The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-07-08
Cardinal Archbishop OF Westminster
WHITE SHARE HANDS ON SUGAR PLAN
TAIIOSS.

louisiana Sugar Bowl, Jane 800
We have for nine years been close OBJ
server of tie different sy stems of labor en-
| ployed on sugar plan tations, and believe 8
majority of the planters will agree with us
in the following assertions Negroes are
better hands on monthly wages, as sugar
plantations are now conducted, than either
Cinnamon or whites, for the Celestials are
| altogether too slow for this kind of work,
while no white man worth having is will.
ing to work as q common monthly laborer,
when he can do so much better working
| on the tenant or share system. Negroes,
as share handle, have not proven profitable
| to planters, because few have sufficient
am bition or forethought to make a paying
crop; but, on the other hand, white share
hands can be made, and frequently are, far
more profitable to the landowner than hir-
ed help.
Wages on plantations are now $l3 10
SIS per month, besides rations, a cabin to
live in, fuel, large garden plat and priv
times large stock-altogether aggregating
e25 or $50 month, making better yearly
wages than are paid in any other portion
| of the world. Yet where white men are
| employed on the share system, they inva-
| riably do better, If industrious and reliable
sometimes making three or four times as
| much in year as the hands on wages do.
Some may here ask, If share hands can
make 80 much, why not pay mouthly hands
| moref Simply because they do not work
| as faithfully, aud planters now pay them
as much az they can afford for the work
done.
In response to many letters of inquiry
received by rs, we will state the usual
terms upon which share hands are employ
cd Planters are not generally we'll situa-
| ted to make white families comfortable,
but the comparatively few who have com
1 khaa oh AZ
| laborers to such vacant cabins as they have,
but always violating them ae much as pos
sible from cOlored families, when the lat
| ter are employed. The lack of comforta-
bic houses is the greatest objection to the
share system, but as the occupants are not
Stable and crib room, with garden ground,
are also furnished the share hands gratui-
tously, together with wood and stock priv
ileges allowed monthly hands. Corn sutfi-
cient to feed team and family is usnally
| advanced to be returned the planter at the
end of the year. Seed cane land some
times ratOops or stu6bles of the former
crop which sprouts we'll and make a good
| crop generally for two years,) are always
furnished the share hand at the begin
ming, to be returned by him at the end of
his contract. Every share hand provides
his own provisions, but If unable to do 80,
| the planter sometimes advances the same,
or local merchant will, to be paid at the
end of the year. If the share hand fur
nishes implements and provides and feeds
his own team, he is given one half of all gu
gar, molasses, corn, ETC., made by him; buff
the planter furnishes the team and impli-
ments, the share hand gets but one fourth
or one third of crops made. In all cases,
share hands and teams are under full con-
troll of the planter during the sugar making
or 4" rolling" season, and the whole force
work together, without additional compen-
sation, to save the crop. The land owner
generally decides in what order the respec-
tive crops shall be ground, according to
degrees of maturity, but on some planta-
tiOns lots are cast and the grinding is done
accordingly. Daring the cultivating sea-
son, the planter or oveCeeer gives the share
hand necessary advice, but when the labor
or 30 working lie conversant with the bust
ness, he has pretty much his own way.
The share hand generally cuts and hauls
sufficient wood to take off his portion of
to the hogshead-but where coal is
used, or the planter prefers to fur
nish the wood, he charges something extra
on each hOgshead of sugar. In some in
stances, the empty hogsheads and barrels
are furnished and in others not.
Each man requires a good team of mules
or horses, pillow, harrow, cultivator, hoes,
axes, ETC., and can cultivate ten acres of
cane and ten of corn, At the lOtCest esti-
mate, the ten acres of cane should give ten
hogsheads of sugar and twenty barrels of
molasses, worth at least $1,000 after re-
serving one acre for seed, which will plant
Eve acres next season. Thus the single
share hand could each year renew his plant
cane, get at least $500 in cash for his half
of the sugar crop, and one half of the corn