New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-25
The Coming Black MANI

Some time ago the Inter- Ocean expressed
the opinion that the looming planter would
be black" Notwithstanding the persecu.
ton to which he is subjected, he is slowly
creeping along in that direction, and we
have no doubt that in time the nabObs of
the South will be colored men. We do not
mean by this that every negro will own
plantation and become wealthy. On the
contrary, large majority no doubt will re-
main poor, and give the work Of their lives
to more fortunate white men, or men of
their own race; but there are signs that the
colored man will become the successful
planter, doing for himself what he really
did for his master before the war. 1t is a
| notorious fact that the plantations of the
South, under the old regime, were run by
white or colOred overseers and rarely
by the owners in pers NJ =, very a'ere,
in great ;1.;.ncea me tba latter ;aa It
steward. !. .,sty of their superlntendents or
affair, ESs, and their carelessness in financial
+: ..s was matter of general understand
| .ns' Anese men do not care to attempt, un-
ger the new order OF things. what they
ia to DO under the, old; and as
for managing work to which his life
has been devoted. he is naturally
called to field where the remuneration is
lar and where promotion surely awaits
NOW a wh M .s are net ~ ssiy
different order of talent is required. Then,
all that was necessary was driver who
had the strength and the brutality TO touch
up the tardy 'hands" and use his unlimited
power to compel work from slaves. Now,
it requires one who has the faculty of plan
ming his work, engaging his hands and OBJ
tanning the greatest amount OF labor pos
sible by other means than the lash. As may
well be supposed, the occupation is not 80
pleasant to the old slave driver now as in
the days Of white absOlulism. The pleasure
to them is gone, and SO the black foreman
steps in to take the place Of the overseer.
This is the first step; the next is a rented
plantation. where his industry and tact
count for himself; the next a plantation of
his own, where his frugal habits, his capacity
for labor and his desire to succeed count
strongly for him, and where what he makes
he saves.
But it is not on the plantation alone that
the cOlored man excels. The letter of our
correspondent from Chattanooga. published
yesterday, tells US that in the iron works
there he has been found superior, in his en-
durance particularly, to white labOrers.
The negroes stand the intense heat Of the
manufactures better. White ''puddlers"
can work on the average but twenty days
in month; q cOlOred operative will work
without difficulty thirty or thirty-one. And
they have learned to save their money as
we'll as earn it, and to invest it judicious-
~; and ere long We do not doubt but
we shall see, as our correspondent says,
colored men at the head of come of the
most important works in the South. Pos
sessing many advantages over white labor
ere, capable of living nexpensively, Of en-
during the heat of that latitude without ex-
haustioD, and thoroughly conveTsant with
the peculiar industry of that section, 20
human power can prevent the shrewd men
of the cOlored race from eventually becom-
ing the financial backbone of the South.
Prejudice may hinder, persecution may de-
lay it, but slowly and surely they are creep
ing forward, and ere long will compel the
world to recognize this fact, which will be
so palpable as to refuse to he ignored. The
Southern men who now recognize and
respect the colored planter are only little
in advance Of the rest, who must soon, per-
force, Go likewise.-Chicago Inter- Ocean.