Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-01-15

Up to the first Of last July the prospec! ofa
rerunerative return fer the labor and capital
invested was aattering, but owing to una
voidable and unforeseen causes, beyond the
control of buman power, the end ofthe year
finds both the planter and laborer, upon the
coast country, in an embarrassed and suffering
condition. / should NOT be justified in dwell.
ing further Upon this topic so well understood
by all parties interested I; suffice it for me to
say that the general failure of the rice and
long staple cotton crops cannot be attributed
to want Of care and expense on the part OF
the planter, or lack of labor aud attention
from the freed people. ..
In some districts in the central and upper
portions of the State, very fair crops of short
Staple cotton and corn have been harvested,
but owing to the depressed condition of the
cotton market, the planter finds that the pro-
ceeds Of the sale Of that staple will not reim-
burse him for the cost of production.
The general testimony from these sections
is that the freed people lave worked faithfully
and we'll, some say never better;'' this may
be partially accounted for by the fact that
the small planters or farmers Of the interior
are accustomed to labor themselves, and by
giving their entire personal attention to their
planting interests, they have thereby encour'
aged the freed people to emulate the example;
thus set them. have, however, been in
formed that owing to the scarcity OF provi-,
sions at the commencement of the past plant.
ing season, many freed people were ccmpell-
ed to enter into contracts which were either
not liberal in their nature, or cid not provide
sufficiently rcmuneratiye wages, consequent
" they find themselves at the end Of the
year penni!ess, or in debt and feel dissatis-
lied and aggrieved; without confidence in
their employers aud indsposed TO contract
for another year. No State in the Union is
more blcst with a diversity of climate and
natural production than South Carolina; the
staple crops of the more temperate regions
which are there found SO profitable to the far
mer, arc equally adapted to this latitude, and
the same industry and care eXerted here will
be attended by equal success. No valid rea-
son exists 10 prevent this Stale from beng en-;
tircly self supporting ;ucro Importance should
be attached 10 tho general farming interests
of the country, 1T least two-h;rds ofthe tilla-
bic land should be devoted to the production
OF provision crops, the cultivation of cotton
should, in my opinion. be made secondary to
that of cereals, as Al increased production Of
the latter would placeal classes ofthe colnmu-
nitv bcvon.l tho reach of that pressing want
which row threatens starvation, unless again
relieved by the donations of the charitable.
1t certainly must be apparcntt to every prac-
teal man that free cclorcd labor can never
be q success in this State unless liberal and
fair contracts arc entered into and observed;
the freed pcope cannot much longer be hood
winkcd and imposed upon, they are rapidly
learning the worth of money, and all persons
who have in any manner cverreached them
may depend upon it that eventually they Will
find that they cannot procure labor to TIL
their plantations; while planters who have,
by q just and generous course OF treatment,
obtained thc confidence of their laborers,
have thus secured themselves sufficient means
to carr out their plans lsr the coming Year.
1t may not be improper for me in this cor
ncction, to counsel the freed people to avoid
contracting, the coming year with those plan.
ters who have persstentiy wrongcd and de-
fraudcd them taking care and seeking prop
cr advice thaG they may not contt-nd dishon-
est men with those high-mindcd planters who,
owing to the unfavorablc season, have been
unable to meet their engagements, but i'll
whose integrity all can implicitly rely.
As TO the terms of contracts for the com
ing year, l am obliged to express my un-
qualified approval of the. system Of paying
wages in money, !or such periods as may be
agreed upon, giving preference to payments
at the end of the year as the plan best calcu,
lated to insure tie lsborcr portion OF hls
pay at the termination Of his contract, and it
also gives the planter opportunity to at once
discharge an Idle or disaaec;ed employee upon
payment of wages due 10 date Of discharge.
twill also .end to produce moro uniform
rate cf wages throughout the country, ard
thus aAoid the breach of contracts frequently
made on various preteyts for the purpose OF
hiring 10 another planter, who may tempo
rarilY give an increased stipend
1 would not be understood as advising any
combination on the part Of the planters 20 re-
duce or keep down wages, neither would
countenance like combination by frccdpeo-
pie to secure wages that planters cannot af-
ford to pay; but it would be for the interest
Of ell parties to fix -upon some approximate
amount within the power of the planters to
pay- with reasonable profits to themselves,
and not beneath the limits ola sufficient sup
port fer free laboring man and his family.
1t is not within my province to nx this desir-
able rate, but may express the opinion that
the contracts made during the past year upon
the sea islands aud upon the coast, were
more liberal in their general character, and
amount Of wages paid, than those Of the up
per country.
Whenever from lack Of means the contract
system based upon shares Of the crop, hes to
be adopted, tie apportionment of the gross
proceeds should be made as follows: To the
land one third to the laborer one third the
capital consisting of work animals and their
feed, implements aud fertilizers, onc-third ;
the interest Of the Lahore, to terminate upon
the completion of the gathering and market
ing of the crop.
It is more than probable that The majority
of planters will be obliged from want of funds
to adopt the latter system, or some other ap-
preaching it in its nature, but differing in its
details; but no contract less remunerativc
than the one.third suggested for the la
borer, should in my opinion be rendered or
received.
1t is furthermore desirable that planters
make arrangement with physicians TO attend
the sick upon the plantations a. reasonable
rate per visit or family; claus 70 the effect
that the laborer should pay ~ o-rata for
such medical service, might be inserted in
contracts. .',.2H 70"
cannot too strongly recommend briefness
and simplicity of form in all contracts without
regard to their nature or terms.
Many contracts have been submitted tc
me, the terms Of which we're simply absurd
such as the imposition Of fines or stoppages
for In apertinence, for failure to comply with
lcertain plantation regulations. &C., &c. al