The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-03-14
From the Charleston Eve,in9 Ne,cs.
( Louisiana and Cuba.

article from the New Orleans Picay9ne. as eni..
tbracing social and economic views;of the ut
| most importance, on the effects Of the appren-
ticeship system in the Island of. Cuba:
The question of labor in Cuba is becoming
one great, interest to the South, and in par.
ticular to our own State, not only inthat point
of view. which regards its POLITICAL and social
tendencies, but in Its economic effect upon our
own immediate interests. We have laid very
fully before our readers the measures which
have been taken by the Spanish Government
in that, island to suppress the African Slave
trade that has been 'illicity carried on there
for the last twenty-four years; the liberation
! of that class known as "Emancipados;;n the in.
stitution Of a new code of laws for the govern!
ment of a class OF apprsnticed euiisrauts /; and
the subsequent acts of that gogernmenment by
| which we may judge in. some degree OF the re-.
al intentions which animate it. ;, We haze no;
doubt ourselves, and We believe very little, if
any exists in the minds Of any person, that the,
published orders. and DEGREES do not declare
].the real desire ind aim Of the Government,
but that il has some covert object in view,
which it is unwilling to declare TO tile world IS
Circumstances of strong character, aud:
the public and private; correspondence frpH,
! Havana, all concur 10 spofating to simmig
of aborers from Africa on !. large scale rs
the real immediate point to, which ihes gov
eminent directs its attention, to be followed.
fsat a later period by total emancipation of the
Eblaek race on that island, from those compul.
Esory labors which now make of SO muchsinl:s
portance; ITO the commercial !. and economic
world. Expeditions for thescoast Of africa,
fitted in precisely the same manner as those
which in past years went for slaves, depart ev-
cry week from the ports Of the island .;and even
from one of our:own, if all that is said be true;
while po|step any kind are taken, notwiths q
standing its having been declared an open
trade. ahdthat the agricultural necessities of
the countryscall earnestly for it, to bring Coo
lies or Chinese from the distant regions Of East
sern Asia. At. the same time the Government
itself asks ofits several officers an expression
Of opinionas to the best manner Of establish
ing system Of African apprenticeship, (which
has not yet been declared alawGul institution)
and III what way.the apprentices can be most
easily brought in large numbers. 80
Without entering.into a labored discussion
of the ultimate effect of such q suicidal course
upon the white race, and the political aud so:2a
cial relations Of Cuba, We propose totpresent[
a few reflections as to its immediate effect up
the productive capabilities of thatisland, and
by natural sympathy, upon the great staple
interests of Louisiana.
The sugar cane culture has been for some.l
thing more than quarter of a century the pre-
dominant labor there; and carried on under all
slave labor its exports of sugar rose from lOO,-
tons in 1880, to 100000 tons in ls4S, where
it has remained stationary from the sole fact
that Cuba had no more labor to expend upon
its soil. All the applianccs&of improved mas
chinery and better systems of cultivation have
been resorted to, bus the increased product is
only small annual percentage upon the total, |
The great increase was effected on the trans.
fer of labor from the less. profitable culture OF
coffee, and from domestic occupations, until
about the time we have mentioned, the export
of the berry had become nullity, and labor
had found its level by an equal distribution
through all the channels of productive occupa-.
ton.
Then commenced the great demand for Ia.
borers which has for the last FIVE years presen-
ted the principal problem for economic solu.
ton. New lands were being continually open
by private enterprise, under the stimulus ofpast
profits and easy accessibility to d ready mar
ket for their products, and the price of able
bodied field hands rose from from $3.50, their.
former average, to $50, their present one. But
the limit of home supply had been resched.-I
There were no branches of less productive Ia.
Dor from, which to withdraw hands, and the
amount of product Of their great staple, sugar,
had reached its maximum capacity under the
present population Of the country. lmmigra-
tions of Indians from Yucatan, and Chinese
from the Asian Archipelago, were tried and
failed. The planters still cried, ave must lave
more labor" ..
It is this plaint which the government has
skiIfully taken advantage for u political pur-
pose. 1t was announced, in quiet way, to
the planters of Cuba, that their necessities
must be relieved by large importations of ap-
prenticed Africans, for the importation Of Al.
rican slaves is opposed by the spirit of the age,
and Uy the general tone and direction OF the
European idea, with which the political instl
tutions of Cuba are much more nearly allied
than with those of America. Bright visions OF
the immense profits which are TO accrue to the
sugar grower in Cuba, through large labor
immigration, which shall. reduce the value OF:
negroes from $3.50 to 5000 q piece, which are
held up to view, and a time Of imaneasarable
prosperity is confidently predicted for the is-
land. Ii these new measures are carried out,
we do not doubt these hopes will lie partially
realized, and for term of Yeas the yield ol
sugar will increase in o ratio unprecedented IN
history, and at reduction of cost to the pro-
duccr, which will preclude all competition
Wo have had one fruitful example OF the ope,
ration of similar causes in the rapid growth OF
tho s,oor mud coffee culture of Brazil while the