The Labor Situation by Payson Sibley Wild
Bill grumbles while grooming his horse Gray, resenting praise for distant workers who demand higher pay after others sacrificed everything to fight for just thirty dollars.
By Payson Sibley Wild · First published 1869 · Genre: Social Commentary, Poetry, Labor Literature · 151 words
First lines
"Don't hardly seem fair," said Bill with a hitch
Tew his gallus-the other was busted-
"Fer the papers an' all, the public an' sich"- / An' I seen he was kind o' disgusted-
"Ter praise up the workers ter home an' not fitin' / An' gittin' all kinds o' big pay,
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Genres
- Social Commentary — The poem directly critiques labor strikes and worker demands, contrasting workers' complaints with soldiers' sacrifices abroad, presenting a satirical perspective on labor disputes.
- Poetry — The work is structured as verse with rhyming couplets and rhythmic patterns characteristic of early 20th-century narrative poetry.
- Labor Literature — The central subject matter concerns workers' strikes, compensation disputes, and labor movement grievances, making it a core exploration of labor issues.
- Historical Fiction — The text references WWI soldiers ('boys over there') and reflects the early 20th-century labor movement period, providing historical context and commentary.
Tags
labor strikes · worker wages · wage demands · military sacrifice · soldier hardship · post-war resentment · wage inequality · patriotism · class conflict · working-class voice · rural setting · farm labor
What this Textopian page supports
The Labor Situation is listed on Textopian as a short story by Payson Sibley Wild, dated 1869 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Payson Sibley Wild
- Date: 1869 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Social Commentary, Poetry, Labor Literature, Historical Fiction, American Literature
- Length: 151 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Labor Situation by Payson Sibley Wild
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