The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-01-20
THE LABOR QUESTION.

We have heard numerous complaints recent
ly from farmers and planters in the adjacent
country, of their inability to employ the ne
cessary labor to enable them to cultivate crop
during the present year. The time is now at
hand when they should be making the prelimi-
nary preparations for their crops, in repairing
their fencing, ploughing the ground, but I'M
fortunately the necessary labor has not yet
been obtained. The result is that some of the
most fertile and productive lands in this Sec
ton OF Virginia, are now lying idle and are
likely to remain uncultivated during the year.
This state of things is not to be attributed
to the owners of the soil. They have mani
tested every disposition to abide by the politi-
cal results of the late war, and to accept the
situation as they find it, They have made
every effort to employ colored laborers at fair
and remunerative rates. But the deluded
Freedmen, as a general thing, have quit the
country in disgust, and removed to the towns
and cities The country is entirely too dull
for them, with their present exalted ideas of
freedom. They laid down the shovel and
the hoe" and come. to town to await the action
of Congress. There are comparatively few Of
them left in the country, and those who have
eongregated in the towns will not for mo-
ment entertain the idea of returning to the
country to work for a year. They swarm
about the wharves and public thoroughfares,
ready to seize " vi ct arms" any unfortunate
traveller who happens to come along with their
baggage and insist, with eagerness upon het
privilege of giving his boots shine" fora
dime, but honest remunerative labor upon the
farms has no attractions for them, and instead
of entering into contracts, they prefer, like
Micawber, to wait for something to turn
up"
All the great interests of the country are
involved in the solution of this problem. With
out successful agriculture, there can be no
progress in any department of trade, or any
branch of business. Ifnothingis produced from
the soil, it is vain to construct railroads or es-
tablish lines ofsteamships. 1fgood crops are not
realized, it is useless for the merchant to exhibit
his wares, for his customers will have no
means with which to buy. In a word, all
classes of society are dependent upon the pro-
auctions of the soil and if agriculture fails,
commerce must necessarily langush and die.
These are self-evident truths, the mere state
ment of which will obtain the ready assent of
all. But what is the remedy, and how is the
necessary labor to be supplied. White labor
has been to some extent, introduced, and in
portions of the country the experiment has
worked we'll, while in other portions it has
proved failure. The immigrants in some in
stances have proved to be escaped convicts
from the prisons of the old world, and of
course utterly worthless and unreliable.
The Legislature is now considering propo-
sition for organizing State Colonization So
ciety upon large scale; but no adequate plan
has yet been devised for importing the neces-
sary number of laborers for the present years
crop. Private enterprise is accomplishing
something, but that is not sufficient for the
emergency. If the freedmen could be induced
to make contracts and go to work, it would be
the best arrangement which can now be made
for all parties concerned We believe that the
farmers would prefer to engage their services,
and that they are willing to pay them fair and
! remunerative wages.
In view of the difficulties surrounding the
subject, and the manifest Importance of speedy
action with reference to the present years
crop, we take the liberty of suggesting to the
Superintendent of the Freedmen's Bureau, the
propriety of an order requiring all freedmen
who have removed from the country to town,
since the commencement of the war, and who
have no constant employment in town, to re-
turn forthwith to the counties from which
they came, and enter into contracts to labor
during the year. We are not informed as to
the powers of the Superintendent over the sub
ject, but presume he is clothed with large dis
erection in the premises. The Government
which he represents is certainly deeply inter
ested in the success of the agricultural opera
tons of the country.