La sentinelle de Thibodaux. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 1861-1866, 1865-11-25
IMPORTED LABOR,

hands in the South, is one of the mooted
questions of the day, and the securing OF
means for the accomplishing that end is
diligently set forth in the light of a me-
cessity by agricultural and political econ
omists. Labor being the true wealth to a
nation, and the inefheienoy of the system,
as it exists at present inthe South, tend
ing to strengthen every day the eonvic-
tons of the people as to the expediency
and wisdom of testing the experiment. OF
foreign labor, it is not unlikely that before
the next planting season, we shall see in
tt oduced upon our soil, a large supply of
laborers from abroad, of the European as
well as Asiatic stripe.
In some of the West India islands,
where Coolie labor has existed for a long
while, under the apprenticeship system
hedged in by legislative provisions, it has
been found to require amuch smaller out
lay Of capital than is necessary for the ac-
QUESTION of slaves The coolies are subject
ed to a severe regimesf work and discipline,
though they are said no to stend the eli
mate as well and are not as good laborers
as tie African slaves. They are represent
ed as naturally mild and doeile, and saga
cious withal, and make good house SER
wants.
Mr., j. Little Smith, of Mobile, whose
letter or Coolie labor we find in a late
number Of the n. 0. Crescent, after fur
nishing some very important statistics
bearing upon the subject, closes with the
following remarks:
Whether it be wise to .endeavor to In
troduce the Chinese, should webe able to
obtain such Legislation as win force all
men to specifically perform the labor they
may contract to do, depends upon the
questions whether these Chinese have a
superior adaptability to the particular
kind of work to be done in this climate,
and whether this superiority is so great
rs to make up for the inferiority of this
race for energy and enterprise, compared
with that Of ordinary emigrants to this
country.
My own opinion is, that they would be
able to work the river and swamp lands.
which the caucasian races are not likely
TO work, but they will do so only when
they are introduced in such numbers as
to make this necessary by the force of
competition in labor. And the fact that
those whose apprenticeship in Cuba has
expired, do not willingly continued to la
Dor in the fields, tends to show this, but
it does do SO conclusively ; for all the ev-
ilence / have IN the subject leads to the
conclusion that they are very harshly
+, eated on the plantations of that island.
While we endeayor wisely to increase
the number of laborers. let as also strive
to increase the produce of such labor as
we now have. and to induce the people of
the United States IN general to allow us
to do SO, and to convince them that it is
most easy. TO do so. that they have only
not to act at all : that they have only to
refrain from doing harm both to them
selves and to US; that they have only to
let ussproride for the most unrestrained
competition of labor and the employment
Of capital, and that capital and labor will
SO operate, naturally, and by their own
movement, in the directions most suitable
to the individual interests of the capital
lists and of the laborers, and most favora-
bic to the increase of the national wealth.
Mr.. Du gallon, a native of Louisiana,
who was long engaged In the cultivation of
sugar in this State with slave labor. and
afterwards in the French Islandof Guada-
loupe, with freed labor, under the system
in%pagurateds by the French Revelation sof
1913, faYors the n. O. Picdguae with some
very interesting and valuable intelligence
and views relative to the two systems
which he has tried. He t~estifies that freed
labor as at present controlled by French
Legislation and administration has proved
a decided success in Gaudaloupe and the
Isle of Bourbon, to which colonies his sbe-
cial observation has been limited. In Qua
daloupe, the projection has been largely
increased. with the population the sugar
exported amounting to $4,000 hogslleads
of lbs. each, against 5000, the lar
gest crop raised under the slave system.
Other products, such as coffee and cocoa
which under the old system were. entire
ly consumed in the island, are now expor-
ted in considerable Quantities. N tho
island Of Bourbon, the production has,
been more than doubled under the pres
ent system.
In the British West Indies. where the
effects of emancipation have been most
disastrous, and the prospects for agricul-
tural development continue to be very
gloomy, they have no such system Of free
labor /; nor has the element Of foreign la
Dor yet been systematically incorporated
among them. The superior condition Of
the French West Indies to that of the
neighboring British colonies, is aecoun-
ted for by Mr.. Du gallon in the two
main facts, first Of the large introduction
Of Asiatic laborers which has brought
competition to bear upon the naturally in
indoIent freed negro. and stimulated his
industry and emulation and second. the
adoption of q rigid police and vagrant sys-
tenn, which places the negro between the
alternatives of laboring on the plantations
or on the pnblis works.
For the first description Of labor he is
well paid and literally provided for, and
allowed a large liberty and many privi-
leges for the second his pay is a mere
tribe, the labor is very severe and he il
subjected to many restraints. This sys-
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