The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1877-12-15
IHE LABOR QUESTION.

history as state Immediately after the
war troublesome question indeed
There was az one time quite decided
disposition on the part Of the negroes
to go TO Liberia or to eolonize in Mexi'
co This led northern philanthropist:
20 hope that the vacuum in our fields
could be filed by laborers from the
silent workshops and mills OF the north
Happily for us the negro hiatus did not
occur, and consequently we were not
reduced to the unskilled help which
was offered from the north. Another
circumstance in this connection was
also altogether in oHr favor. The
threatened scarcity of labor put many
a southern gentlemen and theoretical
man at the business praetioally-at the
plow handles Health, purse aud NOR
ais all were benefited by It. Thus it is
that our blessings sometimes come to
us v,ry adroitly disguised.
There can never be anything like a
real scarcity of field help in Texas, be
cause the old plantation system is prac'
tically superseded by the western idea
OF small farms; especially is this true OF
the north and northwestern sections
of the state Perhaps the only diff,
Guilty is, that one man can make much
more than he can gather, particularly
of cotton. The effect of this is to re-
duee that crop to the gathering capacity
OF the planters, an advantage in and Of
itself of no mean character. when we
remember all the good results of crop
dVersitication which have become so
apparent within the last few years in
Texas
Most OF the large colonies. now com
ing in from the north, are independent
of the labor question, either considered
with regard to their fields or their do
mestic affairs The secondary good
effect is, the example held up to our
own people whose education, under the
old labor system of the country, greatly
conduced 10 the aggravstion of the
evils of the short labor supply. The
scarcity of laborers has also taught US
su excellent lesson in economy. Labor
may be wasted like any other valuable
commodity, and we have learned 10
employ it only In those directions ard
for those objects which promise TO pay
the largest and surest dividends upon
the outlay.
The system of small farming. now so
generally adopted in Texas, simplifies
the labor problem, and adds many nil
lions TO the taxable values of the state;
besides. IT renders the country selEsus,
tanning. and, in consequence, perfectly
independent of other neigh boring states
One means Of securing plenty of labor
Is to have plenty of provisions to feed it
with. We ought to pay more attention
to growing hogs and saving our bacon. I"
There is. perhaps, no country on earth
more perfectly adapted TO hograising
than Texss The animal does well all
the time-remains healthy when in
other states disease slays its tens of
thousands-and feed is necessary only
when the fattening process commences
These advantages ought to be sufficient
TO insure not only abundant supplies
for home consumption, but a large ex>
cess for expectation.
Let no man be deferred from coming
to Texas by reason of a short labor sup
ply. There is plenty here for all desires
able purposes, and the supply will not
decrease as the country grows elder.
When we reflect that by reasons of our
mild climate, the cheapness of labor,
and other advantages, the poor live at
less expense than elsewhere, the tide
naturally drifting this way will never
be less. However, for these self same
reasons it is not always reliable, because
three or four months work will ~ flee
for the maintenance of family TOR q
year, and only when the purpose is
formed to become rich wilt the effort
be continuous.