Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1903 — FARM HANDS UNITE. [ARTICLE]

FARM HANDS UNITE.

STRONG UNIONB ARE FORMED throughoOt THE WEST. Organisation Will Booat t'ae Rata of Wages and Lead to Greater Cost In Form In*—Army of 1,300,000 Men Who Harvest Our Grain. It la expected that the farmers of the United States will have to pay at least 20 per cent more this reason than last for the gathering of their grain. The organization of the harvest hands Into national unions is the cause of this threatened increase. Notice has already been served on thousands of the grain growers of the middle Wert of the union’s demands, and the farmers in some sections of Illinois, Missouri and Kansas are taking steps to oppose the organized labor. About 1,300,000 men go into the fields every year and harvest the grain. The farms of the United States number almost 6,000,000, and cover an area of 841,000,000 acres. The products of the farms sold last year for $5,200,000,000, the largest total ever recorded. National organizations have been perfected in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and several other States. In the great wheat belt of Kansas, union labor is practically in control. The free employment agencies have been boycotted, and only the labor agencies conducted by the unions are recognized. D. W. Blaine of Pratt County, who put into effect the famous harvest hand bureau several years ago, and who has in the past furnished 2,000 workmen annually, is in favor and aiding the labor unions. He says it will result beneficially to the fanner as well as to the laborer. Crowding Into the Union. As the summer season approaches thousands of men leave the city and go Into the country to work in the fields. One fifids them in all sections of the country, and before the end of the harvest the number of strangers seeking work on farms exceeds the million mark. It is indeed a vast army that is called to the aid of the 5,000,000 farm owners of the United States. There are 5,000,000 of day laborers in the United States, of whom 1,250,000 belong to the national trade unions. Another million belong to trade unions of purely local interest, while the remainder comprise the element of unorganized labor. Within the past two years several hundred thousand of the latter class have Joined the farm labor unions. The farm band, as well as other classes of workmen, Is looking to the future. The hours of work upon the farm are from sun-up until dusk, and often then the farmer puts his men through an hour after dark, especially if the grain be in danger of falling. Heretofore the custom has been not to pay the men for this overtime. In some instances small sums were offered, but the farmer usually held it ns a right that his workers should aid him unremunerated. Hence the farm hand has been easily guided into the union, and everywhere the organizers of the American Federation of Labor have been they have brought a majority of the workers into the ranks. Co-operation of the harvesters, where It has already been practiced, has proved highly beneficial.

To Haise Fcale of Wages. The present scale of wages paid to farm hands runs from $1.50 to $3 per day. The work differ* in the task. Binder drivers, for instance, are not overworked, and are classed ns light workmen, hence they are only paid $1.50. The union scale for binder drivers is set at $2, and the ruling is made that neither women nor boys shall be allowed to fill this place in the harvest time. Often In a rush the farmer brings his wife or daughters into the field to drive the binder, while he puts the men into the harder places. Wheat shockers are paid not over $2 per day. Under the new ruling they are to receive $2.50. Other classes of workmen are to J receive higher prices In proportion, 'the raise being on tn average of 20 per cent. In the grain belts of the Southwest reme of the big ranch owners are organizing to fight* the union, but there is doubt whether they will succeed. Iu central Kansas last year there were numerous strides, where the union was in partial control, and were seeking to rule out the non-union men. This year will probably see a great many strikes and so will the following season, until the farmers are willing to sccept the union, which, with its present growth, is certain to gain a solid footing In the ranks of the harvesters. While the income of the farmers last year was over $5,000,000,000, the amount paid out to workers, both extra and regular, amounted to less than $350,000,000. The average expense of each farm, average size 140 acres, was $64 in 1890, and $75 last year, and this year it will be at least SBS, and perhaps S9O.