624 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Nov. 



aspect; it would be more attractive to the 

 young, and the aged would have less reason 

 to complain of its unremitting care and toil ; 

 while all could experience in a larger measure 

 the ease, comforts, and pleasures which agri- 

 cultural orators and poets are wont to associate 

 with rural life. 



A few years ago farmers and mechanics 

 were everywhere upon about the same level, 

 as regards the number of hours that consti- 

 tuted a day's work, and as to the severity of 

 the labor. In those days carpenters hewed 

 timber, planed boards, made doors, blinds and 

 windows, and got out all the finish by hand ; 

 consequently the trades then required strong 

 men and long days, and young men did not 

 leave the farm to find lighter work in them. 

 But since the universal application of ma- 

 chinery to the arts, mechanics have gained 

 great advantages over the tillers of the land. 

 The steam engine, water wheel and horse 

 power are doing the work that used to tax 

 human muscle to the utmost ; and mechanics 

 are becoming mere tenders of machines, — the 

 hardest part of which is the steady, close con- 

 finement to one thing. 



With relief of severe labor, has come a 

 gradual reduction of the time required for a 

 day's work, until now, here in eastern Massa- 

 chusetts, ten hours constitute a day for car- 

 penters, masons, painters, machinists and 

 laborers in brick-yards, and upon roads, «fec. 

 In the cotton and woolen mills and lighter em- 

 ployments, ten to eleven hours are required. 

 Shoe-makers and hatters, who work by the 

 piece, generally accomplish their tasks in eight 

 to nine hours. Mechanics in governmental 

 works are on duty only eight hours. These 

 figures represent the extreme time. There is 

 the usual preparing for work, and at its close 

 cleaning up, washing, &c., to be deducted. 

 This occupies fifteen to thirty minutes, so that 

 mechanics do not really render their employ- 

 ers the above named periods of time. Most 

 promptly do they obey the signal for quitting 

 work. School-boys do not watch more closely 

 the hour for dismission. Be business ever so 

 pressing, or weather ever so favorable, all 

 extra time is over-work, and is paid for at a 

 high rate of compensation. 



Upon every well regulated farm it is ex- 

 pected that the milking should be done, stock 

 fed working animals cleaned, breakfast over 

 and all hands ready for the field by seven 

 o'clock. One hour for dinner, or less, accord- 

 ing to the press for work ; then five hours more 

 in the field, with supper about six, after which 

 come the evening chores. Here are ten hours 

 labor in the field, beside the regular morning 

 and evening chores. 



This is not a low estimate, for upon many 

 milk farms, morning milking commences at 

 five o'clock, and upon some as early as four, 

 throughout the year. On market gardens 

 about Bosfon, fifteen and sixteen hours are 

 required of all hands working by the season. 



Day hands do not make as many hours, but 

 these are only usually employed for fair 

 weather. 



Farmers lose no more time than carpenters 

 or any other out-door laborers, on account of 

 wet weather, and make as long days in win- 

 ter; for, with modern farm buildings, there 

 is plenty to be done during storms and ex- 

 treme cold, in the manure cellar and tool- 

 room, — cleaning and painting wagons and 

 carts, cutting roots, hay and cornstalks, keep- 

 ing all kinds of stock clean and comfortable. 



There are some, and I believe Judge C. is 

 one, who do not regard "chores" or barn work 

 as a part of a day's labor. By what rule or 

 principle they arrive at this conclusion, I do 

 not understand. Certainly the followers of 

 the various trades do not work two or three 

 hours per day without compensation, however 

 trifling the service rendered may seem. The 

 moment the first blow is struck their time be- 

 gins. The same rule should apply to farm 

 hands. From the time of taking an implement 

 in hand, their day should begin. 



The advantages which mechanics now enjoy 

 over farmers, are the chief cause of the scar- 

 city and poor quality of farm help, and one 

 great reason why farmers' sons are so eager 

 to leave their homes and their fathers' occu- 

 pation. Farmers have something to do to 

 reach the ground now attained by mechanics. 

 Every device which inventive genius can sug- 

 gest to lighten the wear and tear of human 

 muscle should be adopted. The days should 

 be shortened as much as possible. But, oh, 

 this is a difficult part of the problem. It will 

 require a long time to bring about that har- 

 mony and concerted action we see among 

 mechanics. If many plans have been proposed 

 and failed, let us not despair, for perhaps 

 Congress can, at a single act, settle this ques- 

 tion and give the desired relief, since it has 

 recently reduced the hours of labor for a large 

 class of our citizens, and by a stroke of the 

 executive pen decreed that they shall receive 

 the same wages as when they wrought ten 

 hours. 



O, ye legislators, when ye come to our au- 

 tumnal fairs to look upon your constituency 

 and talk about the pleasures of rural life, the 

 wonderful developments of our country, the 

 great importance of an honest and intelligent 

 yeomanry to a nation's welfare, and excite our 

 vanity generally, tell us something new ! Ex- 

 plain this labor question, if you please, and 

 say why one class of our citizens should work 

 only eight hours and still receive the same 

 wages as those who labor ten upon the same 

 kind of work ; and show us farmers how we 

 can aceomplish as much for ourselves, our 

 families and our country in a short daj 's la- 

 bor as in a long one ; or, in other words, how 

 to manage our farms on the short time move- 

 ment. Is not equality of rights the acknowl- 

 edged main spiing in legislation? and we 

 desire to share equally in the toils and rewards 



