The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-05
CHI Ar L ES S TON.
SATURDAY MORNING. JUNE S, 1859.
The Labor Question.

The most important, and at the same
time the most difficult question, with which
the South has to deal, is that Of labor; for
upon the number Of immigrants which we
can obtain depends the rapidity with which
we may increase our productive capacity
aud develope the resources which have
hitherto been comparatively neglected. Had
we as many able-bodied agricultural la
borers at this moment as we had ten years
ago, we should still require large sddi'
ton to their number. The Southern Stat es
have never been worked to their full capac.
ity, and ON account of the sparseness Of the
population many lucrative branches Of in
dustry have, of necessity, been passed by.
But we have not nearly the producing
power which we ad before the war. Sick
ness and disease have told with fatal effect
upon the freedmen. The cities have drawn
the hands from the fields. The women, for
the most part, refuse to make their hands
familiar with the plough handle or hoe. The
boys who, under other circumstances, would
be learning the method Of working cotton
and corn, new amuse themselves with spell
ing books and competitive examinations.
Over the whole colored race in the South is
thrown the dark pail Of political agitation.
They have been taught that labor is un'
worthy Of the free person OF color. They
have been told that political meetings arc
Of more consequence than monthly wages,
and voting than meat and bread. They
have been used as mere machines to SOW
and harvest political crops; and if they are
now working with moro steadiness than in
the three previous years, it is because they
have been made the tools of the politician
and the slaves Of the needy adventurer.
Taking all things into consideration, we
see no reason to change our opinion that
the available working force Of the South
is one-third less than it was in 1860, when
1t was not nearly sufficient to answer oil
our purposes. The question then is, how
are we to obtain the laborers that We SO
urgently require
Itmsy. be taken for granted that for many
years to come there will be no very consid-
cradle European immigration to the South.
Immigration societies will be formed, as in
our own State, and will bring in immigrants;
but it will be long before they come in suf-
fcient strength to fill up the deficiency in
our laboring population. The whole con-
tineat Of Europe is prejudiced against the
South, and the feeling is encouraged and
strengthened by the agents Of the Northern
and Western States. The tide sets in .
westerly and not in q southerly direction.
II We look to European immigration alone,
this generation may pass away before the
South has obtained the Irish and the Eng
lish and the Germans, whom -Fesof Ss 90 highly
value sa2 aSd it 80 difficult to obtain.
I Sioreovsr, Virginia and the grain growing
States will have the first choice Of immi-
grants coming South. They are not likely
to come a. far South as the cotton, sugar
and rice producing States. The doors Of
Europe, then, being closed against us, 1t Is
natural that We should look to Asia, the
advanced guard Of whose countless millions
hes already secured footing in the States
Of the Pacific slope. In this connection,
the following extract from an address Of
MsjorF. H., Hanks, agent Of the Chinese
immigration Company Of st. Louis, will be
found interesting. Major Hanks is now in
Alabama, making contracts with the plan
ters for supply of Chinese lsborsrs. Hs
says:
"The solution Of the labor question is most
readily and successfully found in the vast and
overaowing population Of China, the cheapuess
Of oooiie lator, the peculiar adaptedness Of
that race to the climate OF the South, and to
the production OF Southern staples, and in the
cheap and convenient transportation afforded
by the Pacific Railroad. This road is now COM
pleted from the Mississippi River to San Fran
cisco, and this company is now ready to cor
respond with Southern planters in reference to
furnishing Chinese laborers for their planta-
tions.
"There are in California between two and
three hundred thousand Cinnamon at the pres
ent time, and many more are constantly arriv-
ing from across the Pacific. We wish to be-
gin the transportation of them to st. Louis as
soon as practicable, and to have large sup
ply of them on hand in time for the crops Of
next year.
I'm answer to the principal inquiry in regard
to the introduction Of Chinese labor in the
South, 1--WE mean cost,) We can only say at
present that We estimate the expense Of trans
portation to Selma at about fifty dollars per
head; the cost OF his labor at from four to FIVE
dollars per month and fed. In recommends.
ton of the coolie as laborer, it may, in con-
clusion, be said that it is easy to make him q
permanent fixture when he once becomes loca-
ted, as he can be contracted with without any
difficulty for series Of years together, as ne
is noted for his faithful aud religious adher-
ence to his contracts"
The Cinnamon are undoubtedly patient,
frugal and industrious. Their wonderful
imitativeness enables them to adapt them
selves to any industrial pursuit. During