New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-20

Hall, in the town of Franklin, wish to
have established. Our correspondent gave
what he understood to be the rates agreed
upon, as follows:
First class hands, $l4; second class hands,
$l2; third class hands, $40; women and
plantation hands, IS; house servants, thirty
five to fifty cents per day.
The Times takes the responsibility of
declaring the statements of our CORE
spondent untrue from beginning to end, y
and adds:
We conversed yesterday with the mem
bers of the very committee appointed to
draft those resolutions on wages, and they
have authorized US to say that proposition
was submitted to the convention fixing
wages of first class hands at SIS per month
with rations, and women hands at VIZ with
out rations. Nothing was said about any
other grades of labor. The rates we're
adopted, but subsequently Withdrawn, to be
held in allowance pending the reconvention
of the meeting on Tuesday next.
The only authority our neighbor has
for his flat denial OF the statements of rs.
r." is derived from a conversation with
cOAlC Va tuC ClCoCCu POI S&So VA elAS ceAASA
side. But according to the corrected ac-
count of the occurrence, as obtained in the
above named conversation, two material
facts as stated by our correspondent are
shown to be well founded:
/. There has been a meeting of the
farmers Of st. Mary for the purpose of OBJ
foi of oof1Nn tho 1ohHp
question.
2. They have agreed to recommend
material reduction in wages.
Our correspondent states the sum to be
paid first class hands at fourteen dollars
per month, and second class at twelve
dollars, with prices named for other
grades. The statement which the Times
is authorized to make puts the first two
items at fifteen dollars, and women hands
at twelve dollars without rations, with no
mention of other grades. We are not dis
posed to cavil about the difference of one
dollar per month which appears in the
two statements. But we see very little
difference between the facts as stated by
SIS. R., and the authorized statement of
the committee appointed to draft resolu-
tons. 1t appears the present rates of pay
are as follows for first-class hand:
First he gets $50 per month; five or five
and half pounds OF pork and peck of
meal weekly; free use OF a comfortable
house; fuel; pasture for his cows, horses,
1<>,r Tn. 1,v. Il l.; 1,Sn
est, and the planters team to work it with.
Then, in sugar making, his wages 20 up
to 81 per day, and 81 for a ak hours tour
at n ght on the sugarhouse, or 81 % per day
and seventy-tive cents per tour. His rati0ns
go on just the same, mis- stock is generally
allowed to run in the fields, ana his
family all receive remunerative employ
1nent.
Now this is set forth as something mag
nifcent in the way of liberal reward for
the most arduous labor poor man can be
called upon to perform. The terms are
the very highest offered to first class field
hands. But the farmers propose to reduce
the pay to fifteen dollars a month with
rations, and women to twelve dollars,
without rations. Perhaps our correspond
ent made an error or two in some of his
fed that he did. AS he was not discuss
ing the figures at which the wages of
laborers were to be reduced, but protest
ing against any combination of capital for
the purpose of reducing the scanty pay Of
the poor, We think his figures are suffi-
GENTLY exact for the purpose of illustra-
ton. The light thrown upon the subject
in the conversation between the COM
mittee and the Times man, instead of
correspondent is untrue from beginning
to end, confirms and strengthens it in
singularly strong manner.
We append the following resolutions on
this subject, recently passed at a meeting
of ward club in this parish:
Resolced, That this club, being composed
in great part of laborers, do look with re-
gret and condemnation upon the late move
ment of the planters who have combined to
diminish the wages of the aborer, and that
we regard the same as highly oppressive
and unjust, and suicidal upon the part of
the planters.
Resoleed further, That we are of the opin-
ion that combinations and associations of
this kind are In an extreme degree preju-
dical to the best interests of the country,
aud are well calculated to call out the
worst feelings Of the poorer classes, who
can not endure to have their income dimin-
ished, since that income only affords them
bare subsistence.
Resolred further, That we feel that labor
and wages should be left to adapt them
selves to each other, naturally, according
to the great law of supply and demand,
and that it is contrary to the principles of
justice, and the spirit OF the organic law of
our land, that any union or concert of
action should by adopted to effect reduc-
ton OF the wages of the laborer, who is the
bone and sinew, and the only substantial
support of the country.