New Orleans Republican., 1868-03-18
THE LABOR QUESTION.

THE LAbOk QObeI1ON'
1t was said of the Bourbons that they
never learned anything. The remark may
be made of the ex-rebel portion of the
Southern people with the same PTopriety'
Few of this class appear tc realize that
there has been a great war, and that as
result there must necessarily follow a
change of institutions and ideas. There Is
constant olamor and twaddle about the
prostration and destitution Of the sou'h' as
if unceasing talk would bring relief. NO
practical measures are introduced to re-
move the dilemma, although impraetieaole
suggestions are numerous. The complaints
about the disorganization of labor have be-
come stale. Labor needs no organization
except where men are worked in gangs, as
under the slave system. Under the reign
of free labor it is only necessary for each
man to organize his own will and muscle,
and 60 to work. II is now impossible to
obtain colored men, or Irishmen, or Dutch
meD, or anybody else, TO work fer such
prices and fare as will enable the employer
and his family to live without doing any
thing for their own support Hoy can men
with large families and no capital expect
to obtain a living unless they roll
up their sleeves and work themselves? It
may seem hard to those whe have been
brought up in idleness and luxury, but the
longer it is postponed the harder it will be
to commence. All should at once meet the
question of labor with firm and deter
mined spirit. When the repugnance is
once overcome labor will be matter Of
pleasure as well as profit. 1t will do no
good to invite lectures or hold meetings to
find out how the South is to be redeemed.
The question will be easily and speedily
solved by the practice of general industry
and economy.
The so-called "old citizens 1--WE apply
the term only TO such as were rebels) are
otherwise short sighted and narrow
minded. The tissue Of abuse which has
been kept up since the rebellion died on
the field has prevented the iRaux of popu
lation and capital; for the "old citizens
want nobody to come here whose labor and
votes they can not control. Since th'
close of the war there have been constan
efforts to " organize the labor Of th'
| blacks" which efforts have been less earn
est and compulsory since the civil right
bill and reconstruction acts passed, and q
the same time exertions were made TO pro
cure coolies and Chinese, for it was though
that these races of men would be willing
to labor for small wages and under rigit
regulations, and that they would have nj
aspirations of q political character. s.
soon as the colored people made it mani
test that they could comprehend the ad
vantages of political power and felt dis
posed to use it, they ceased to be the be
loved of the cold citizens" and all eye
have been agape to fad some people whC
possessed two qualities great willingness
to work, and no desire to vote
Neither the rebel press nor rebel reader
have sought the Introduction of intellgen
laborers into the South, although expert
ence has demonstrated that the intelligen
man is by far the better laborer.
Let there be change altogether in thi
matter. Let all unite to encourage intelli
gent emigrants to come to Louisiana, AM
to disseminate education among our peo
pie let the "old citizens" dismiss thei
prejudices, and all, white and colOred
commence the practice Of industry an,
economy, and the country will be speedil.
regenerated and reconstructed,