The Portland daily press., 1866-01-18
The Trna decentralization.


The Baltimore Daily Commercial, paper |
which certainly cannot be accused of any ten
dency to northern radicalsm," in recent
editorial, saws ut 1.-THE SouthD wants recon-
struction' in its industrial interests far worse
than it does in its political rights and privi-
lepes.. Never was a truer word spoken, and
If there be--as we doubt not tht e is-any
class of truly patriotic men in that section, if
they really love and wish to be of service to
the land oftheir birth, let them set about find
ing the true solution to this problem of South
ern labor, and educating the mass of The
southern people into better comprehension
of their true interest in the matter. The Com
mercial uses the following sensible language:
"The ruth 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 be-
hind IN the race towards greatness. They
must not only consent to vGriety of free la
Dor, but they must encourage skilled industry
by every means in their power. And whateV-
er they might do under the old system, in max
ing others-an interior body Of men,-"hew-
ers of wood and drawers of water" they must
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 ac-
cept a low servitude, arhen the ichOle continent
seiticheap lands and splendid mining facilities
invites them TO a better Destiny"
The planters of the south have long been
accustomed to look upon themselves as supe-
rior to all laws, moral, political and divine
Laws were for slaves, but they were of the
"master race" 1t is hard for them to learn
tae lesson that the laws of trade are inlexible
even with them. They refuse to see that la
Dor owning itself and being largely in de-
mand is in a position measurably to dictate
terms, and inevitably will do so. Banding to-
gether, combining to pay five or six dollars
per month for labor which at the advanced
rates for cotton is worth nearer thirty, they
complain bitterly that the freedmen and the
Germans who drift into those States cannot
appreciate their liberality, 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
rising market, the planters propose to pay
. sixty or seventy -i
The Commercial plainly informs this class
that their present policy is suicidal. 1t is in
vain that they solicit foreign immigrants to
come and labor for them while they hold out
no more adequate inducements than now
The Germans, Irish and Swedes who swarm
to our shores are not wanting in an intelligent
regard for their own interests. They cannot
remain twenty-four hours in communication
with their friends already resident here with
out learning enough to prevent them from
turning their steps southwark. When in the
northwest year ofsteady industry is sufficient
to secure for them an Independent home of
their own, is it likely that they win accept low
wages, a subordinate position, and continued
servitude at the hands ofthese southern plant
ers who refuse TO sell them land, and are ap-
parently bent solely ON perpetuating as much
of their old system of caste privilege as it is
possible to retain?
As one slight Illustration of the way in which
this thing works we note the fact, stated by
the New Orleans Picayune, that of a large
party of German immigrants recently engaged
9 by q planter of Louisiana, one half deserted on
the arrival of the vessel at New Orleans, be-
heving they could get better pay in the city.
The only true policy, according to the writer
we have already twice quoted, is for the plant
ers not only to pay fair wages but to break up
their enormous estates, and by allowing the
negroes to acquire through their own industry,
little freeholds for themselves, to offer
them the strongest of all inducements to ef
fective labor. Until the South leaves off try
ing to keep men down by "yearly contracts"
by "tenaucies," and what not, its whole labor
will be uncertain and fuctuating, and the
southern states be kept back in their career of
progress. We make one more extract:
"What the South really wants in contradis-
tinction TO all this, is substantial citizens;
those who having an interest in the soil will
put forth their best eXertions to advance them
selves individually and by direct consequence,
the commonwealth and society in all their in
terests. And so long as the planters ATTEMPT
to evade these conditions, so long as they con-
tinue to hold "county meetings" having for
their object the retaining of their bulky and
now unwieldy estates, intact, just so long will
anything like solid prosperity be postponed,
just SO long will their dire perplexities con-
tinue. Until the South absolutely consents to
pattern after those great free commonwealth
it has in the years past fallen behind, until it
3 takes lessons from them, beating the whole
world as these have done, it will never make
anything like steady march to better flu
ture."