davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-26
f technical equipment.

proach, the first faint sketch, Of the
extremely complicated problems in
volved in agriculture in the o.. S.
Compared with Europe, for example,
the acreage of American farms seems
Enthusiastically high; but the size which,
in Europe, would indicate a rich peas
ant, in America would quite as easily
indicate rent racked tenant or land
poor mortgaged farmer. There is
further, for example, the extreme spe-
cialization which has taken place in
American agriculture, which cuts the
country into quite distinct sections,
each dominated by a different set Of
crops, different social conditions, diff
ferent stages of technical develop
ment, ownership, etc.
In spite Of Tor on account of the
extreme productivity of American ag-
riculture, it is true more clearly here
than in any other country, that CAPT
talism never develops evenly and har-
moniously. American agriculture is
characterized by the most acute con-
tradictions, brot about by the most
uneven development Of agriculture as
compared with industry, uneven de-
velopment of different branches of
agriculture, uneven development of
agrarian districts, high degree Of speg
cialization in some respects together
with very low degree in others, the
accumulation and aggravation of So
cial differences carried over from the
past Negro problem, etc.,, and hun
dred and one other factors which 60
to mold the groups, sub-classes and
classes within the rural population
of America
In the next article we will examine
the statistical outlines available for
the several principal agrarian divi-
sions in the U. S. and the different
problems which they present.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-26

OF the 500 thousand farms of 20
acres and under, there could be very
few with more than two horses and
two cows (and if any swine, at the
price of horse or cow. The value
of machinery allows of little more
than few plows, harrows, cultivat-
ors, etc. When we come to build
ings, however, we find the average
quite high, higher than that farms of
20 to 40 acres. The explanation of
this is without question that this class
contains very large proportion of
middle or well-to-do farmers who do
not depend upon the produce of the
farm for livelihood-who have, as
it were, partially retired, or who
nave never been farmers in the full
sense. There must be a much lower
percentage Of tenants in this size
group than in the groups over 20 and
under 175 acres.
More than two-thirds of the total
number of farms are included IN the
groups 20 to IT'S acres. It is from
this group that must come most of
the tenants and large part of the
mortgaged farmers, with much the
heavier part of these poor-farmer ele-
ments coming under the class Of 80
acres9 and less. These latter farms
viii in most cases have 2 to 8 horses
and to cows, while its stock of
machinery is still quite limited
Tentative Estimate of Aerarian
Groups.
ENROM the above we can make a
4 tentative estimate of the principal
groups, as containing landless and
propertyless workers, four and half
millions; poor farmers (semi-proIet-
arian and practically propertyless)
two millions; middle farmers (econo-
micaliy in a dangerous position in
America; at this time, but formerly
the most Substantial" citizenry of
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-26
Statistical Background Of the Agaan Question in the u s.

ton Of that great institution OF Ameri-
can private property, the farm mort
gage" The mortgage is the first step
in the disDossession of the farm own
er from his land, 1t Is the invasion
Of outside capital" into the domain
Of the free and independent produc-
er. And there is no doubt that to a
large degree the extent and rate of
growth of farm mortgages in the Unit
ed States is an indication of the num-
Der and rate of increase OF poor farm
ers in relation to the total farming
population.
In 1890, the first census report on
mortgages, the percentage of all
farms which were reported as free
from mortgage, was 700 per cent. In
the year 1900, this had fallen to
66.5 per cent. At the last census,
in 1920, only SIS per cent Of all farms
were reported as free from mortgage.
Thus there is only slightly more than
100000 farmers, Of whom we can
definitely say that, in their over
whelming number, they represent the
middle and well-to-do farmers of
America, who, with their families, con
stitute the backbone of the bourgeois
social system in the rural districts
Of America.
The first approximate classification
which must be made, in view of the
foregoing, in our efforts to develop
the fundamental groups within the
agricultural population, would be as
follows:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-26

