CODEBOOK AND USERS' MANUAL: A SURVEY OF 5,600 MALE FARM LABORERS IN MICHIGAN, 1894; REPORTED IN THE TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MICHIGAN BUREAU OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS Version 2.1 June 29, 1993 Susan B. Carter Roger L. Ransom Richard Sutch Hongcheng Zhao Historical Labor Statistics Project Institute of Business and Economic Research University of California Berkeley, California 94720 This codebook is a preliminary draft. The data described here and accompanying this version of the codebook is still in a preliminary format and may contain errors. Those wishing to use this data for research purposes should check with the authors for an update. Neither the collectors of the data or those sponsoring the data collection wish to bear responsibility for the use to which others may make of this data. The financial support of the National Science Foundation, the All-UC Group in Economic History, and of the Institute of Business and Economic Research and the Laboratory for Historical Research, both of the University of California, is appreciated. For further description of the Historical Labor Statistics Project, discussion of the social, economic, and political context in which the data were collected, and an assessment of data quality, see Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, and Richard Sutch, "The Historical Labor Statistics Project at the University of California," Historical Methods 24 (2) (Spring 1991): 52-65 and Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, and Richard Sutch, "Doing the Wright Thing: Carroll Wright and the State Labor Statistics Movement." Paper Presented at the Conference on Historical Labor Statistics, Lawrence, Kansas, June 1991. Suggested Citation: Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, Richard Sutch, and Hongcheng Zhao. Codebook and User's Manual: A Survey of 5,600 Male Farm Laborers in Michigan, 1894; Reported in the Twelfth Annual Report of the Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics. Berkeley: Institute of Business and Economic Research, 1993. A SURVEY OF 5,600 MALE FARM LABORERS IN MICHIGAN, 1894 In an effort to obtain a satisfactory canvass of unorganized labor in the State, the Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics persuaded the Secretary of State to include special schedules concerning the agricultural laboring population of both sexes with the regular state census forms for the 1895 state census. Enumerators were instructed to select a representative sample of male and female farm laborers to interview. In its instructions to enumerators the Bureau wrote: It is desirable to have full statistics covering the situation of men working on farms and women doing housework. A canvass of all these people would result in the accumulation of a mass of statistics much of which would be simply repetitions. Blank schedules are furnished enumerators to canvass nine men and six women, working on farms or doing housework, in each township. Enumerators will endeavor to make these statistics representative of the situation of these people that the information may show a fair average of their condition. [1] The Bureau added: "The value of this information will depend very much on the intelligence displayed by enumerators in this canvass." [2] The schedules included questions on the personal characteristics of the farm laborers, their working conditions on farms, and their alternative employment opportunities. The Bureau expressed some disappointment in the results. Although it felt that its instructions were "as full and explicit as it was possible to make them, and it would seem