New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-20
rHE LABOR QUESTION IN THE SOUTH.

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The labor question is most important
one in all countrses where men recognize
the scriptural injunction Gin the sweat OF
thy brow shalt thou eat bread" and in
none more so than in the sunny South,
where agriculture is the prominent inter-
est. And when we find the men Of the
6outh-men who, perhaps, were educated
10 think labor degrading changing their
views, and in eloquent language eulogiz-
ing the dignity of labor, We are led to
think kind Providence has caused "a
change to come DER the. spirit Of their
DREAM" and that better day than ever
yet experienced here is about to dawn
upon land that is so susceptible of being
rendered in high degree fruitful to man.
General Robert Toombs, Of Georgia,
was present at the opening of the Fair
recently held in that State, and delivered
a remarkable address for its
good sense and sound advice to the people
of the whole South; and being delivered
to the people of his own State, it is more
than likely the able orator designed it for
their especial benefit. But rs all the
Southern States are similarly affected by
the change in their labor system, and there
is great need of other changes being
effected in order that the South shall be
made to flourish under a system of free
labor instead of slave labor, all interested
therein should he glad to receive the
views of General Toombs upon the sub
iect of Southern agricultural interests.
The REPUBLICAN has often before ex-
pressed these same views, and urged
them upon the people of Louisiana, and
we are pleased to know that they are now
entertained by one who can not fail to
have an influence with the Southern
people. General Toombs opened his ad-
dress by asserting the dignity of labor
by reminding his hearers that it was not
only honorable to labor, but that the law
of God defined it to be necessity I'M
posed on man since his creation. When
this teaching shall be thoroughly prac-
ticed in the South. and its young men
and women become convinced that it is
not only honorable to labor, but that the
kind of labor most profitable and most
certain to be rewarded is that which is
done upon the farm, then will it be dis
covered that the South has much labor
that has not been heretofore available,
and step achieved that must lead to
prosperity. The general also spoke of
the improperly ''of planting all cotton,
or large crops of cotton, and small crops
of grain"
It takes two-thirds Of the year to COM
plete the cotton crop and get it to market,
and there is but little time left to attend
to other matters than TO prepare for
another crop. In this manner everything
is neglected for cotton and the planter is
drained of every dollar it brings to pay
his labor and supply it with the neces-
saries of life. 1t is drive all the time
without being able to see any profits. By
this systems dividing the
Land into small farms, and encourag-
ing the youth of the South to believe
there is no more honorable or profitable
employment than the filling Of the soil,
the labor question of the South would
soon meet with more satisfactory solu-
ton than by sending TO China for labor,
to prolong 8 course that has
proved to be bad. Nlr. Toombs admits
this when he says he ''doubts the policy
of importing Chinese laborers, or, indeed,
large numbers of foreign laborers from
any quarter" We agree with him as to
the improperly of continuing system of
planting that confines the planter to the
production of one article, and imposes
upon him the necessity of sending from
home, at great expense, for all the neces-
saries Of ife-yet We are not prepared to
admit that Europeans would not come
to the South to labor for planters, when
they can SO easily obtain lands
in this country and so to
work for themselves We readily
concede that those who are able to buy
lands when they come here prefer to do
SO and work for themselves; but while do
ing this we contend that there is very
large number of Europeans who have not
the means to do this and some who are
not even blessed with money sufficient to
enable them to reach land that opens to
labor so many bright inducements.
Thousands of this class of Lien and
women could be induced to come here,
and by laboring for others for few years
could soon be able, if they managed prop
erly. to buy homes for themselves and be-
come prosperous and happy-a con-
dition they could never hope to attain in
the old country To the men that are
able to come here and buy lands, and go
to work for themselves, the country opens
wide its doors and extends cordial invi-
tat;on. Yea, it goes still further, and
asks the poor hborers of Europe to come
here and better their condition-those men
that no more than earn their bread by the
the sweat of their brow. Labor is well
paid here, particularly farm labor, and
that spirit of selfshness that would in
cline us to shut the door against the poor
laborer that is worthy of his hire, would
be unworthy of our people and country.