Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-11

in part pavmcnt for his labor the
farmer would be in his debt at least
one half of his wages in cash, and
the result is that the Maine farmer
has been obliged to leave unhar-
vested a large percentage of natures
product with all its resulting loss,
not alone to himself but TO the en-
tire State, and yet we complain OF
the high cost of living Can it
be otherwise as long as this cOndi-
ton exists?
Then take the farmers engaged in
dairying. TO any informed person, il
is at once apparent that no dairy
can he successfully conducted when
COWS must be MIXED within eight
hours. in the DAY time and 80 six
teen hours before they are again
MIXED and the same general prin-
Ciple obtains in every line Of farm
work. When we come to realize
that Maine at the present time
its food supply. excepting in hay
and potatoes. and about 20 per
cent of the latter wasted on ac-
count of excessive cost OF harvest
ing. while il it could prohtably
utilize. would produce foodstuffs in
the form of milk. butter beef, NUT
ton, etc, and would go a long way
towards relieving the cost of living.
is it we'll to still further handicap
the farmers by adding additional eX
penses and burdens upon him? It
this is to be the policy to be
adopted, the inevitable result will be
to add to the already startling num-
her Of abandoned farms in Maine.
The history Of the world conclusive
~ proves that every country that
fosters and improves its agricultural
interests, that country proSpers and
attains a high degree Of prosperity,
and on the other hand it also has
been demonstrated over and over
again. that country which nesiccts
its agriculture. is followed by con-
dition of deeeneracy. Tho country
which produces in excess of its
needs is necessarily obliged to enter
the markets of the world to market
it's surplus, and prOspers to the cX
tent that its surplus is large or
small. Herbert Hoover. the present
Secretary of Commerce in the United
States and acknowledged to he one
of the best informed men in his line
of work to be found any where,
stated in a hearing in New York in
1920 before the writer. and II is
matter of evidence. That If condi-
lions relating to agriculture did not
improve in the near future the United
States would cease to be an export
ing nation within ten years"
The agricultural interests OF Maine
are now laboring under severe dis
advantages enough without having
additional obstacles placed upon
them.
Cities cannot grow and continue
to prosper unless they have strong
Virilc rural populations to provide
markets both buying and selling.
Look over Maine and note the small
increase in population in our cities
during the last quarter of century,
winch is coincident with the decrease
OF rural population. as evidence of
this fact. And as long as a farmer
!as to food 500 hens to average eggs
enough to pay a bricllayer for
eight hours work. and every thing
he buys is on the same plane of
costs he has no chance for profit, OF
even the assurance of comfortable
living.
The proposed 4S-hour law under
takes to make it appear. that it is
only and entirely in the interests of
the poor down-troddcn women and
children OF Maine. The proponents
Of this measure pose as philan-
thropists. to release those poor I'M
fortunatcs in Maine. from condi
ton of the most abieCt slavery. All
which is not borne out OF the facts.
Ninety percent of cases where
health is impaired or broken down,
in those who are employed in our
industries in Maine, is not brought
about by excessive labor in the in
dustrieS. but instead by reason of
what thew do between the. hours of
EMPLOYMENT. As n rule they arc Il
happy and prosperous people. And
any attempt to make it appear that
this proposed 49, hour law will apply
to women and minors only is mis-
leading and deceptive as applied to
the industries of the State. Any
limitation placed upon the hours II
woman shall work in the industries
of Maine, necessarily applies TO men
as well. for the conditions are suCn
that aIy limitations placed upon
either obtains with equal force upon
the other.
When it is understood, which is
the fact. that in substantially all me
industries where both men ana Wo-
men are employed, the Conduct of
the business in all its branches must
coordinate perfectly by orderly
processes. each part of the business
must keep pace with every other
part no one Of the parts can pro-
coed faster or more slowly than the
others. in the cotton and woClen
textiles. in boot and shoe industries,
in fact every industry where both
men and women are employed. The
number of each. men and women.
are employed or substantially so. If
the law prohibits women from more
than a certain number of hours,
men must work exactly the same
time: one controls the other and the
enactment Of 4S-hour law for wo-
men automatically places men upon
the same basis. In all industries
where men and women are both en-
ployed. the business cannot be con-
Quoted otherwise or upon any other
basis. This fact the proponents Of
the proposed law frankly admit, that
Maine. in all its working activities,
must be upon an eight hour basil;
if the proposed law is accepted by
the people. This being undisputcd,