The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-11-15
Labor for the South,


We do not know what to say on this
subject. The labor of freedmen, at
the close of operations for the season
has proved to be an utter failure. The
experiment of introducing white labor
.from Me North is nearly as bad. if not
worse $50 that the Southern planter
must be at his wits end to solve the
problem of labor.
AT Beach Island, in this State, they
have an agricultural club, and tho in
formation there developed shows that
the great question of Southern labor
has yet to be solved. Mr.. Jonathan
NJ. Miller made statement to the
society, which would induce the plan
tcrto believe that foreign white labor
cannot be relied upon. Mr.. Miller
says
"At,thc commencement of the wear.
| employed as many negroes as |
thought necessary for the cultivation
OF my lands, but in conscqn cncc of IL
portion ot'thom being dissatisfied, dis
missed them, thinking L could procure
others i'll their places. In this 1 was
disappointed, and after repeated ef-
forts to obtain other negroes, and fail
ing, offering to-pay tbem at he;rate.
OF $l2.5O per month, [ was induced to
try white labor. Consequently, 1
wrote to my brothcr-in-law, Maj. N.
W. Smith, in New York, te send me
httccn white laborcrs which he did
thirteen men and two women. They
arrived at Augusta on the 18th of
March, | paying their passage to Sa-
vannah by steamer, and thence by
railroad to Augusta, at $25 dollars
each, and was to pay them at the rate
for mon, $3.50 per moath, and for
tn, women, So. At tic expiration of
the first month, their wages were paid
them, and they insisted that their
wages should he raised, for men, $l5,
and for women, $40; Notwithstanding
that they had made a contract for tho
first mentioned amount, before leav
ing New York. | agreed to do so, as
they worked very faithfully. Their
ratlons were corn bread and bacon; as
they were not accustomed to the corn, [
gave them occasionally rye and wheat
bread, with fresh beef; also, vceeta-
bles, such as peas, turnips, sweet and
Irish potatoes, as soon as L raised
them. | also furnished them coffee,
likewise their bedding, they furnish
ing 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 high
or, two OF them SIT per month, and
one who acted rs Il gardener to $25.
putup the wages of the two to SIT,
as they were the best hands, and the
gard snerl dismissed several of the
Others left one of the women I made
cook and wash for the men,"
NJ. Miller goes on to say that the
plan of introducing foreign white la
Dor through the agencies of New York
emigration companies isall humbug.
These societies, when they get orders
for laborors, send out runners and
gather up the dregs of the city of New
York, and all such as they can pick up,
apd make from three to ten dollars
per head for each hand furnished.
They charge both parties, and en-
ployor and employce-.the former for
hiring him laborers, and the latter for
getting situations. They bind both
parties an contracts, which might do
in the Norths but as we have no laws
to enforce such contracts in the South,
and as there is nohonor in such char
acters, Mi. Miller looks upon these
companies and most of their laborcrs
as mere swindlers-~-the sole object be-