Milford chronicle., 1912-12-20
WAGES OF FARM LABOR


epared by directions of Secretary Wilson
by George K Holmes Chief Of the Divis
ion of Production and Distribution. II
contains the details OF the latest of series
OF l9 investigation covering a period Oi
AZ wears, and a summary of the preceding
Investigations is included in the bulletin
In contracts of hiring by the year,
with board, the wage rates of men per
month increased from $40. 09 in 1866 to
$lS 05 in 1909, or a gain of IS per cent.
The gain from l89U to 1909 was 35 per
cent
In contract of hiring by the season,
with board, the wage rates OF men DeT
month increased from $l2 SO in 1866 to
$2O.SO in 1909, or $50 per cent.
The wage rates of men per day, with
board, for day labor, were ascertained
throughout the period, and were found
toincrease from 81 .O4 for harvest work in
1866 to Slab in 1909, or 81 per cent.
From 1890 to 1909 the increase was 80
per cent, and from 1899 to 1909, 80. per
cent
For labor other than harvest, with
board, the wage rates of men per day
Increased from ga cents in 1866 to 81 03
in 1909, or so 8 per ce7t The percentage
of increae from 1890 to 1909 was 43 ], and
from 1909 it was 81 8.
I Among the geographic division of
States in 1909 the highest rate Western
group, where the average was S31.30.
NaXt in order was the North Central divi.
sion with $22.22; third in order was the
North Atlantic division with $40 70; the
South Atlantic States had an average of
$l4 %; and lowest Of all was the average
of the South Atlantic States $lS 10.
Rates of wages do not express the real
wages received by the farm laborer in this
country. Apart from the changes in the
purchasing power of money wages there
are various extras that supplement wage
rates. In this investigation an attempt
was made to get information with regard
to the value offs Elementary allowances.
lt,appears that h. average monthly value
Ofthe dwelling. garden, and other Hppur !
tenance th- use of the real wages paid,
without board, in 1909 ranged from Sl.75
to S5, throughout the United States aid
the board, amount when wages we're
paid, with board, ranged from 81 to 81 so
The average value of feed for COW,
horse swine, or poultry, per month, ranged |
from 81 IL to IS II; the value of pastur- |
age for COW, for family use, and the team |
to haul it, ranged from $i.06 to S2.36; |
the occasional use of team for hauling |
was va ued at 4S cents to ST 20, and the |
occasional use of horse and buggy pro.
baby reaching as high a frequency as
weekly use, range from 81 cents to- 81 81
The estimated value of the fruit given
to the family of the laborers was reported
to be worth from so cents to Sl.64 per
month; the value of the stabling for the
labOrers horse if he had one, was esti.
mated to be 45 cents to So per month;
and the laundry service for the labOrer
was estimated to range from Is cents TO
81 month. The increase in the purchas
ing power in the wage rates of farm la
borers as compared with that of working
men was ascertained by the Bureau of
Labor The purchasing power Of wages,
in terms of retais prices of food from
1890 to 1898 is regarded as being 1907 0
For the period 1899 to 1897, the purchas
ing power in the case OF working men in
creased only to l0l 4, but IN the case of
farm labOrers, the purchasing power of
wages per month in hiring by the year
andseason.increasedt to 40 l; the purchas
ing power of dav rates of wages for harvest
work increased to Ills. and of day rates
for other than harvest work to ll5 3
the increase OF retail
prices of food, the rates of wages OF farm
labor have increased in degrees sufficient
to make as a new result asubstantial rate
Of increase.
The wages of women for domestic labor 6
on farms receives attention. This subject
was first investigated in 1902. In hiring Y
by the season, the wage rate of the domestic {
abor of women on the farm are higher G
than in hiring by the year. The monthly c
rate by the season was SO II in 1902; 5
bll. 50 in 1906; and $l2 o. in 1909. The a
Western division OF States has an average
ate far above the average for the United
states in 1890, namely, $21 So; the rates -
OF the North Atlantic Central divisions
ire little above the national average,
While in the South Central division the
.Verage is SO 80; and in the South Atlantic
livision, S8 %. The foregoing rates are
eth board.
When the domestic labor of women was :
Employed by the day, the day rate of =
wages was 81 cents in 1902; rs cents in
906; and II cents in 1909 D
The report declares that in farm house -
lold matters the situation lie acute with q
egard to the supply of hired labor. y
Jountry girls as we'll as city girls seem to 8,
egard househOuld labor for hire as unde -
irable. Joined with this fact is the other f.
ne that the women Of the farmers family y
re neither able or willing to repeat the
manual labor performances of their grand
lothers on the farm. Besides this, the
lrmer's standard of living has risen,
ertainly on the medium and better sort
+ farms in the North and West; and in
perceptible degree the women of the
armer'e family have engaged in social
auctions which are beginning to be in
Dmpatible with the performances of
oufehold labor without the aid of SER
ant. The social obligation undertaken
v them are for Grange, the women's
ubs. the Macabees, the woman,s Chris
an Temperance Union, the local church
le farmers clubs, and list that might
3 much extended. The old time do
lestic industries are all but forgotten.
he women of the farm make no more
zap, candles, or lye, and SO on with a
ing list of domestic products of former
avs; it is rare that one of the younger
/ the women knows how to knit.
brougout large areas the pride Of the
ousewife is great store of fpreserves, dried