approximate total 100000 100
Size OF Agricultural Establishmen ts.
zach of the foregoing groups could
- be analysed with any degree of
exactness, only if data was available
for each group as to the size of the
undertakings, the various degrees of
technical development as shown by
number of head of livestock, amount
OF machinery, buildings, etc. Unfortu-
nately, such classified information is
not available, SO it will be necessary
to use another, indirect method. Of
superimposing the classification by
size and technical development of all
farms, upon the classification by land
tenure.
The average number of acres in
each tenant-operated farm Is 1919
acres. This is almost exactly two
thirds of the size of the average own
er-operated farm, which is 1922 acres.
There are approximately two and
half million of these tenant-operated
farms of a little over one hundred
acres average. a
Slze-groups of all farms without
regard to tenure) with comparison of
1880, 1910, and 1920, are as follows:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-26
CONTINUED from page u

approximately 40 per cent, or between
four, and four and half million, are
propertyless workers. This is the
agricultural proletariat, the basic
stratum for the revolutionary move
ment In the rural districts. II Is. in
turn, due to historic and economic
differences, to be divided into many
groups, each Of which presents dis
t1nct problems; such as, (a) the
hired hands" of isolated farmers,
more or less fixed as to residence,
very conservative and dominated by
the employing farmers almost com
pietely (probably the largest single
group; (b) the Negro, farm workers
OF the southern cotton states, the.
most submerged and exploited crea-
ture in America; (c) the wage work
ers on large scale" farms (not a
large group as yet, but growing fast
er than any other group in agricul-
ture); Cd the migratory workers,
who follow the harvests, having no
fixed residence; (e) workers engaged
IN agriculture in the summer and in
dustrial pursuits in the winter differ
ing from the migratory workers in
having fixed residence); (f) mem
bers of the family Of farm owners;
and so forth.
Of the total Of 6,44S,S43 operators
OF farm establishments in 1920, there
were 2,454,S04 tenants as against g.
993,539 owners and managers. It is
among the two and a half million
tenant farmers that will be found the
largest number of the semi-proletar-
ian elements, according to Lenin's
classification. Almost one-third of
these are Negroes, in the south, num-
bering 714,441; many of the others
are former Owners" in the process of
being squeezed out of agriculture as
independent operators; the tenant
farmers, as a whole, while continu-
ously increasing in number, occupy
most unstable economic position.
which is more and more becoming a
disguised form of wage slavery. The
following table shows the constant
growth of tenantry in the United
States for the past 40 years:
Percentage Of All Farms
1920 1910 1900 1890 1880
Owners and
managers ..--61.9 $50 CAT n.6 IA
Tenants ........~.SS.1 $40 35.3 2S.4 25.6
The approximately four million
Owners" of farms present every vari-
alton of social qualification possible.
And it is only indirectly that we can
arrive at an approximation of the rel
alive numbers of poor" middle"
and "well-to-do" farmers. The census
of the U. s. was not designed for the
purpose of bringing out the facts Of
class division in this country.
1t is possible to get some degree of
light on the question by an examina-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-26
Number of farms

The technical equipment of these
various size groups Qeaving out the
group IT'S acres and over as definite
ly welEto-do farmers and requiring no
further analysis from u.s., is as fol
lows:
Average value per farm, by size,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-26

capitalism two millions; while the
well-to-do and rich farmers amount to
about two and half millions,
These figures give us the barest ap-
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
"OH! DOG ON 1T ALLY

Some dogs, seem to have learned
that a reprieve has been granted and
are taking advantage of the stay of
execution orders recently issued in
their favor, and are cutting up high
jacks and playing hob generally.
Within the past week couple of
cases have been tried in municipal
court, and the owners of vicious ami
mails ordered to pay for harboring
dogs alleged to be a menace to pub
lie safety.
The first occurred on Eastern ave-
nue. where a savage dog attacked and
seriously bit little girl. The child's
father complained to the police and
demanded that the brute be killed.
When being informed it could not be
done without court order, he took
the matter before the municipal court
and the dogs owner was fined 500
and costs, but $75 was remitted with
the understanding that the dog be
killed.
Next came a complaint from Sum-
nit street where it was claimed lit
tie girl could not pass certain house
on her way to school because of saw
age dog. This cost the owner $50 and
costs.
Like many other cases there are
two sides to the dog question. Each
side has it's champions and defend
ers, and the argument for and against
the dog killing order goes merrily on.
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
WONDER WHAT'S UP

