The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-02-13
NEGRO LABOR IN THE SOUTH.

L oSy Ouu TIC kuOHlclRC lLlAG cu1du-
lcipation has entirely reversed the
political relation before existing be-
tween white and black, aud created
direct autagonism where there used
to be identity of interest, the north
knows as little as Europe of the &C.
tual feeling and at attitude of the
two races at the south to-day. The
common belief that this autagouism
Is not only political, but personal,
social and Industrial, aud that in
consequence things are in a hopeless
muddle there. is an error, and q
most mischievous one, requiring
speedy correction. Facts are and
ought to be stronger than theories,
and the immense increase in the
crops of that section during the
last three years, as compared with
the previous period, furnishes a
complete exposure to the fallacy to
which we have referred.
Never in her most boastfuI days
did the old south, under her cher
ished system of slave labor, produce
q better crop, or reap q richer re-
muGeration for them, than the new
south has for the past two years,
with the promise of a yet more
abundant yield for the present one.
| Yet the labor of the freedmen is
still the main dependence of the
cotton, sugar and rice planter, no
substitute for it having yet been
found on any extensive scale. 9th
err and newer industries are also de-
veloping themselves in like proper
ton, and there must be harmonious
1 as.A SrvtlISnle IN onhSnNyA oE1nh
/ results.
II is true that the first effect OF
freedom on the emancipated slave
was to make him too proud to work
believing freedom aud idleness TO
be synony ms. For q while the
planters had q hard fight, aud the
ruin OF many Of them may be trac-
ed to this cause, aided by the un.
propiIious seasons, the doods aud
tempesis which followed the war.
But this ebulitiou il the mind OF
the freedmen soon settled down,
outside of the cities, among the
masses who could not make living
out of politics. The negro soon
recognized the great truth, which
the white man had learned SO long
before, viz that ain the sweat OF
thy face shalt thou eat bread" was
still the great law of human life.
AS an Did planter remarked to the
writer when asked how the freed
man could now be compelled to do
his task, "HuDger is q sharper spur
| now than ever the oVerseer's lash
used 10 be. Now they cannot shirk
! work and be supported; they must
1 work or starve, for their food and
clothing and the support of their
| families depends on their own earn
ings. Necessity is their higher law.
Their freedom, with ell its conpen-
saIions, has brought with it the pen
atty OF providing for themselves ;
and as their only capital is their
labor, ON that must be their sole de-
pendence." Thus the freedman
was forced to work and how well
he has worked, aided by the new
reinforcements of native white
southern labor that the wat has de-
veloped, the late southern crops at
test.
The native white msn does not
object to work along side of the
negro, with whose peculiarities he
has had lifelong familiarity. The
foreign white man does object, and
even 1.-The heather Chinee," and this
is, and ever will be, one great bar
rier to the introduction of foreign
laboring class through immigration
or colonization in those portions OF
the southern country where the
negro does the great bulk of manual
labor. The cultivation of the low.
land cotton, rice and sugar seems
destined to rest in the hands which
nature has peculiarly fitted for it
at least during the term of this gen
Grafton. Several schemes of immi
grafton and colonization through
which other labor might be procur
ed have been tried in the southern
country since the war, embracing
not only the ordinary English, Irist
: and German population, but alsC
r stretching as far north as Sweden
and as lar east as China, and ever
trying Spain for recruits.
; South Carolina, Georgia, and
l few other States, have tried the es
] adjustment of bureaus of immigra
} ton, and appointed commissioners
}, but Virgins, Texas aud recent,
/ Louisiana, are the only ones tina
have tried with fair premise of uitl
mate success, and the early essay
e referred to have been abandoned
!, Suffice it to say that thus far the
: have only proved sufficiently sue
n cessful to encourage further effort
! in the same direction, without SER
- ousIy affecting results or at all dis
turbing the present status of tn
negro as an indispensable elemer
y of southern progress.-Harper
Weekly.