Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1869-04-17
Fir m the Liberty Miss., H-rad
h LABOR QUESTION.

It is . fact clearly and Enthusiastically
apparent to every one who bas given the
matter careful attention, that the interior
aud comparatively isolated districts in
the South are rapidly losing the effective
portion of that class Of population which
has always supplied the demand for field
or farm labor, and which, for long years
past, has been the foundation Of oil agri
cultural industry in our SECTION. As to
what are the causes which lead to this
decrease in the strength and efficiency of
the labor in the communities to which we
aIlude, it is needless for us here to IN
quirs ; suffice it, that these causes are Of
such a character as to preclude all hope
of efectually removing them, or Of in
ducing any change in the premises that
will operate successfully in staying the
further progress of the main trouble.
which by many is regarded as a dire
calamity.
The important question with Us under
the circumstances, and the one for which
it is necessary that we should End q salts.
factory solution. is how we are to supply
the loss Of Che labor upon which we have
been accustomed to rely, 90 a. to keep
our agricultural interests from being
clogged or retarded in their TACTICAL
workings, and 40 as to have every de
partment of industry which contributes
to the prosperity Of our section, plenti
fully supplied with the labor necessary to
keep it active and vigorous. This is the
one thing Deedful, and it requires our
earnest and careful consideration.
W. confess that we are unable to look
at this important matter in the same
light ir which it. is usually viewed by
those by whom it has been sgitated and
discussed. At most Of the agricultural
and mechanical meetings and conventions
where the labor question has been dis
crssed, the opinion has generally CONCUR
red in that the South must look to foreign
immigration to supply the deficiency in
her labor system occasioned by the sud
den and unexpected abolition Of slavery.
1t has been recommended time and again
by our leading agriculturists, backed by
the strongest arguments they could bring
10 the support of the proposition. that
agencies should be established 10 the
Northern States and the different coun
tries OF Europe for the purpose Of Undue
ing immigration to the South As the best,
surest and, perhaps. the only means BY
which our want Of agricultural and mr
chsuical labor might be supplied. We
have nothing to urge against this propo.
sition ; we are fully sensible of the great
aud inestimable advantages to be derived
from an influx of the intelligent industry
and energy of foreign countries into the
South, aud we are ready to give our cor
dial support to any movement likely to
result 10 accomplishing that desirable
end. But we are far from believing that
It is the only means by which the South
can b. supplied with reliable and effect
tive labor. Far from it. We have that
labor already here without the trouble or
expense of bringing it from foreign coun.
tries, and the FIRST duty with US is to arouse
it TO action.
How can We ask foreign :aborers to
come into the South and support by their
industry two-thirds of our population 10
'dlsDessl 10 other words, is it reasonable
OF just for Us to expect that the %intelli.
gent farmers aud mechanics of Europe
and the Northern States will emigrate to
'ur section and make themselves ~ sub |
s:ltutes for our former slaves Yet while
We are organizing societies aud establish
ing agencies for the purpose Of inducing
immigration there are thousands aud tens
Of thousands Of young men throughout
the South who are physically and men.
tally able to meet every emergency that
may grow out Of the destruction of our
system Of slave labor, but who are worth
less drones in the human hive, indolent
and seemingly unconscious of the fact
that their motber-country is struggling
for existance against q desolation more
fearful than any that ever afflicted q suf
fering people.
The great want of the Sonth is, not
immigration, % 90 many declare, but q
revival of home industry. We want
in public opinion that will break
down the foolish prejudice existing against
physical labor, 80 that the s,uxgards may
driven to work. We want the qroe
shops and the gambling bells which TEEN
ell over this land. dragging thousands of
"or young men down to ruin, broken %.
We want vice and immortality o. .varv