Ever since His Honor Mayor Stew
ems has intimated that he is going to
investigate our police and fire de-
partments, curiosity has been on the
qui vive and rumor has been rife con-
cerning what's up.
Many conjectures and prophecies
have been indulged in, but the Mayor
keeps mum and won't give a hint
about what he has under his hat.
1t has been alleged that a member
of one of the city departments, jugged
for violating the Volstead law, was re-
leased from durance vile by friend
who had a stand-in, and the matter
hushed up, and that this caused Mr..
Stevens to put on his thinking cap
and begin to get ready to stir things
up little. This may be true, and
again it may not. The "H. M" don't
know, and merely mentions it as it
has come to him.
The Mayor is quoted as saying that
details of the Investigations twill
come later"
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
Cal Wants Sugar
Trust in Cabinet
(By Federated Press)

Washington - President Coolidge's
selection of Charles Beecher Warren
to head the department of justice has
struck a snag. On the very day that
the senate committee on the judiciary
fought for two hours over the non
committal report of it's subcommittee
on Warren's selection, the federal
trade commission announced that the
Michigan Sugar Company and the To-
ledo Sugar Company, of which he has
been president for many years, were
charged with conspiracy with sixteen
other concerns to restrain interstate
commerce in beet pulp. This brings
up the whole story of Warren as a
sugar trust agent.
In a special bulletin the Peoples
Legislative Service shows that War
rem was specifically made one of the
defendants in the suit of the govern
ment in 1910, to dissolve the sugar
trust; that the American Sugar Re-
filming Company which was the trust,
at that time entered into a consent
decree in settlement of this suit; that
in 1902 Warren was employed by the
American Sugar Refining company,
and the late H. o. Havemeyer to gain
control Of the beet sugar industry in
Michigan, and that he formed the
Michigan Sugar Company for the
purpose, concealing under his own
name the ownership of SIS per cent
of the preferred and 35 per cent of
the common stock by the trust.
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
The Actual Output, Not Wages, Is
True Measure of Production Cost

New York City-A fallacious ar
gument of greedy interests working
for lower wages in the United States
are given a jolt by Spencer Trask &
Co., leading stock brokers of New
York and Chicago, with headquarters
at 25 Broad Street, New York.
Advocates of reducing American
standards of wages have been recent
ly seeking to spread the impression
that the United States is at disad-
vantage in world trade because of the
low wages paid workers in foreign
countries. Comparison of wages paid
here and abroad have been published,
the assumption being that wages here
are higher than they should be and
that the wage scale here handicaps
the United States.
The fallacious nature of such argu-
ments is exposed by Spencer Trask &
Co., in discussing tariff rates in it's
weekly review of business conditions.
Spencer .Trask & Co. show that wages
are not the most important factor in
determining production costs, but
that the really important factor is
the degree of productivity.
Spencer Trask & Co., who can hard
ly be accused of being partisans of or
ganized labor, say:
Whenever tariff reduction is dis
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27

cussed, there is always the question
of a consequent decline in our scale
of living-there is the fear that wages
will suffer drastic reduction.
GA large American industrial COM
pany with plants in this country and
abroad reported to the bank average
daily wages paid in November, 1924,
for precisely the same types of labor
engaged in the production of identi-
cal commodities. Whereas laborer
received $3.50 in the United States, he
received $1.55 in Germany, $1.24 in
France, and but SO cents in Italy.
"Such figures taken alone lead to
dangerous and erroneous conclusions.
The ultimate general cost of produc-
ton in each conutry can only be es-
timated after most complicated de-
termination, and wages alone are not
necessarily the most important fac
tor.
"In a broad sense, the reason why
wages are low in Italy, comparative
ly low in France and Germany and
high in the United States is to be
found in the varying productiveness
of labor in those countries. Wages in
this country are high and should re-
main above those of other countries
so long as our output per capita re-
mains above that of other nations"
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
HERE THEY ARE
BOUQUETS AND BRICKBATS
ARE DISTRIBUTED
CommendatiOn and Criticism Handed
Out PrOmiscuOusly as Deemed
Just by Our Hired Man
YES. BUT THEY'RE EMPTY!

