Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-11-10
THE LABOR EXPERIMENT IN THE
SOUTH A GEORGIAN'S EXPERT
ENCE. WITH BOTH BLACK AND
WHITE.


WHITE
The farmers in the vicinity of Augusta,
Ga, have an Agricultural Club, which
meets monthly to compare notes and discuss
the questions in which the members are in
terested On last Saturday a meeting was
held, and the following paper presented,
from one Of the leading citizens, upon the
subject Of farm labor, which will be read
with interest throughout the South:
Mn. CHAIRMAN: "At the commence.
ment Of the year i employed as many
negroes as / thought necessary for the culti-
walton Of my lands, but in consequence Of
portion of them being dissatisfied, dismissed
them, thinking / could procure others in
their places. In this / was disappointed,
and after repeated efforts TO obtain other
negroes, and failing, offering to pay them
SD 80 per month, was induced TO try
white labor. Consequently / wrote to my
brother-in-law, Major n. w. SMITH, in
New York, TO send me fifteen white labor
ers, which he did, thirteen men and two
women. They arrived in Augusta on the
18th of March, / paying their passage to
Savannah by steamer, and then by railroad
10 Augusta, at S25 each, and then was to
pay them at the rate for men So so per
month, and for the women So.
At the expiration of the first month, their
wages were paid them, and they insisted that
their wages should be raised for the men,
SIS and for the women SO; notwithstand-
ing they had made contract for the first
mentioned amount, before leaving New
York ] agreed 10 do so, as they worked
very faithfully. Their rations were corn
bread and bacon; rs they were unaccustomed
10 the corn, / gave them occasionally rye
and wheat bread with fresh beef, also vege-
tables, such as peas, turnips, sweet and Irish
potatoes, as soon as l raised them. l also
furnished them coffee, likewise their bed
ding. they furnishing their own clothing and
paving their doctors bill. AT the end Of the
second month several of the best workers
amongst them insisted on their wages being
increased still higher, two Of them Sl7 per
month. and one, who acted as a gardner, TO
SIS. / nut up the wages Of the two TO Sl7,
as they we're the best hands, and the gar
dener dismissed several of the Others left;
one of the women ! made cook and wash
for the men.
About that time a company was formed IN
Augusta for the purpose of introducing white
labor here. / became a member and went
on Ia New York as agent of the company
and brought on a hundred labOrers. 1 Sc
lected nine or more out Of those, having made
contracts with them in New York for So 80
per month for men and $40 for women.
/ found in a short time they were dissatis-
fed with their wages and increased them 70
SIS. By this time the weather became
rather warm, Of which they complained;
they also seemed dissatisfied with such IA
tions as were furnished them-I therefore
discharged them all, except one, whom
still have. then was able to procure a few
more negroes. further found that the last
eniprants did not work as well as thenegrOes,
even at higher wages and better fare.
have thus far entered infinitely into my ex-
pertinent with white foreign labor, and VIII
now give YOU my views. The laborers
are Obtained through companies established
in New York, called emigrant companies
They put forth pamphlets and handbiilS,
containing terms, and Offering TO iurnish
any number or class Of laborers, ana OF al
naiionalities, fresh from emigrant vessels
Instead Of this, however, when they, receive
an order. they send out rumor and gamer
an Tho drers Of the city Of New York, and
nh such as they can pick up and make from
tbree 10 ten dollars per head on each fur
ni.bed They charge both parties, the en-
,,lover ana employee, the fornerior furnish
mo laborers and the latter for getting situa-
lions. They bind both parties to contracts
which might do in the North but as we
have no laws 10 enforce such contracts IN
thc South. and as there is no honor IN such
characters. look upon those companies ana
most of the laborers as complete swlndlerS
and the sole object being 20 make all The
money they can out of the South, the socle-
lies Nv furnishing them, aud the laborers by
obtaining a free passage 70 the South.
The Emigration Company IN Augusta
spsnended its operations on the sd OF june,
s0er sustaining loss Of over 5000, and
10 not rccollect a single instance where any
,,o of tbe laborers complied with his con-
tract MANY Of them behaved very badly
and ran away from the company, and from
,,,rtics to whom they were hired by the COM
Inv which placed the company IN very
nrpieasant position. My opinion has al
,,.ys been that our slaves were the best Ia
l,orcrs for the South, while they were slaves,
that could be obtained, but after being llber-
atcd and acting 50 uniaithinlly rs many oil
them did. thought il a class Of white labor
ars could be introduced that would act iallh-
Gillv. they would stimulate the negros 70 SA-
ert themselves more, and Il would De me
means Of restoring the labor 80 much neeoeu,
and of showing the negroes that wewere not
entirely dependent upon them for labor ]
that in a few years our country Wo9io &c
filled bv an honest, intelligent and indusiri-
ous class Of laborers, who would become
identified with Us, and become tenants anu
owners Of lands, and our now dropping couh'
try again be made TO bloom and blossom as
The rose, in pouring forth its rich produe-