Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-04-01

Tx LABOR IssUF.-The labor issue IN
this locality is becoming matter Of such
presaing gravity that it will nc. admit Of
being postponed much longer. Wenust
DO something, and that speedily, either
In the vsy Of recognizing ouz present
labor system or obtain substitute for it
altogether. Either enc or the other Of
these alternatives or ruin. Thsre . not
thoughtful man in the community that
does not recognise this truth. There is
scarcely one in dozen, eren of our most
economical and energetic farmers. who is
making both ends meet" The agrieul-
tarsl interest Is, we admit, greatly de-
pressed at present throughout the whole
country and we, Of course, participate in
this depression, but this evil is merely in
ierm:ttent and We may reasonably hope
10 escape it altogether under wiser and
able and juster management Of our tariff
and financial affairs. The chronic COM
plain. is our labor infrmities and this
must be reached or the patient dies. We
can see no escape from this fat.
We think we have given the negro a
fair trial, both as daily and yearly labor
.rs and as tenants, and we are certain that
experience has shown that he is impover-
ishing our lands and bringing US in debt.
Another fact is painfully evident-hs an
tagonism to the capital that engages him
This instead of lessening. appears to be
Increasing with time, and will eliminate
We predict. in hostile organization. II
.hese things be true, We should set oar
selves to work as one man and at once to
look about fer remedy. We have look
ed with all the eyes We have and can see
nothing in the way Of relief except in the
engagement Of foreign labor. But this,
unfortunately lis much easier to talk about
than to obtain. State immigration Bureaus
ore good things and ours. under the able
management of Mcpherson, has done the
State great service This county, how
ever, has realized thus far very little ben
cat by foreign immigration. Our isola-
ted condition, the absence of any consid-
cradle foreign necleus in our midst and
the want Of proper concert Of action among
ourselves during last year sufficiently ex-
plain why We did not receive our due pro-
portion ofthis labor Mr.. Mcpherson could
not have compelled. of course, immigra
tion in this particularly direction and
should not if he could But the question
arises. can We now by proper concert of
action obtain sufhcieney Of this labor. =
We have no doubt of it.
In the FIRST place, we should make up our
minds TO offer sufficient inducements to
obtain immigrants. This ia really not SO
difficult as it appears. We want proper
houses for these immigrants and their
families This is our 6rst want. All,
therefore, who are able should build
small tenement houses or put those that
they have in good order. We should
make 8 commencement with families
We should offer the tenant a liberal in
terest in the crop, supplying him with
ths necessary teams, implements, manures.
etc, and with food and other means for
Housekeeping. when needed. A COM
Portable home to himself, with an inter
est in his own labor, and provision for his
family until tina. labor can lie made
available, would remove the chief fears
that immigrants generally entertain in
sceking homes among strangers. Being
prepared TO receive them, the next step
should be to employ an agent, at Balti-
more and il necessary at Bremen,
too, TO make known the inducements
We have TO offer in this county =
This agent should be empowered TO make
contracts with them, to supply them with
the meaus, il needed, Of transportation,
and to direct and srpcrintend their mi
grafton TO their new homes. This. of
course, would require some outlay of
means, but the cost for each immigrant to
be obtained can lie closely appropriated
beforehand, and thus all TO be interested
can be fully fore warned. We throw out
these hints in order TO invite attention TO
the subject Of immigration and to pro yoke
discussion by ADLER PENS than curs.