The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-08-29
The Labor Question.

Under the head of Secret Societies
and the Labor Question" the jackson
Wing and Tribune says it has reason to
know that a secret organization exists
among the negroes of that city and
county, the object of which is to
regulate in their own interest the labor
on farms and in families One of the
principal objects of tbis society is, to re-
fuse all offers to crop on shares or for
wages, but to force Iandholders to rent
them land and stock to raise the wages
of household and kitchen work, and to
classify all iuouse labor.
We have entertain ed the suspicion that
such an organization might possibly be
in our midst. There are plenty of Lad
and designing men traversing the coun>
try to stir up colOred men to deeds of
violence. We need but point to our Sis
ter State, Mississippi, as proof of what
we say, and we of Hardeman county
form part of its northern boundary
Year after year, as time advances, the
labor system is becoming more defective,
and we would gladly hail the era when
it botokened a successful and prosperous
revival
Negro labor failing long ago of its de-
sired end, induced the partial introduc-
ton of foreign element to supply the
demand. This, too, has proven fruitless.
The introduction of no-kind of labor has
yet fully satisfied the wants of this PEG
pie.
The organization of colored men 10
throw obstacles in the way of the just
contracts of land owners will place them
in an awkward position, and in the end
prove absolutely ruinous. We consider
such societies unlawful combinations,
subversive of the public good, and liable
to be put down,
Class legislation is contrary to the
genius of Republican institutions At tn,
close of the war the Radicals, prompted
by q conceited sense OF their capacity tx
| legisIate for a class of beings they knew
no more about than a &c dog knows o
holiday" undertook to regulate the labor
system among the negroes by the estab
Hshment of Freedmen's Bureaus, etc
That all enactments tending to better the
! negros condition have proven utter abor
tiOns is evident to every thinking man
They d,d not live among the negroes, no
did they know their wants. Slavery wa
perpetually dead. They had caused it
death, not by the force of public opinion
a plan consistent With the theory Of
free government, but at Ee point of TIA
bayonet
The proper remedy would have beer
to have allowed that people to lerisIatt
Tor the negro who lived nearest hin
and knew his wants best But thi
would not do. Haunted with an insan
fear that he would be legislated bac
into slavery, or if not this, that seric
of laws would be passed too Oppressive
for their colored brothers, they vuntine
ly undertook the task to prove themselve
totally incapacitatsd for 1t. We Sc
now the result Of their effort A lazy
idle class of people "too slothful to liv
AID unfit to die Nothing now, but ii
stern, strong arm Of legislation will d
. the Labor system any good. Supporte
by wholesome laws alike fair to the en-
7 ployer and the employed, will work
I revolution, which will rebound to Il
u prosperity of our land and country.
T would at this late day be Herculeaa lab,
to bring order out Of Chaos, but it
we'll worth q trial.