that no mistake could be made," nonetheless, [S]ome enumerators failed to understand them, and in some towns where it is well known there are twenty or more people working for wages either in the field or doing housework, not a schedule was returned. [3] But overall the Bureau was pleased with the results. It will be seen that the ones tabulated are well scattered over the different counties of the lower peninsula and they will furnish accurate information of the average condition of the men and women who work for wages on the farms of Michigan. [4] The Historical Labor Statistics Project has transformed these data into machine-readable form using the procedures and codes outlined in this Codebook. This Codebook describes the survey of 5,600 male farm laborers. Table 1 lists the questions asked in the survey and the variable names assigned to each response. Tables 2 through 24 present descriptive statistics on the values and distributions of responses to the questions asked including, where necessary, the numeric codes used in entering the data into the computer. Since version 2.0, some of the variable names and variable codes have been changed. Some data errors in WAGE have also been corrected. Users are reminded to be aware of these changes. The data from this sample of 5,600 farm laborers in Michigan in 1894 has been archived at the Laboratory for Historical Research at the University of California, Riverside. For additional information regarding the availability of these data please contact: Professor Roger Ransom Department of History University of California Riverside, CA 92521 FAX [909] 787-5299 NOTES [1] Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics, Twelfth Annual Report, Year Ending February 1, 1895. Lansing, Michigan: Robert Smith & Co., State Printers and binders, 1895: 1. [2] Ibid.: 3. [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid. Table 1 Questions Asked of Respondents A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Name Description PAGE Page Number ID Case Number RES County of Residence POB Nativity AGE Age MS Marital Status FAMSIZE Number in Family WINWK Are You Troubled to Find Employment during Winter MONTHS Months Worked Past Year MLOST Months not Working Past Year DLOST Days not Working Past Year WHY Cause for not Working UWAGE Unit of Wage Level WAGE Average Wage RENT In addition to Wages do You Receive Rent? FUEL In addition to Wages do You Receive Fuel? COW In addition to Wages do You Receive Cow Pasture? TEAM In addition to Wages do You Receive Use of a Team? GARDEN In addition to Wages do You Receive Use of a Garden? PERIOD How Often are Wages Paid? WGDEC1 What Percent have Wages been Reduced in Past Year? WGINC1 What Percent have Wages been Increased in Past Year? WGDEC5 What Percent have Wages been Reduced in Past Five Year? WGINC5 What Percent have Wages been Increased in Past Five Year? MORE Can You Earn more than Enough for Necessaries for Self and Family? TOTEAR Total Earnings Past Year SAVINGS Amount of Money Saved last Year COLDEC1 What Percent has Cost of Living Decreased in Past Year? COLINC1 What Percent has Cost of Living Increased in Past Year? COLDEC5 What Percent has Cost of Living Decreased in Past Five Year? COLINC5 What Percent has Cost of Living Increased in Past Five Year? BETTER1 Are Times Better or Worse than One Year Ago? BETTER5 Are Times Better or Worse than Five Years Ago? FRATORG To What Fraternal Organization do You Belong? INSLIFE How Much Life Insurance does It Include? BENEFIT How Much Weekly Sick Benefits? OINSLIFE How Much other Life Insurance have You? Table 2 County of Residence [RES] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code