FARM MACHINERY 6l 



to look at the problem from another point of view : The total 

 number of persons (i.e. farmers, planters, overseers, and agricul- 

 tural laborers) reported in 1870 as engaged in farming operations 

 was 5,948,561. They produced in that census year 1,388,526,403 

 bushels of cereals. Making allowance for the short corn crop of 

 1869, we may say that they were able to have produced 1,519,- 

 704,342 bushels of cereals an average of 255.4 bushels per 

 worker. At this same rate, the 10,381,765 persons (i.e. farmers, 

 planters, overseers, and agricultural workers) engaged in cereal 

 production in the census year of 1900 could have produced 

 2,651,502,781 bushels of cereals. The amount would, however, 

 have been less than the actual product in 1899 by 1,783,195,965 

 bushels. To have made good this deficiency, on the basis of the 

 efficiency of the average worker in 1869, would have required an 

 additional force of 6,981,973 workers. This is more than double 

 the number of those who went from agriculture into other occupa- 

 tions. We must, therefore, in all fairness, say, since the machine 

 power introduced into the business of farm work during the period 

 from 1869 to 1899 has more than taken the place of those 

 workers who, during that period, removed from agriculture to 

 other occupations, it has been the cause of their removal. That 

 more have not so removed is, of course, due to the fact that the 

 farm work of the present day calls for a great amount of work not 

 demanded by the business of farming as followed in earlier years. 

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But, one may ask. What becomes of the workers who are thus 

 thrown out of employment ? and. Are there not some compensat- 

 ing advantages ? The first of these questions is easily answered, 

 for in the extreme case of an individual who suffers absolute 

 displacement the only alternative from idleness is to accept a lower 

 rate of wages for work in his accustomed employment or to enter 

 as an inexperienced workman in some other employment at, most 

 likely, a still lower rate of wages. His compensating advantage is 

 an uncertain one and one hard to estimate. Besides, it does not 

 ordinarily accrue until the time of his greatest need is passed.^ It 



1 It is small consolation to a workingman to be assured that in a year's time 

 he will have plenty of work, if in the meantime he must remain breadless. Loss 



