=====+================================== | Wage-workers +---------------------------------- | 1882 1895 1907 -----+---------------------------------- Agr: | M | 3,629,959 3,239,646 3,028,983 F | 2,251,860 2,388,148 4,254,488 --+---------------------------------- T | 5,881,819 5,627,794 7,283,471 | Ind: | M | 3,551,014 4,963,409 7,030,427 F | 545,228 992,302 1,562,698 --+---------------------------------- T | 4,096,243 5,955,711 8,593,125 | Com: | M | 582,885 836,042 1,354,482 F | 144,377 365,005 605,043 --+---------------------------------- | 727,262 1,201,047 1,959,525 | Alt: | M | 7,763,858 9,071,097 13,694,160 F | 2,941,455 3,745,455 4,161,961 --+---------------------------------- T |10,705,324 12,816,552 17,856,121 -----+---------------------------------- This table shows that the number of persons independently engaged in agriculture increased by 280,692 from 1882 to 1895, an increase of 12.5 per cent.; but that from 1895 to 1907 it decreased by 67,751, so that from 1882 to 1907 the number of independent persons in agriculture has increased by only 212,941 = 9.2 per cent. On the other hand the number of workingmen that had decreased by 254,025 = 4.3 per cent., from 1882 to 1895, has, since 1895, increased by 1,655,677 = 29.4 per cent. Upon examining this increase more closely we find that it is mainly due to female members helping to support the families. (Among the total increase of 1,990,930 are 170,532 male and 1,820,938 female.) When we take only the rural day-laborers and help into consideration, we find that the male workers have ~decreased~ by 381,195 persons, while the female workers have increased by 45,942 persons. Altogether this shows the considerable decrease of 335,253 persons among agricultural laborers. In agriculture, then, not only the number of independent persons, but also the number of help and day laborers has decreased. The increase in the agricultural occupation, compared to the previous census, is due to the greatly increased assistance from members of the families, especially the female members. The industrial occupation presents a different picture. In a term of 25 years the persons independently employed decreased by 234,024 = 10.6 per cent., while the population increased by 36.48 per cent. Mechanics, working alone or working with two assistants, have mainly disappeared. The number of wage-workers has increased by 1,859,468 from 1882 to 1895, and by 2,637,414 from 1895 to 1907. When we count only the wage-workers proper, not including the members of their families who assist at their work, we find that their number has increased from 5,899,708 in 1895 to 8,460,338 in 1907. Three-quarters of all persons employed in industrial occupations are wage-workers (75.16 per cent.).