The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-02-11

'S3O.54 in the South Atlantic and as
high as $62.96 in the Western, in
.cluding the Mountain and Pacific
States. Without board, the average
for the United States was $56.29,
and the lowest was $44.03 in the
South Atlantic States and the high
est S87.12 in the Western Extras,
such as firewood, milk, etc., are not
included.
Average for United States $3.15
Per Day
Harvest wages per day with board
reached the top figure of $4.4S in
the North Central States west of the
the Mississippi River and the lowest
figure of S2.2S in the South Atlantic
and the United States average was
1888 was most exceeded by 1888 in
the former States, while the latter
States had the lowest average $2.S2.
Statements in similar form for day
wages for work outside of harvest
with obard make the United States
average $2.45, that of North Central
States west of the Mississippi River
1922, and of the South Atlantic
States $1.s5; the rates without
board in the, same order, were 1912,
I$4.O3, and $2.39.
While the lowest farm wage rates
are in the South Atlantic States and
next to the lowest in the South Gen.
tral States it is interesting to note
that the greatest percentage of gain
in raes in 1919 over 1918 among all
the groups of States was in the lat
ter group and that next to the great
est gain was in the former except
that next to the greatest increase in
harvest day wages was in the North
Central States west of the Missis-
sippi River. The lowest percentage of
gain in all classes of hiring are
found in the North Atlantic States,
region in which the rates are above
the averages for the United States.
Farming Operations Also Increase
In the farming operations of 1919
in this country, crops were produced
that had a value at the farm that
was 11.S per cent above the value Of
the crops of 1918 land animal pro-
ducts 9.9 per cent above, but the
gain in the rates of wages of farm
labor from 1913 to 1919 were re-
latively greater than these. In hiring
by the month, the gain was ID per
cent when with board and 1873 per
cent when without board; day wages
in harvest gained 1879 per cent,
whether with or without board, and
day wages for work other than har-
vest gained 1874 per cent when with
board and 1876 per cent when with
out board.
These figures indicate that the
farm laborer is still regaining the
ground that he lost, relatively, early
in the rapid upward movement of
prices of farm products after 1915.
This wage recovery was evident in
1918 as we'll as n 1919, but full re-
covery has not yet been accomplish
ed.
For some reason or reasons the
connection between the wage rates
and the boarding of the 1aborers by
employers underwent a change from
1918 to 1919 that was the reverse of
the change that occurred from 1918
to 1919. In 1919, compared with 49,
,13, the last full pre- war year, farm
hirel labor with board was relatively
more in demand or less in supply
than labor without board, but, COM
pared with 1918, yabor without
board was relatively more in demand
or less in supply. In these two
classes of hirings, labor without
board was somewhat at a premium
in 1919 as a result Of changes that
took place since hirings of 1918.