The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-08-08

LAb0RtR WORTHY
OF HIRE ON FARM
SAYS COMMISSIONER
MANY WOULD RETURN TO Gull
TivATE THE SOIL ON oP-
PORTuNlTY.,
REIMBURSEMENT A QUESTION

Give tne tnuiViuudI S"oHSS
Prove His Worth and Then Pay
Him Accordingly on the Farm as
in other Vacations.
For the past few years one OF the
hardest problems the farmers have
contenhed with was the question OF
farm aloor. During that time there
has been remarkable activity in rail-
road building. manufacturing, the
lumber indus ry and mining. Along
with this there has been phenom-
inal growth in the cities and towns,
all requiring labor at prices that
were attractive to the laborers or the
farms, and induced many of then to
leave chs farms for public works.
Matters drifted along well with
them Zoe a time. The weekly and
monthly pay days were new and
novel to them; they were getting
more G,oney than they had been re-
ceiving on the farm, and getting it
oftener They just had so many
hours to work, which, during the
summer months, we're shorter than
many of them had been putting in on
the farcl and for time MANY of
them felt that they had broken the
shackles OF a form of bondage.
After tine they realized that to
insure their pay envelopes having
the amounts in them on pay day that
they had based their calculations on,
they aid to set in every day; that
they had to be there on time and
stay until tue whistle sounded for
quitting time; that u day lost meant
"a shortage in the money they would
have to spend.
While he t,ture for the laboring
man on pubic works Is not so ro-
seate, can say that at no time in the
history IF tnio country in the past
have the opportunities for the labor
ing man on the farm been better than
are open TO him now, if he is willing
to give intelligence ard energy to
his wor... 1rere is opportunities for
nim to climb to the top If he is will
ing to work with his head as we'll as
with his har6e.
If this re-, justment can be made
it will lie better for those who en-
ploy labor OH public works, because
there is always friction and urres,
when there is an oversupply of labor
seeking work It will be better for
the laboring man, whether he re
mains on pYLiic works, or remain.
on the farm, Tor with the congestie
relieved on ryblic works and the
shortage supplied on the farms the
compensation will be better for t.
laborer. Vita better compensation
he can pay hjr bills and increase his
purchases, thus directly beneting the
business ant professional men So
the reau]ustnent of the distribution
of labor is 3. question of vital inter-
est to FL and one in which all cal
lend their aia in helping the lahore
to get located where he can make his
labor worth most to himself an,
family aid q. the same time worth
most to the community, in other
words, nelp the laboring man to S.
readjust himself as to be worth most
to the community, in other words,
help the lat oring man to so read
just hiinself az to be worth most az
a citizen of cur commonwealth.
1t has been the custom to pay only
nominal wages on the farm and give
with It house rent, gorden, fuel and
pasturage. fos cows and hogs. The
recipient only counted the wages
and used that in comparing what he
was receiving with what the laborer
on public work was receiving, result
/ ing in dissatisfaction on the par Of
the laborer. that would not have
come about l. there had been clear
business coitiact-placing value
on everything entering into it; there
by making l. possible for the price
l. paid fer The labor to be- more in keep
ing with what was being paid for
labor on public works
If we will deal fairly and literally
with our labor, give the individual a
chance TO prove his worth, and when
he has done SO, pay him accordingly,
then we will develop the best there
j sin him. as rule. When we in,-
an exception to the rule, let him pass
on and JOIN the army Of machine Ia
orers, who watch the clock and list