Monday night, in response to an
invitation from the American Bottle
Company, unanimously accepted at
the last city council meeting, the city
dads and the balance of the municipal
family will pay visit to the COM
pany's factory to see the wheels go
round and learn from actual observa-
ton what big institution we have
in our midst.
The "Hired Man" has seen the day,
in the not very far distant past, when
some of this selfsame bunch would
not 90 across the street to look at un-
told millions of empty bottles. But
things have changed since those happy
times, and it is evidently now pleas
ure to admire the silent empty con-
tainers which in days of yore were
filled with the liquid joy described by
Bob Ingersoll as being distilled from
rye grown in the happy sunshine and
hslmy air and slowed away in casks
of golden oak until mellowed by age
it dripped from the decanter, an am
brosial feast fit for the very gods
themselves
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
Union Activities
To Be Nation Wide

Washington-A campaign of in
creasing trade union activity was
voted at the recent meeting of the A.
F. of l.. executive council, held in
Florida.
The council, acting with the union
label trades department of the A. F.
of L., will call conference next May
of presidents and secretaries of A. F.
of l.. national and international af-
filiates to inaugurate nationwide
union label campaign. Trade union
lists and sympathizers will be i'm
pressed with the significance of the
emblem of fair dealing and democ-
racy iii industry.
At that time the Gompers' memor-
ial committee will confer with the
trade union officials on a suitable me-
mortal to the late president of the A.
F. of l.. This committee consists of
President Green, Vice Presidents
Duffy, Woll and Wilson, and Secre-
tary Morrison and Treasurer Tobin.
1t was decided to continue the fight
for ratification of the child labor
amendment.
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
THE INCOME TAX

Losses if incurred in a taxpayers
trade or business or profession or in
"any transaction entered into for
profit" not compensated for by insur-
ance or otherwise are deductible from
gross income in determining net in
come upon which the income tax is
assessed. To be allowed, losses not
incurred in trade, business, or profess
sion must conform closely to the
wording of the statute. For example,
a loss incurred in the sale of tax
payers home or automobile, which at
the time of purchase was not bought
with the intention of resale, is not
deductible, because it was not trans
action "entered into for profit" :"
Losses sustained in the operation of a
farm as a business venture are de-
ductible. If sustained in the opera
tion of a farm operated merely for
the pleaure of the taxpayer, they are
not deductible.
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
MUST BE UNION
KICKS ARE MADE AGAINST
SCAB WORKERS
Organized Labor Protests Against
Employment of Non Union Men
at Base Ball Park

Chicago-Organized labor in Chi
cago has taken action against the en-
ployment of non-union structural iron
workers and hosting engineers by the
management Of the PHILADELPHIA
American League Baseball club in the
building of a structure at the baseball
park in that city.
The Chicago Federation of Labor
took action in the matter upon request
OF the international Typographical
Union. j. w. Hays, international Sec
retary-treasurer of the printers, wrote
"a letter to Bryant L. Beecher, secre-
tary-treasurer of Chicago Typograph-
ical Union No. 16, requesting that the
unions delegates to the central body
present the matter. President E. A.
Patzke of No. 16 turned the letter
over to Delegate Joseph A. Wise and
the action by the Chicago Federation
of Labor followed
Mr.. Hays said in his letter that the
American League has contracts with
the Allied Printing Trades Council
CT Clevelan Ohio, to the effect that
"all work of construction, demolition,
repair or alteration, on anv of the
plants owned or controlled by the
clubs comprising the American
League before mentioned, shall be
performed by members of recognized
trade unions, and that all contracts
for such work shall contain a clause
requiring the employment of exclu-
sively union labor" and further that
ali printing done for or by the Amer
lean League and clubs comprising the
same, shall bear the union label"
Secretary-Treasurer Hays request
ed that officers Of the Chicago Fed
Grafton of Labor write or wire pro
tests to John D. Shibe, vice president
and secretary of the PHILADELPHIA
club; to B. B. Johnson of Chicago.
president of the American League.
and to the president of the Chicago
American League club, and that
copies of the communications be sent
to the headquarters of the American
Federation of Labor The request
was complied with.
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
Poison Gas, Pestilence and Disease
To Be Chief Factors In the Next War

