Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-07-17

wher business rcvives. There is stroni
and growing disposition to employ white
labor exclusively, because more reliable
/ Not only do white men usually do ielre'
DAYS work as ordinary laborers, but the,
have another advantage which adds ter
per cent to the value Of their labor
thew will work six days in the week
Now and then you may find in oul
black population an industrious anc
nerseyering man. But these are exeep
lions. The rule is that the negro viii
work in the cities one or two days in the
week, and lay in the sun the other foui
or FIVE. What is the use Of working six
days when you can buy enough whisky
tobacco and bread with two days work,
and steal as many clothes as you want i
The females have turned ladies and gone
TO wearing jewelry and putting on airs
to a large extent. And so there is an
opening for the labor Of both sexes Of
whites. If white labor could be had
here at twenty-five per cent. above New
York or Chicago prices, and in sufficient
abundance TO be relied on, so that family
servants could always be had, and con-
tractors could be certain to carry on their
work at some given and reasonable rate
no other labor would be employed.
1
We one day asked large contractor
how it happened that with more colored
laborers in this city than were needed,
and four times as many as were here
before the war, the price Of common day
labor was two to three dollars a day = He
replied, "they won't work, they won.
work" And so contractors have had to
pay extravagant wages for little work.
The consequence has been that con-
tractors have been compelled to raise
their prices until capitalists refused to
invest, and now there is comparatively
very little building going on. But give
good and reliable supply of labor and
the aspect of things will change. While
our Southern cities and country will be
benefited, the mechanics and laboring
classes will find sure work and q fair
harvest in good pay.
Though the times are exceedingly
depressed and stagnant Just now, and
the money market stringent beyond ex-
.ample, we do not believe there is q single
white mechanic or laborer in the city
who is not offered twice the work he can
do. And we trust mechanics and labor
ers of both sexes will come ahead, as
soon, at least, as they think we live I'M
der government near enough Republic
can to be endurable. We need labor.
Let no man fear bad treatment or i'll
requital in this quarter.
R9r The Paris correspondent Of an
eastern exchange says: On a square
door post at corner of the Rue Neuve
Saint Augustine, half way between the
Grande Hotel and the Place Veudcme,
in Paris, shines the single word " Cock
tails" in white letters upon a sad-colored
green. Open the door, and tinkling
bell announces your entrance, while an
odor of Kentucky whisky tells that you
are on American soil, although all Paris
is roaring at your back You pass through
rows Of Yankee made casks to the unpre-
tentious bar, which has a plain zinc slab
as a counter, with rows Of bottles on
plain wooden shelves behind, and voice
salutes you, How Il you have it ? straight
or fancy ?" The whole aspect of the
place marks it as Southwestern and
American. Here, says tradition, when
Raphael Semmes was last in Paris with
his crew of gay and thirsty freebooters,
he displayed the Stars and Bars from
an awning post over the green doorway,
and consecrated it to all rebels " from
that time. However that may be, No.
10 is now the stronghold Of supporters of
the Lost Cause" who prefer exile to
military subsection. Here you might meet
any time when he was in the city, Robt.
Toombs, the impetuous, slovenly and YER
bose Georgia Senator. Wigfall, of Texas,
and ]. P. Benjamin take their gin and
water in this calm retreat The latter is
growing gray, and the years pass heavily
on him. Slidell, who lives in the Rue
Chaussee d'Antin with a rich sonin- law,
is likely enough to come in with Ben
jamin, and perhaps the elegant Breckin-
ridge may pass the little room with
long retinue of lesser lights of the Con.
federacy. The pscuniary resources of
many of these gentry are unknown, and
their manner Of sustaining life inscruta-
Bile. But that is a matter where investi-
gationis at once useless and unnecessary
in such city as Paris.
B6r The Nashville GdEette Of the 10th
states that on Saturday previous the