The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1869-12-03
The Labor Convention In Columbia.

,Solumoll, anu aItef u lew Gays seS
sion, adjourned without being ablo tc
do anything to realize tho anticipa
ITEMS OF it's projectors 1t is not the
first time in human affairs that the
vigor and success Of the performance
has fallen short Of the ''loud and
sounding phrase Of tho manifesto
Called for rrartiznn purposes, and to in
augurato war OF labor upon capital
in the interests Of Radicalism, there
was, as matter Of course, tho usual
number Of infammatory harangGcs,
and denunciations Of white employ
crs, but the Convention very wisely
abstained from the attempt to fix the
rates Of labor.
n member from Orangeburg offered
Il resolution-which was laid on the
table, after much discusson--that tho
following rates Of wages be given to
laborer5 for >cul,ivating cotton and
corn: First class. SIS sccon;l, SIC !;
third, 50 per month, and Il, laborcrs
; shall receive in addition to the above
! 3 pounds bacon per week, peck corn,
quart nolasses, pint salt, for his
board; and if working for share OF
the crop, they shall receive ono. ha!f
!of all the provision crop, and one
third Of the cotton raised upon Tie
farm. The planters to furnish all the
farming utensils and sufficient horse
power to Gerry or tho farm.
Tho Convention contentcd itself
with adopting memorial to be pre-
scented to tho Legislature, praying
that body to provide by statute,
I that the claim oe the agricultural laherer
for wages due shall .cp'rate preferred Ii.
en- upon the land. that ,le planter or owner Of
said land shall pot sell or alicnatc the same,
until such cluim is satisfied.
That the Governor shall opp ONT dis
Greet and proper person in each county who
shall be designated "a "Commiesisnec of con.
tracts" Such persons shall be chA,ged with
the duty of examining and attes.ing all con.
tracts between the planter and laborer, and
shall act as advisory counsel ofthc lub,rer upon
ail questions that may arise snder hie contract
all OF which shall be laid before the General
Assembly, at the comm encement Of each sea
son thereof, and shall be pu blished for general
information.
8. That the suits of oil classes of :nborers
and emp:oysea for wages due them SHAH have
precedeuce on the ca'enlcrs of the courts. over
ri! ot;,cr civil sui:s. arl shall b. beard at the
list term OF the o"urt after the dsolarat on of
the p:aiutf in tao Same shall love been fil-d
4. That tbs Governor shall be authnrized to
appoint, in each county, an cf1i:er whose duty
it shall be to make ont the list of Jurors and
suPerintend the drawing of the same, in order
that the laboiing classes may have fair repre-
sentation on the juries, privilege which s
practically denied them in the rural districts.
under the operation of the preseut system
8, That when lands are sold under xecu
lion, the sheriff shall divide them as nearly as
practicable, into tracts not exceeding fifty acres
each, in order that tho email capitalist. may
be enabled to purchase.
! We believe that this measure will CRAFTY ia.
cii'ate the acquisition of land by the lsndless
anil th"t 1t can be rendered legally practicable
by providing that the decree OF sale in each
case. shall declare that only SO mnch of the
debtors land, or the subdivisions thereof shall
be sold as may he necessary to safety the
judgment
g. That al due bills given by plan ers to
laborers shall specify in terms the special co n.
sdcrati"n for which the same shall have been
given, and shall be transferable, OF the option
OF the holder. and shall operate as lien upon
the crop and land whenever euch due bill is
given. In lieu of payment for agricultural labor
Z. lhat nine hours shall be days work for
all mechanics and laborers engaged j, man,
fae'ures or in any business requiring skilled Ia.
bor.
Abolish all taxes on sales of c.tton and
rice. BY either State or municipal authorizes.
Your memor1alirts are eati.tied that the en-
actment Of the laws herein prayed for will be
Of vast benefit to the agriculture! l.borer, aud
will gra'tly tend to advance the industrial re
construction Of the entire State.
| The above requirements are com.
parativcly harmless, and we suppose
that to them no serious objection can
DO urged. The planter will likely not
lobject to giving his employee a lien
upon the land aud crop for the pay.
ment of his wages, or making his suit
'lfor the recovery Of the same a pro.
tferrcd claim upon the Docket.
The appointment Of County Com.
missioner to approve contracts be.
tween employer and employee, can
DO no harm, and may be productive
of good, inasmuch as it will relieve
the planter Of the odium of driving
a bad bargain with the laborer. Tho
fobjection to multiplying Offices, and
l4hus increasing the taxation, is the
most serious one that can be urged
land applies with even greater force to
the appointment Of - county officer
ifo make mp the jury lists. This is
fqfew qsw 10 the hands Of oAfcers chosen
~ fhe people, and is SO restricted by
law Agto secnre the interests of the
black race, so that the appointment of
another officer is worse than useless
u : a. - o ~