The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-06-21
Labor After the War.


Tho army is to be gradually disbandcd
and the soldiers dismissed to their homes.
Even now this is in process Of compile.
ton and men who have seen little SER
vice are returning once more to their
families. How will this effect the inter-
est Of the working classes? Will there
be such an excess Of laborers after the
war as to reduce the wages to very low
standard? We think not. The soldiers
us they return will be readily absorbed
in the ranks Of society, and for the most
part return to their old avocations.
The demand for agricultural labor in
the west will be very great. Those who
do. not choose to labor for others, under
the homestead law, can take up piece Of
land and 60 to work for themselves. In
the South the demand for agricultural as
we'll as mechanical labor will be very
great, far surprising that of any former
period. The trade Of Southern cities will
in a great measure fall into the hands Of
energetic Northern men. The rich lands
Of the Southern States will no longer be
held by bloated aristocracy, who, un-
der the forced servitudc Of the negro
failed to procure even tithc Of what it
was capable Of producing. These lands
instead Of being held in large tracts will
be divided into small parcels and fall in.
TO the hands Of men who do not deem
labor disgrace. This class will dcvcl.
op the resources Of vast region Of cQun.
try, that hitherto has added very little
to the material wealth Of the Nation.
They will be the vitalizing element under
which the South will spring up and BIOS
som as the rose. Millions Of acres tccm.
ing with richness arc yet to be cultiva.
ted by free labor, BY skilled labor, which
will produce tcnfold that heretofore OBJ.
,ained under the paralysiug system Of
slavery.
The poor whites Of the South, so long
kept in ignorance, and under despotic
rule, will require as long training as the
free negroes to bring them up to the
standard of industry and sclf:rcliancc
which the poorest man in the North
finds natural to himself, Those Of this
class of poor whites, whom the fortunes
Of war have thrown into the Northern
States, have proven moro indolent and
less capable of self maintenance than
the grossly ignorant "eontraband." 1t
is certainty that most Of our farmers
find the colorcd man more profitable as
farm hand than the lower classes Of
whites.
Now in these matters in the South our
hardy, thrifty working men will take the
lead They will not only achieve wealth
and comfort for themselves, but the in.
crcasiug prosperity Of the South will do.
mand every available exercise Of their
skill and ingenuity at fair wages. This
class Of men havo bright prospect for
the future. They arc to form the bone
and sincw Of the South, in fact will be
the South.
Labor has been scarce and high for
four years past. The vast multitude Of
men connected with the transportation
service of the army, and at military posts
will be thrown out Of employ in that
line. This is being new done every.
where. Men for years in employ of the
Quartermas;er at high wages, arc being
discharged in great numbers, and are
obliged to look around for something to
support themselves and families. But
they need not look far. Tho field for
labor is large. Homes for all are wait
ing, and they who arc wise will not dc.
lay in looking after them at once, before
tho mears saved from their last years Ia.
Dor becomes exhausted. "Unclc Sam
is rich enough to give US all farm"
1t is waiting for those who will accept it.
They who loter around the streets wait.
ing for something to turn up, may find
that at last the harvest is over, ana they
are not provided for.
IL is on the whole, impossible for any
man of judgment to doubt, that our
country is about to enter on an uncxam'
pied period of activity and prosperity,
by which not only the losses Of the war
will soon be recovered, but the general
wealth and happiness of society be in
creased in a ratio far beyond that which
would have occurred had We remained at
peace. Let all then start out IN the
great race just opening, with determi-
nation to carve for themselves living,
and that store of comforts, which indus.
try, energy and perseverance,, never fail
to secure for those who practice them
Gailpolis Journal