the same state exposes the citizen to
complete annihilation in war.
"The chief agent of determination
in war is poison gas used in conjunc-
tion with modern aircraft. Since the
world war the science of poison gas
has developed to such an extent that
it is hundred times more deadly than
1T was then. Irwin in his The Next
War says that II large bombs filled
with American vesicant Lewisite gas
and thrown from an aeroplane, will
destroy in a brief time all life in
town the size of Chicago. Not even
cellars will afford protection, for the
gas is heavy, sinks to the ground, and
follows the line of pipes under the
city. Even vegetable life is killed,
springs and water supply in the
ground are poisoned. And today there
are aeroplanes carrying no pilot,
guided by wireless from a great dis
tance, that will work more accurately
than any human agency.
The production of poison gas has
greatly increased during and since the
war. | give as an example the Edge
wood Arsenal, the seat of the Amer
lean Warfare Science. Before 1918
this department was only an unim-
poltant affair, today it is an arsenal
OF 1000 acres whose buildings are es4
tlmated to have cost thirty millions
of dollars.
when protection against certain
poison gases was obtained by gas
masks, new gases were prepared
which could exert their deadly effect
through the skin. y Every dive
factory possesses the necessary ma
ttellal and apparatus so that in a few
hours it can be transformed into a
poison gas factory.
I'VE have the agonizing possibility
OF war of poison gas before us.
Will this terrible possibility become
fact 2"
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
The Treason" Cases
Dropped From Docket
(By Federated Press)

Charles Town, W. Va.-West Vir-
ginia's famous treason" charges
against more than 100 union coal min
ers who took part in the march from
unionized fields toward Logan county
in August and September, 1921, have
been dropped. Some 200 indictments,
which have been pending in district
courts here for the past three years,
were nolle pressed by Judge Woods
at the motion of Prosecuting Attor-
ney Porterfield, February II.
These cases arose from the conflict
between Don Chafin's army of COM
pany-paid deputy sheriffs with the
union men, after years of machine
gun rule of Logan county by Chafin.
Several union organizers had been
shot, and following an investigation
by the United States senate into this
civil war in the non-union field, the
state constabulary joined in attacking
the strikers tent colony some dis
tances off. Federal Intervention pre-
vented any considerable bloodshed,
but the leaders of the march were
held for trial on charges of treason"
William Blizzard, a district leader
of the union, was first tried and ac-
quilted. Walter Allen was later con-
victed of treason, but fled the state
under bail. When the case of Frank
Keeney, president of District II, was
called for trial in Morgan county, it
was nolle pressed. Blizzard was then
tried on conspiracy charge, but the
jury disagreed.
Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-02-27
Workers. Rights
Forced From Them

Columbus, O.-Organized labor is
asking the state legislature to outlaw
the so-called individual contract" an
ti-union employers force workers to
sign before they are given employ
ment. Under this contract worker
pledges not to join a trade union, or
urge others, to do so, or to in any
other way encourage sentiment for
higher wages and improved working
conditions.
The unionists point to the immor
ality of such a contract, which ignores
the basis of contractural relations
free will and absence of duress. When
the wife and children of a worker de-
mand food and shelter, the unionists
say, the state should not legalize a
contract that has been secured from
that worker under such conditions.
Another point the unionists en-
phasize is that the worker is forced
to surrender legal right to join a
trade union. Instead of being pro-
tected in that right, society, by it's
acquiescence of the individual con-
tract" in effect, approves the policy
Of the anti-union employer who takes
advantage of the workers necessity
to compel him to waive a legal right.
This contract was first used against
West Virginia miners. These work
ers have given the contract the con-
temptuous term "yellow dog"