County Frequency 1 Alcona 20 2 Allegan 151 3 Alpena 38 4 Antrim 61 5 Arenac 17 6 Barry 87 7 Bay 64 8 Benzie 29 9 Berien 134 10 Branch 126 11 Calhoun 154 12 Cass 103 13 Charlevoix 53 14 Cheboygan 37 15 Clare 29 16 Clinton 101 17 Crawford 8 18 Eaton 112 19 Emmet 32 20 Genesee 141 21 Gladwin 24 22 Grand Traverse 69 23 Gratiot 103 24 Hillsdale 120 25 Huron 115 26 Ingham 111 27 Ionia 109 28 Iosco 20 29 Isabella 60 30 Jackson 142 31 Kalamazoo 126 32 Kalkaska 26 33 Kent 156 34 Lake 26 35 Lapeer 117 51 LeeLanau 35 52 Lenawee 164 53 Livingston 109 54 Macomb 90 55 Manistee 41 56 Mason 48 57 Mecosta 104 58 Midland 63 59 Missaukee 39 60 Monroe 79 61 Montcalm 117 62 Montmorenoy 20 63 Muskegon 68 64 Newaygo 110 65 Oakland 215 66 Oceana 65 67 Ogemaw 34 68 Osceola 62 69 Oscoda 26 70 Otsego 27 71 Ottawa 80 72 Presque Isle 27 73 Roscommon 9 74 Siginaw 149 75 Sanilac 156 76 Shiawassee 100 77 St. Clair 134 78 St. Joseph 96 79 Tuscola 125 80 Van Buren 107 81 Washtenaw 136 82 Wayne 111 83 Wexford 33 Total 5,600 Table 3 Nativity [POB] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 120 1 America 3,220 3 Australia 4 4 Austria 1 5 Belgium 6 6 Bohemian 2 8 Denmark 41 10 Finland 2 15 Italy 3 16 Norway 16 17 Poland 28 18 Russia 8 20 Sweden 64 21 Switzerland 15 31 Bavaria 3 32 Japan 1 33 Netherlands 2 34 Prussia 19 35 Dutch 39 36 Welsh 1 38 Indian 1 50 Canada 423 70 England 425 71 Scotland 92 73 Ireland 182 76 France 78 78 Holland 78 79 German 726 Total 5,600 Table 4 Age [AGE] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Age or code Frequency -9(No response) 45 14 - 15 years old 11 16 - 20 680 21 - 25 1,409 26 - 30 1,152 31 - 35 776 36 - 40 612 41 - 45 379 46 - 50 259 51 - 55 143 56 - 60 72 61 - 65 42 66 - 70 13 71 - 75 6 76 - 85 1 Total 5,600 Table 5 Marital Status [MS] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No Response 19 1 Single 2,970 2 Married 2,466 3 Widowed 142 4 Divorced 3 Total 5,600 Table 6 Number in Family [FAMSIZE] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Number or code Frequency -9 3,040 1 person 5 2 554 3 636 4 545 5 323 6 246 7 116 8 82 9 37 10 7 11 5 12 3 14 1 Total 5,600 Table 7 Find Employment During Winter Months? [WINWK] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No Response 296 1 No 3,138 2 Yes 2,166 Total 5,600 Table 8 Months Worked and Not Working Past Year A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Frequency Months Worked Not Working or code [MONTHS] [MLOST] -9(No response) 3 1,808 1.00 month 10 561 1.01 - 2.00 20 793 2.01 - 3.00 65 621 3.01 - 4.00 73 790 4.01 - 5.00 81 356 5.01 - 6.00 425 425 6.01 - 7.00 356 81 7.01 - 8.00 790 73 8.01 - 9.00 620 65 9.01 - 10.00 793 21 10.01 - 11.00 562 6 11.01 - 12.00 1,805 0 Total 5,600 5,600 Table 9 Days Not Working Past Year [DLOST] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Days or code Frequency -9(No response) 5,183 1 - 5 days 72 6 - 10 97 11 - 15 228 16 - 21 20 Total 5600 Note: Some respondents reported both MLOST and DLOST. Table 10 Cause for Not Working [WHY] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 1,745 3 Away (visiting) 77 13 School 49 17 Sickness and vacation 5 22 Sickness or injury 549 24 Taking a rest 3 25 Traveling 3 26 Sickness and no work and indisposition 3 33 No work/lack of work 2,309 55 Holiday/vacation/pleasure 156 60 Self-employed 1 61 Bad weather 62 62 Other business 35 63 Indolence and lack of work 2 64 Bad weather and sickness 7 65 Bad weather and lack of work 23 66 At home 101 67 At home and lack of work 16 69 Resting 47 70 Indolence 6 71 Moving 2 72 Visiting and lack of work 3 74 Visiting and sickness and lack of work 2 75 Building 1 76 Indisposition and no work 2 77 Pleasure