Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-01-15
4 FAD ALTERNATIVE COULD 1T RE
TOAEisATED-"CGOLIE LABOR PRO.
POSED

There is project in contemplation in the
cotton States amongst certain persons who
cannot accept the situation, which we hope. if
1t takes shape the Government will put its
foot upon,-the project of importing "CoolieS"
to replace the disorganized labor down there :
movement so contrary to everything that
looks to the permanent welfare of this country
that 1t Is amazing, after the lessons received,
that any can be found unwise enough to enter
tain it. But the fact becomes more and more
evident, that the last thing which certain of
the great landholders entertain, is the idea of
surrendering any portion of what,-under the
old condition Of things-cOnstituted their i'm
portance; their landed ''dignity;" and so.
twisting and turning in every direction for am
alternative, they hope by constituting large
body of laborers in some shape that will as OF
old constitute 'caste,' they may avoid that
approximation to the character of those great
free commonwealth which they cannot con
sent to pattern after, even if it bring increased
prosperity.
The truth is, those States have either GOT to
pursue the same course, the same policy that
has as by miracle peopled the great North and
West, or they must consent to stay behind in
the race towards greatness. They must not
only consent to Il raiiety of free labor, but
they must encourage skilled industry by every
means in their power. And whatever they
might do under the old system, in making
others-an inferior body of men, -''hewcrs OF
Of Il,
awaken TO the stern fact that at this period IN
the nineteenth century, the outside world
let it be represented by any people they look
TO to aid them-will not seek them out to
accept a low servitude, lrhen the arh0le coaf-
nent 'cih cheap lands and Splendjd Wiuiaq
facilities inriteS them to q better destiny.
The mere fact that men from the old world
with demonstrated enterprise enough to seek
our shores in order to improve their con
dition first land-the bulk of them-n the
old States, settles that question. Be they
Germans. Irish. Swede& or any Of those many
races besides, who, oyercrowdcl at home find
their way hither, they cannot have inter
changed ideas with their countrymen long
resident here, for a single day, without learn
ing which way their interests call them and
when they learn that for single years steady
labor IN the Northwest they can become land
holders themselves, are not the planters ofthe
South out Of their senses almost, to suppose
that those people will seek them out, with no
prospects whatever of soon securing perma-
nent homes for themselves?
Why, how has this thing worked in States
like Illinois, even; commonwealth that could
hold ont as good inducements, at least. as a,!v
hitherto, for labor of this kind? 1t has been
the case constantly that newly arrived foreign
ers, unable TO speak our language. have on
their arrival hired themselves for brief period.
from a month to a whole year. Yet as soon
as the laborer found that his eighty or one
hundred dollars, when earned, would pur.
chase, no matter how small piece of land. he
has at once transferred himself and his be-!
endeavors to it, in order as soon as possible to
found a home for himself. The South can do
no better than this, at the best and attempt-
ing to keep men down by yearly contracts"
by ''tenancieS,' by "Coolic' labor or what not
and its whole labor must be constantly auctu
ating, and to that extent, that those States
must be permanently held back in their pro-
gress.
What the South really wants in contradis-
tinction to all this is substantial citizeas:
those who having an interest in the soil. will
= r.I, +I,~;r Ioot ~----.: - 80 .1.o.,
selves individually, and by direct consequence.
the commonwealth and society in all their
interests. And so long as the planters ATTEMPT
to evade these conditions, so long as they con-
tlnue to hold county meetings having for
their object the retaining of their bulky and
now unwleldy estates, intact, Just so long will
anything like solid prosperity be postponed.
just long will their dire perplexities continue.
What the South wants above all things lust
now, is, stimulus to labor; and it requires
no profound knowledge of the principIcs of
political economy to see that it is on the wrong
track With but one or two prominent cx-
ceptons, it is a melancholy fact, that there
has been nothing like liberal spirit mani
tested down there in settling upon the question
OF compensation for labor Banding together.
combining to pay five or six dollars per month
for labor which at the advanced rates for cot
ton is worthy nearer thirty, the planters COM
plain bitterly that the freedmen and the Ger
mans who drift into those States cannot anprc.
cate their hberality, and will not labor for
them. Why, when cotton was seven to ten
cents per pound, negro labor was rated at one
hundred and fifty to sixty per year for field |
hands; and now when it is at forty cents and
a rising. market, the planters propose to pay |
sixty or seventy! To be sure, the negro is to
lind his own clothing, but all know how little |
1t took to do him in the past
No, let the South cease to reach out for |
Goodies" and cease to disparagc and snub |
the labor right within reach. 1t wants .'re- |
construction in its industrial interests. even
worse than it does in its political rights and |
privileges. And until it absolutely consents |
to pattern after those great free common
wealths 1t has in the years past fallen behind, |
until 1t takes lessons from them, beating the
whole world as these have done, it will never
make anything like a steady march to a. better
tuture. 1t wants no Coolies, until it has
somehow disposed of the four millions of
laborers within its control to the advantage of
all concerned, not then even; and if the plant.
ers are already burdened with a class they
cannot admit to the full rights of citizenship.
It would be but burdening themselves with
new difficulties in adding to the multitude of
neEgibles. But we have no fear that we have
to contemplate in fact any such condition of
the Government would permit
Coolies by the cargo to be landed here at all.
They may stray in individually, as have their
'ountrymen into California; but when it is
notorious how little welcome they are there.
shall the same plague be brought upon the
Atlantic States, or any portion of them. and
all here not join in protesting against such a
contingency?
We repeat it-let the South pursue more
liberal policy with its dependents, or those
Who may chance to become So if it wonId
emerge from its difficulties; let it not s.drive
bargains so !'hard,' that it must excite the
of the whole outside world. and
,cep everybody from aiding in the develop
nent of its splendid natural resources.