MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 57 



we may conclude that farmers, on the average, are much more fortunate than 

 either of the professions named. 



Furthermore, the farming population may he compared with the manufac- 

 turing population. The latter is compo.sed of three elements, namely, propri- 

 etors (3.6), managers and salaried employes (10.2), and wage-earners (S0.2). 

 On the other hand, farmers include farm owners or part-owners (49.2) and 

 farm laborers (51.8). It is obvious that a much larger percentage of the 

 farming population than tlie manufacturing ixipulation consists of proprietors 

 and managers, and hence, farming offers the surer probability of success. 

 Statistics of the profits of those engaged in manufacturing are not available, 

 and technically the farmer belongs to the group of enterprisers, and his 

 income ought to be compared with the incomes of the latter. But it is suffi- 

 cient for our purpose to compare the incomes of salaried employees and 

 laborers with the farmer's. The best salaried employees in manufacturing 

 receive from $1,000 to $1,500 per year ; the average per man is $1,187. Wage- 

 earners receive an average income of $517. 



The average income of the farmer, thus, compares favorably with the 

 average income of the laborer, and this comparison is by no means insignifi- 

 cant, since the average income of the farmer in the United States is com- 

 posed primarily of wages. Furthermore, the average income of good farmers 

 compares favorably with that of the best salaried employees. Undoubtedly 

 also, the incomes of farmers who have unusual capacities, foresight, etc., are 

 larger, and consequently the margin of profits of such farmers would also be 

 large. Probably, the incomes received by our best farm proprietors and farm 

 managers would compare not unfavorably with the incomes of the correspond- 

 ing persons in manufacturing. But the income of the fai-m laborer does not 

 compare so favorably with that of the industrial laborer. The average wage 

 of the farm laborer, not including board, was $330. However, during the last 

 few years, the scarcity of farm labor coupled with the increased demand for it 

 have resulted in a considerable increase in farm wages throughout the country. 

 This means not only that the wage of the farm laborer has increased, but also 

 that the incomes of those farmers who depend primarily upon a wage income 

 have increased correspondingly. 



Obviously, the incomes represented by interest and profits are the most 

 variable. The amount of interest a farmer receives depends upon the amount 

 of capital invested. Likewise, the amount of profits received by the farmer, 

 as in any other business, will depend upon his capacity to perform the func- 

 tion of entrepreneurship. On the other hand, there is a general tendency 

 toward the equalization of labor incomes in all parts of the United States, 

 Consequently, in the long run, we cannot expect any general increase in the 

 farmer's net income through an increase in wages. It must come primarily 

 through the two other sources, either in the form of interest or profits. In 



