370 TEA^'^SACTTOXS OF THE AMERICAN IXSTITUTE. 



has made it so. I am glad that the workers on tlie farm are coming 

 to the point to demand a standard of labor. The owner, if he is a 

 grasping man, grinds his men ahiiost to death. The man, if he be a 

 shiftless, tricky sort of a person, will take every advantage. It would 

 be well, therefore, for both to liave a fixed standard for the honrs of 

 labor ; and if the work is longer than the stipulated time, let the 

 compensation be proportionately increased. 



Mr. ]Sr. C. Meeker thought that the country was dying for a decent 

 Christianity. [Applause.] When the farmer treats his laborer in 

 the way he would have his son treated, then we will have good 

 laborers. The workingmen are humbugged and swindled. 



Dr. Lozier thought that the Farmers' Club should place its opinion 

 as to this matter upon record. Christianity was not at fault ; for 

 Christianity does not teach such oppression. Christianity reaches 

 out its hand to all alike. It was important that the control of the 

 question be established by public opinion. If there was one thing 

 more than another for the Club to do, it was to place itself right in 

 the matter. It will regulate itself through outside pressure, as other 

 matters of social reform are regulated. We ought to go directly to 

 the subject, and advise the farmers to pay a fair rate of wages for a 

 fair day's work; and if more is done, then they shall have an extra 

 wage for it. The farming people should establish some fixed rate of 

 wages, and insist upon it ; and if the farmers pay more for raising 

 their products, let them be remunerated. It should be the gospel of 

 this Club to introduce labor-saving machinery, and pay the necessary 

 amount to the laborer. 



Prof Whitney. — There is no class of men which is paid better for 

 what they do, or are treated more honorably, than the laboring class 

 on the farm. The farm laborer stands higher than the mechanic. 

 If he is worth anything, and has integrit}'^, honesty, and brains, he 

 will soon be able to get a farm for himself. But farm labor is a 

 question with which we have nothing to do. The farmers have 

 brains enough to settle it for themselves. I believe that if the ques- 

 tion of eight hours or ten hours were put to the farming community 

 there is not a class of men engaged on the farm but who would vote 

 it down at once ; for they know that if they establish a system to-day 

 that put a dollar more into their pockets, the same system would 

 take it out of their pockets to-morrow. Our opinion, should we put 

 it upon record, would be received with ridicule throughout the 

 country. We had better follow the good old thirteenth command- 

 ment, and " mind our own business." 