and sickness 4 78 Family sick and lack of work 1 81 Lack of work and sickness 237 82 Recreation 22 83 Resting and lack of work 3 84 Lack of work and old age 1 85 Resting and sickness 3 86 Indisposition 37 87 Recreation and lack of work 2 88 Lack of work, sickness & bad weather 2 89 Own work 6 90 At home and sickness 11 91 At school and sickness 5 92 Lack of work and moving 1 93 Lack of work and pleasure 2 94 Visiting and sickness 4 95 Business and sickness 3 96 Resting, sickness & lack of work 2 97 Holidays and sickness 2 98 Own work, sickness and lack of work 1 99 Absence 1 100 Job work and sickness 1 101 Funeral 1 102 At school and lack of work 4 104 Wages cut 1 105 Cold weather 1 106 Low wages 3 107 World's fair 1 108 Timeout 1 109 At home, lack of work & sickness 1 110 Lack of work & other business 1 111 Hunting 1 112 Idleness 6 127 Recreation and sickness 1 129 Other work 10 130 Pleasure 2 135 Business 2 136 Lack of work & vacation 1 202 Wounded 1 203 Other work, also lack of work 2 Total 5,600 Table 11 Unit of Wage Level [UWAGE] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code Description Frequency 1 Day 1,191 2 Week 4,409 Total 5,600 Table 12 Average Wage (combined monthly and daily values) [WAGE] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Wages Frequency If the answer to UWAGE in Table 11 is '1', $0.25 - 0.50 31 0.51 - 0.75 348 0.76 - 1.00 635 1.01 - 1.25 134 1.26 - 1.50 33 1.51 - 1.75 4 1.76 - 2.00 4 Subtotal 1,189 If the answer to UWAGE in Table 11 is '2', $1.50 - 5.00 6 5.01 - 10.00 141 10.01 - 15.00 1,037 15.01 - 20.00 2,692 20.01 - 25.00 312 25.01 - 30.00 178 30.01 - 35.00 25 35.01 - 40.00 11 40.01 - 45.00 5 45.01 - 50.00 4 Subtotal 4,411 Total 5,600 Table 13 What They Receive in Addition to Wages A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Frequency Code Response Rent Fuel Cow Team Garden [RENT] [FUEL ] [COW] [TEAM] [GARDEN] -9 No reponse 1,937 2,070 2,216 2,089 1,911 1 No 2,485 2,496 2,519 2,425 2,425 2 Yes 1,178 1,034 865 1,086 1,264 Total 5,600 5,600 5,600 5,600 5,600 Table 14 How Often Are Wages Paid? [PERIOD] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 269 1 On demand 2,236 2 Daily 84 3 Weekly 480 4 Two weekly 78 5 Monthly 1,933 6 Two monthly 54 7 Three monthly 173 8 Four monthly 13 9 Six monthly 122 10 Yearly 141 11 End of time 14 12 Semi-monthly 3 Total 5,600 Table 15 What Percent have Wages been Reduced in the Past One and Five Years? A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Frequency Percent In past year In past five years or code [WGDEC1] [WGDEC5] -9(No response) 587 1,324 -8(Decrease, no amount given) 87 182 -6(No change or same) 1,197 543 -5(Increased) 240 335 1 - 5 % 406 244 6 - 10 1,627 1,205 11 - 15 561 686 16 - 20 536 580 21 - 25 311 371 26 - 30 25 80 31 - 35 13 21 36 - 40 4 8 41 - 45 0 1 46 - 50 6 18 51 - 75 0 2 Total 5,600 5,600 Table 16 What Percent have Wages been Increased in the Past One and Five Years? A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Frequency Percent In past year In past five years or code [WGINC1] [WGINC5] -9(No response) 587 1,324 -7(Increase, no amount given) 24 42 -6(No change or same) 1,197 543 -5(Reduced) 3,576 3,398 1 - 5 % 57 61 6 - 10 111 125 11 - 15 29 44 16 - 20 11 40 21 - 25 6 16 26 - 30 1 2 31 - 50 1 5 Total 5,600 5,600 Table 17 Can You Earn More Than Enough for Necessaries? [MORE] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 322 1 No 2,282 2 Yes 2,996 Total 5,600 Table 18 Total Earnings Past Year [TOTEAR] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Value Frequency $8.00 - 50.00 57 50.01 - 100.00 413 100.01 - 150.00 1,281 150.01 - 200.00 2,120 200.01 - 250.00 1,076 250.01 - 851.00 