Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-08
An Experiment wish The Freedmen.

An Experiment vvIth the Freedmen.
Mr.. Philbrick, Of Boston, communicates
10 ths.E4eping Post letter descriptive Of
the results Of the employment Of Freed
men IN the cultivation Of abandoned plan
iations ct Port Royal As this question
has already begun to absorb considerable
attention among those who have an inter-
est In the welfsre Of the bisok race in this
country, We2RropOse to examine this re-
port. Mr.. El1brick went to Port Royal
in March 1862. he purchased eleven
sbsndOnsd plantations. These he eultiVs.
ted withpaid negro labor.
The experiment Of course had to be con-
Quoted under sll the embarrsssments that
astend the work. The sbls-bOdied men
ere mostly in the srmy so that he had
70 rely upon the women and children
mainly.
Tho lsborers were made responsible for
fhsir own food. each one having, about II
sores upon which to grow provisions.
Each family was allowed TO choose as
much land for the raising Of cotton as it
might see ft, they being responsible for
their cotton crop and their pay being de-
tsrmined by the amount Of cotton raised.
Ar. Philbriek states that the amount Of
labor these freedmen accomplished was
sbsut twice the amount they usually per-
formed in state Of slavery. They were
10 be paid when the crop was gathered;
bat in order to supply their necessities
payments were made from time to time,
according to the number Of acres hoed.
when the crop was gathered they were
paid by the pound.
The amount Of wages earned by each
was 55 cents q day in addition to house
rent and rent Of land for raising his pro-
visions.
The whole number of lsborers employed
On the 1S estates was 400. They raised
$4,000 lbs. Of cotton, about two thirds the
former average crop. The deficiency was
due 10 the fact that the estates were insuE-
Aeiently manured and taken possession Of
ct rather late season. The entire ex-
pense in raising the cotton WAS $4,000.
Making proper allowances for other things
che cost Of the cotton was about 81 cents.
This is considerably below the cost Of rails
ing sea island cotton before the war.
The two hundred bales THIS raised were
produced BY capital Of SAC, 900, while un-
der ths old system the amount of cspitsI
required would have been at least SIS, 900. |
After stating these general results the
writer proceeds to discuss the general
question Of employing freedmen.
The chief difficulty he met with was in
securing their confidence. Their past ex-
psrisnes has led them to mistrust the
Whits man.
Among people, who are mainly con-
tent to satisfy their simplest daily necessi-
ties, great industry is not to bo expected,
unless more civilized wants can be created
in them When this is done, the freedman
ls ambitious to compete with others for the
means necessary to crafty these new
wants. For this purpose FIVE stores were
started upon these plantations where there
was sold nearly $4,000 worth of plain
cloth, domestic utensils, hardware tools,
food, soap, Sc.
This experiment proved that cotton can
Be raised at from one-sixth to one-eighth
lb present cost. Sea island cotton is
worth Sl.50 8 pound at present.
We think Mr.. PhiIbriek takes correct
view Of the future civilization Of the freed
men. If they are to become industrious,
self-reliant and civilized it must be
done under the guidance Of the
white man, under his superior in
lelligenOe and with the greater knowledge
be possesses. Emerson declares that all
men are BY nature lazy. II is only IS
nsoessity or the creation Of new wants
lnd desires stimulates industry that we
Ind even Anglo ssxons proving capable
md energetic.
The Mississippi valley and other valleys
" the South, the best cotton lands Of the
ROrld, are before long to be thrown open
. the industry and enterprise of both the
black and white races.
The policy which our government shall
'ursus in regard to the occupation and
cultivation Of these lands is Of momente-
'us consequences 10 the future Of the negro {
ace. We cannot agree with Mr.. Phil
rick that these lands should BIS sold at
heir full marketvslue to all classes. The
negro has lien upon the abandoned
plantations. Helhas spent too much Of
lis life In unrequited labor not to be per.
aitted to enjoy the blessings Of his own
rsehold, at the lowest rates possible.
Let these lands be government land, &C.
ssSible, ct least to the negro, for the (;
mall sum Of 81, ,25 per acre. I
What If they do pocket the difference j
absequsntly7 If they should sell plan
.tion thsy bought low for q high rate, \
hey surely get no more than they have i
'ng been entitled to, as the reward Of un-
ed iabors. t
Nov is the time to begin the great work q
{ fpecpling the South with a loyal, free r
nd industrious race. Let the Mississippi, v
ron Cairo to New Orleans, be lined with ii
Ae plantations Of freedmen and Union b
wing men, both white and black, and the cl
athsr OfWaters can never sgain pass in c,
rebellious hsnda. Al