The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1870-08-06
Labor in .Louisiana--Comparative
Value Of Swedes, Cinnamon
and Negoes.


a gentleman largely engaged
in cotton raising in Louisiana,
gives us some interesting facts
about the comparative value of
labor employed on his plantation.
His main force is negroes, about
$50 in number, whom he hires on
the following terms: The mules
and all the tools required are fur
nished by him, and he makes rea-
sonable advances for food and
clothing; and the negroes give
him half a bale of cotton to the
acre, and have the rest of the pro-
duct for themselves, re-imbursing
him for his outlay for subsistence,
etc.
He was fortunate in engaging
twelve Chinese in New Orleans,
who had served eight years under
coolie contracts in Cuba, and were
experienced in plantation work.
TO these he gives half of the pro-
fits over all the expenses; supply
ing mules and the working capital
and advancing means for supplies
as wanted. His Swedish employees,
but few in number, were obtained
in New Orleans, where he found
! them out Of work, and glad to ac-
cept the same terms that he made
with the negroes. These terms,
as also those with the Chinese,
are considered by all hands very
liberal, and if the cotton crop
turns out as we'll as expected,
they will each make a handsome
sum of money during the season.
The Swedes, though not as
skillful in the use Of the hoe (for
want of practice) as the Chinese
and negroes, are in other respects
the best hands. They cultivate
thoroughly and carefully, keep the
mules in fine condition and take
good. care of the tools. The eli
mate and the labor seems to agree
with them perfectly. But ofcoursc
a large supply Of Swedes or other
white laborers from any part of
the world cannot he depended on,
although their remuneration in a
season would be ample.
Next in order of value stand the
Chinese, and those employed in
| the case under notice are decided
ly inferior to the Celestials more
recently imported direct from
Hong Kong. They are fully in
dustrious as the negroes, neate1
in details, better mechanics, and
i'm all respects more satisfactory
In the use Of liquor they are more
temperate than the blacks. 1t
should be said that the freedmen
do more work when Chinese OF
others are competing with them
Ton seperate portions of estates
lhowever, since it is not deemed
expedient to have them labor to.
gether).
Last year when the negroes hat
monopoly Of the work, our infor
mant had occasion to tind~ mucl
fault with their idleness, shiftless
ness and carelessness. This yea1
they are doing their best under The
stimulant of competitiOn-wh
we take to be q proof that the i'm
portation of Chinese to the SoNtl
will have a good effect in bring
ing out the industrial resources
of the freedmen. Subsequent t.
the enga cement of the three clas
ses under mention, the same plan
ter hired eight Pennsylvania farm
!, hands, and for some reason the.
, have not taken readily to cottoi
: culture, though he has not trle
them long enoughto determln
their real worth for that business
y as compared with the Others
i. This gentlemen, like other plan
:, ters in the same region. is impress
/, ed with the desirability of impol
Il ting as many Chinese as possible
re Wherever they have been set q
s work in the South they are dom
c we'll. The Arkansas Associatlo
report very favorably on the SUI
I'd cess Of their importation.-N.
ID ID Journal Of Commerce.
= Some of the topics to be di
us cussed at the coming meeting I
is. tho Worlds Evangelical Alliant