers. The more enterprising coun
try laborers. who have heretofor,
been migrating to the towns. seen
to grasp the fact that by special
, izing they VIII be able to better thel
conditions and remain in the coun
iitry. frf
The value Of specializing Is founi
Everywhere, but when the farm spe
cialists Of the British Isles are pail
comparatively little more than n,
ordinary agriculturists of this land
, just cause for complaint agains
what is offered here sinks to |
very low minimum. AS for our Rus
sian friends. we are Inclined to tn
belief that the prospect for then
is luxury and wealth compared will
their opportunities at home.