National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-26

| supposed 10 Stlll remain among Its readers.
But the time is at hand when all must de-
eide upon this question of the power of the
| people to rescue themselves from the hands
of the money kings. No public man and
no newspaper can be upon both sides of
this question. 1t is the paramount ques-
ton of the hour.
THE so UTHERN LABOR SYSTEM
The statement is going the rounds of the
! press that lands in the cotton States have
greatly deprecated in price since the war
| In Alabama, for instance, plantations, or
| portions of the lands composing them,
which were marketable at seventy five dol
lars per acre formerly, may now be bought
| as low as ten dollars or even five dollars per
acre. These statements are no doubt true,
but what is the cause of this immense de-
preciation2 The evil is one of great magni-
tude and one for which remedy should be
found. 1t is difficult to apply a remedy in
any instance while ignorance regarding the
cause of the evil prevails. The occasion
once given, intelligent investigation may
devise some adequate remedy. AS applied
industry in cultivating the soil is what pri-
marily gives value to farm lands, it is fairto
suppose that the depreciation complainedo of
in Alabama is chiefly owing to the disturbed
condition of her system of labor. There
is not enough of it, or what there is now in
the State is not properly applied. Indeed,
we presume there are few who will deny
that these are the facts.
Antecedent to the war the cotton lands of
Alabama were chiefly titled by the compul-
sorry system of labor. Since that period
the attempt to introduce the voluntary sys-
TEN has not met with the most favorable
success. This is indicated by the reduction
in the value of improved lands. The next
question which confronts the inquirer who
is endeavoring to solve this problem is, why
has this attempt at success of the voluntary
system failed? Is the fault with the laborer
or is it with the employer The material
is still there. The numbers of the laborers
have probably increased during the last ten
years, and if proper rewards are paid for
services rendered, why are not the results
such as to keep up the prices of the lands?
These are vital questions with Southern
land owners. They are questions which
must be answered, and truthfully, too, be-
fore they can sell their lands even at the
present minimum valuation. No immi-
grant wants lands at any price in a country
in which efficient labor cannot be procured.
If it be fact that the colored labor of Ala
bama cannot be depended upon to make
crops if well and regularly paid, let it be
frankly stated, so that a land purchaser
may understand when he buys Alabama
lands that it will be necessary for him to
take along with him the hands for its till
age. On the contrary, if the present labor
is good and efficient let it be known why it
happens that prices of lands are so low.
IF it is because labor is considered a dis
grace to the white man, and he will not
work, let that fact also be understood. 1t
is an old commercial maxim that nothing
is cheap which you neither want nor can
exchange again at any time for the money
you pay for it and profit. Apply this to
Southern lands, and it will be seen that
emigration to that section must depend al
most entirely upon the answer to the ques-
ton of labor. If a man can go there and
purchase land at ten dollars per acre, and,
by proper expenditure of labor, can bring
back the price of that land to its maximum
value of $75 per acre by producing large
crops every year, the temptation to emf
CRATE would be very strong and probably
large numbers would yield to its influence.
But if upon the other hand, a man
L. =
obliged to work them at the dictation of
the Alabama crossroads mob, pay his
hands as his ncighbors pay theirs, vote the
ticket which they vote, and drink the
toasts which they propose, and follow the
flag which they honor or suffer the loss of
property and life by being shot down like
dogs by masked devils in ambush, we
imagine there are but very few either in
Europe or upon this Continent who would
consider rich lands at $40, or even S., per
acre much of an inducement to settlement
The membranes would be altogether too
heavy.
Agriculturists everywhere enjoy peace
and quiet. They demand steady and re-
liable labor in order to mature their crops
and harvest them. They will not 90 into
a disturbed community to settle until they
know the cause of the disturbance, and
become satisfied that it is only spasmodic,
and not likely to become chronic.
If it be true, therefore, that the lands of
Alabama have deprecated so greatly since
the war, and that the cause of the depre-
citation is the scarcity of the labor neces-
sary to till them, or the failure of the vol
uutary system Of labor, and that the failure
Of that system has resulted from insecurity
of '1ife, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness" in the State, except at the dictation
and under the protection of White Leagues,
there is but little use in the endeavor to
change the labor system by immigration
during the present generation. Years
must pass before the rich cotton lands of
Alabama will again command $40 per acre
for cultivation. When the present genera
ton shall have given place to the next, and
free labor is accorded its respectable and
proper position in the creation of wealth,
then the landowner will acknowledge that
the soil is nothing without culture, and that
intelligent culture produces far more than
the compulsory labor Of the past age. When
these great truths are practically acknowl-
edged throughout the South, the lives and
property of all classes of her citizens will
be protected and her lands viii not only be
titled by the best labor in the world, but
will also command the highest average price
pei acre.
The EreIsiRg Hail, Democratic and Con-
sentative newspaper, made its first appearance
in this city yesterday. 1t is about the size Of