Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1866-02-10
THE QUESTION OF LABOR.

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Already the question Of labor begins Sc
riously to attract the attention of our
planters. The fact, long ere this, must
hare become patent to every rejecting
mind that a substitute for negro tabor
must soonhe procured. Il is worse than
useless to hash or mince matters In this
particular. Many Of our finest planta-
lions, and large portions of Others, are
fast growing up in weedsxRd briars, for
want Of cultivation, which At present can
not be done fqaklack Of hands to work
them. Day BY Day, the negro disappears
from Aur midst, seldom returning to their
old nViIies and useful employment while
the psrtake sc strongly Of
th haracter, Incidence, that
"a wsthless for any good
from them as tiilers
m, has untitled them
~ pcf4ytuENk fIng our once prosper.
o9Sehd richly remunerative cotton and
sugar plantations. They have had ideas
in~stilled into their minds by abolition mer-
.eenaries and their hangers-on, which in
duce the belief with them that they are
a superior race long deprived Of inherent
rights and privileges. This deiusion has
brought many of them TO want and mis-
cry ; thousands Of them TO premature
graves, and yet the remainder pursue a
similar headiess course, forgetful, unheed-
ing and Indifferent as to whatever their
future prospects may be.
They have been told 50 often by the
friends of the black man. that the whole
former prosperity Of the South was due
entirely to their Industry !; that they pro-
duced all The cotton, sugar, rice and to-
bacco once raised in the South, nav, that
even the s5upendous Ieyees which protect
so large a portion of our ~ailuvial lands,
are the result of their labors, that they
arrogate to themselves an Importance
which preciudcs the disgrace of honest
iabor-a belief as ridiculous as it is iniu.
rlous TO their own interests, and 10 that
part OF the country where for so many
years they found happy and conteuted
They will not work as they once
did. nor can fair pay, ample rations and
comfortable quarters induce them to put
forth their energies in the cultivation of
the soil. Those living in cities and towns
can form no conception of The difficulties
attending the making of crops in the
country. Every dollar earned by curl
planters, is indeed earned by the tsweat
their brows." Under such embarrass-
nents as we have mentioned, how it is
hey have succeeded in paying their ex.
taxes-is somewhat mystify.
ng to us-money making is out of the
question. The demands of the for
lis labor, such as it is, is becoming more
more exo,bitant, while The difficulty
If satisfying him, or inducing him to be-
ieve that it is his interest," to cultivate the
is increasing to an extent which
makes it almost impossible to depend ap-
IN him in any contingency whatever.
What then is to be done |! Supply his
'lace at once with white labor-tbe Coo
lie project is a failure. Offer such induce.
nents as will bring the white man here.
Pay bin good wages or give him such a
share in the crop as will warrant his en-
lie interest in it's cultivation. IF the
of the North and West can be cul-
waited by the white man, SO can the PLAN
of the South-the too much heatn
heory is exploded. White men drive draws
work upon the levees and perform other
outdoor employments in New Orleans
Turing the hottest days of summer, and
WY cannot the same be done upon plan
atoms IN the country? Planters. it is
learly your interest to do all in vonr
over to hasten the coming of the white
Ian as a laborer. Spare no exertions to-
ecure him, and. Once here he will ~ ~