653 Total 5,600 Table 19 Amount of Money Saved Last Year [SAVINGS] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 482 -8(Decrease, no amount given) 1 -6(No change or same) 2,572 $5.01 - 50.00 1,056 50.01 - 100.00 1,090 100.01 - 150.00 280 150.01 - 200.00 105 200.01 - 480.00 14 Total 5,600 Table 20 What Percent has Cost of Living been Reduced in the Past One and Five Years? A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Frequency Percent In past year In past five years or code [COLDEC1] [COLDEC5] -9(No response) 2,014 2,350 -8(Decrease, no amount given) 294 348 -6(No change or same) 1,395 672 -5(Increased) 315 273 1 - 5 % 411 274 6 - 10 741 757 11 - 15 230 395 16 - 20 125 342 21 - 25 58 148 26 - 30 8 29 31 - 70 9 12 Total 5,600 5,600 Table 21 What Percent has Cost of Living been Increased in the Past One and Five Years? A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Frequency Percent In past year In past five years or code [COLINC1] [COLINC5] -9(No response) 2,014 2,350 -7(Increase, no amount given) 49 41 -6(No change or same) 1,395 672 -5(Decreased) 1,876 2,305 1 - 5 % 53 35 6 - 10 124 91 11 - 15 44 50 16 - 20 26 30 21 - 25 16 16 26 - 30 2 7 31 - 40 1 3 Total 5,600 5,600 Table 22 Are Times Better or Worse Than One Year and Five Years Ago? A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Frequency Code Response One year ago Five years ago [BETTER1] [BETTER5] -9 No response 280 655 1 Worse 4,526 4,557 2 Better 187 146 3 Same 607 242 Total 5,600 5,600 Table 23 To What Fraternal Organization Do You Belong? [FRATORG] A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Code Abbr. Fraternal Organization Frequency -9 No response 4,779* 1 A.B.A. American Benefit Association 3 2 A.O.U.W. Ancient Order of United Workman 25 3 A.P.A. American Protective Association 18 4 B.ofR.T.M. Brotherhood of Railroad Track Men 1 5 B.K. of M. Black Knights of Molders 1 7 F. & A.M. Free and Accepted Masons 44 8 I.O.F. Independent Order of Foresters 46 9 I.O. of R.M Improved Order of Red Men 3 10 I.O.G.T. Independent Order Good Templars 18 11 I.O.O.F. Independent Order Odd Fellows 121 12 K. of L. Knights of Labor 7 13 K. of P. Knights of Pythais 9 14 K. of G.C. Knights of Golden Circle 1 15 K. of St. J Knights of St. John 3 16 K. of G.E. Knights of Golden Eagle 1 17 K. of H. Knights of Honor 3 18 K.O.T.M. Knights of the Maccabees 426 19 M.B.S. Mutual Benefit Society 1 20 M.W. of Am. Modern Woodmen of America 17 21 O. of U.F. Order of United Friends 3 22 O.C.F. Order of Chosen Friends 1 23 P.F. of A. Patriotic Friends of America 1 24 R.A. Royal Arcanum 1 25 S. of E. Sons of England 1 26 S.M.A.A. Scandinavian Mutual Aid Association 2 27 U.F.M. United Friends of Michigan 1 28 S. of St. G Sons of St. George 1 29 I.O.O.F. and I.O.G.T. 1 30 Orangemen 23 31 Arbeiter 8 32 A.U.V. 2 33 A.P.A. and I.O.G.T. 1 34 K.O.T.M. and I.O.O.F. 7 35 B.R.R.T. and I.O.F. 1 36 F. & A.M. and I.O.O.F. 3 37 K. of P. and A.O.U.W. 2 38 K.O.T.M. and I.O.G.T. 2 39 F. & A.M. and K.O.T.M. 2 40 I.O.F. and Orangemen 1 41 Royal Shepards 1 42 K.O.T.M. and K. of G.E. 1 43 K.O.T.M and I.O.F. 1 44 K.O.T.M and A.O.U.W. 1 51 I.O.O.F. and K. of G.E. 3 52 Brotherhood 1 55 Haro Zaro 1 Total 5,600 * This also includes those who answered 'None'. Table 24 Life Insurance and Benefits A Survey of 5,600 Michigan Farm Laborers, 1894 Frequency Value Life Weekly sick Other life or code insurance benefits insurance [INSLIFE] [BENEFIT] [OINSLIFE] -9(No response) 5,042* 5,393* 5,558* $65.00 - 500.00 19 187 6 500.01 - 1000.00 364 16 22 1000.01 - 1500.00 5 4 2 1500.01 - 2000.00 158 0 10 2000.01 - 8000.00 12 0 2 Total 5,600 5,600 5,600 * This also includes those who answered 'None'.