AGRICULTURAL WAGES 85 



during the last decade or two not only the amount of the supply rela- 

 tively has almost critically declined, but the quality has almost 

 absolutely declined, or has failed in an important degree to keep pace 

 with the need for labor, more skill, and more intelligence." What 

 does this mean? That was written in 191 2. Do you think condi- 

 tions are improving or not ? Is cheap and abundant labor an abso- 

 lute good ? How about the farm labor in China ? 



3. "The agricultural element in populations has declined, and 

 still the people are provided with food and raiment. Some of the 

 countries have food and fiber to sell and other countries need to buy; 

 but it is logical that the relative decline of the agricultural element 

 must eventually reach a point at which it is at equilibrium with indus- 

 trialism." Do you agree ? Is it likely that this will be reached by a 

 back-to-the-land movement or only after still further diminishing of 

 the rural proportion ? Which condition do we desire ? Why ? 



4. "If the farm does not meet the competition of other employ- 

 ments, it must suffer the loss of some of its laborers. The effect of 

 the farm to meet the competition for its labor is often apparent within 

 a rim of country surrounding cities of considerable size." How do 

 you think the effects of this competition would be manifest ? Do you 

 think it also possible that the city would furnish a supply of specialized 

 or of seasonal laborers which would have the effect of reducing labor 

 costs within this affected zone ? Does the type of agriculture prac- 

 ticed in the vicinity of cities have any bearing on the question ? 



5. "The tendency among farm workers is toward a demand for 

 average wages by persons of inferior skill or defective reliability, so 

 that practically the difference in wage rate is not so great as in the 

 real value of the service." Does this mean that there are conven- 

 tional prices for labor? Is the tendency likely to be stronger or 

 weaker in case the labor should become organized into unions or other 

 associations ? 



ADDITIONAL REFERENCES 



Besides the standard texts in general economics, the student might con- 

 sult some treatise dealing especially with distribution, such as, 



Carver, Distribution of Wealth, chap. iv. 



Report of the Industrial Commission (1900), Vols. X and XL 



Carver, Principles of Rural Economics , chap. v. 



Warren, Farm Management, chap. xi. 



Funk, " Value to Farm Families of Food, Fuel, and Use of House," Bulle- 

 tin 410, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 



Social and economic surveys of rural communities appearing from state 

 universities and experiment stations and the United States Department 

 of Agriculture, 



