The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-03-22
A Commentary.
Roundabout in New Orleans Times.

vertlsement appearing i'll the Times. on
Saturday morning, and calling for a
| clerk. This clerk was wanted to 60 into
the country. His duties consisted in
running a plantation store, keeping ac-
counts, and making himself generally
useful; he must be "an active man."
and all this for $40 per month.
To this advertisementnO less than two
hundred and fifty applications had been
received up to yesterday morning. How
many more will arrive it is not neces-
sary to calculate. Enough for the pur-
pose we have III view, that $50 active
young men are anxious to keep a store
and attend to accounts and make them
selves generally useful on a plantation,
at the monthly income Of $40.
The second proposition is that 4
| couple Of young men, who have for two
years past been jOurneymcn printers in
this city, last week set out upon a Eu-
rOpean tour. In the twenty-four months
during. which they have stood at the
case they have managed to save money
enough to make this trip.
They have been engaged in perhaps
the most exalted Of all the trades; they
have lived a6 we'll as, and certainly in a
greater degree of independence than is
possible in any other branch Ofindustry !;
and now, at the end of two years, they
are able to indulge in a season Of Euro
pean travel.
We are aware that nothing more is
necessary to the commentary sought to
be here established: the moral is as
pronounced as an axiom of Euclid's.
But we ask young men to consider the
bare idea of being active at $40a month!
Dispense altogether with the duties Of
store andaccount keeping, and estimate,
only, the item of making ones self
generally useful on a plantatiOn.7 We
happen to know what that means, and
We a confidently assert that the excr-
ton necessary in carrying out such q
duty would, if applied to any of the
t~on-rolling or coal acknowledgements
a return of five times that sum.
VIZ don't belong to the class who,
being provided for, think it enough to
advise Il young man to ego to work"
That is nothing but humbug, for there
are thousands perfectly willing to work,
but arc unable to procure employment
such as they are able to accept. We
sympathize with these men, for we have
learned by experience how bitteris their
misfortune, and how almost unendur-
able is the burden of misunderstanding
and unjust comment which they are
forced to suffer.
We have nothing but compassion for
a man who is unable to obtain the only
work he can possibly perform. But here
for the privilege of being active" and
making themselves generally useful
on a plantation, at $40 a month! To do
that they must have the muscles of q
gladiator, the energy of a NapOlean him
self. They must be Industrious, alb
stemious, untiring, and Herculean.
In short they must possess physical
attributes which, applied to a 1evee-
work, would have earned them $40
meek all through the business season.
This thing of being "active and
generally useful on a plantation may
not be understood thus, but we have
il" been there" and know the things
whereof we speak.
If ~so-called respectable employ,
ment" is the inducement, of course We
istence Of a public fiction which gives
: the useful" man Il certain social stand,
ing in planting communities; but we
know equally we'll that, practically
speaking, the common tield-hand is !
blOated aTistOcrat in comparison.
Now, We assume that these young mel
are of good family, tolerable education
and breeding; that they are honestly
anxious to make a living, and that NJ
amount of exertion would have any ter
rOrs for them, if the position only ell
, j0yed the reputation" of being res
pectable. They are, no doubt, Draw
l and honorable fellows, who only lacl
t the independence to escape from tn
ideas 0 fcaste in whichthey we're brough
up. If so, they only need a little expe
| rience, and should by all means try
] year of activity and general usefulness
on a plantation, topped off by a gooC
square, sugar-making season. If the,
shadow dhnatdS NH after 'n that f"'s and flee ttO to tn tn
+ machine or carpenter shop as to a have
of rest and social eminence, We are yer
q n,nnh nnSrAn1-on In al, Fn1lnrr- onnoA,nne