Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-01-11

asHv84 Laser NVBeemg 38 aAs
8Outh.
n. Z. Journal Of Commerce
When the old labor system Of tbs
South Was upset BY the sbollti0n oi
slavery, the serious question arOse-by
what should 4 be replaeod9 Three
theories were advanced aud stOutly I'D.
Vocated for the utilization OF the freed
mAn. These we're the employment Of
negroes on wages, the working OF es.
tates on shares-the hands to receive a
liberal proportion Of the crops-and
the renting OF properties ct fair rates.
AL these methods have now been
thoroughly tested, aud the conclusion
reached, both BY owners and labOrers,
Is this-that the wages system is m0st
satisfactory on al accounts. Georgia
has been the scene Of the most exlen.
sive experiments with the three modes,
aud her experience with them may be
taken "a highly Instructive on the SUBJ
ject. She has department Of agricul-
lure, and studies the questions Ol labor
aud crops scientifically. Tho reports
OF this department we have found very
accurate and useful In forming estimates
OF the annual farm products Of the State.
We therefore attach much value to the
opinions OF State Commissioner James
as 10 the matter which has lOug been In
controversy. In his supplemental re-
port for December he refers to the vex-
ed question, anl sums up review of
1t with this verdict: "Fhat the evi.
dence is altogether Ia favor Ofthe wages
system as u rule, to be departed from
under circumstances which may exist
In particular cases" He gives an ab.
stract Of statistics obtained from ell
parts OF Georgia. In the preparation
OF these the owners and workers have
been impartially consulted. There 10
no difference Of OpiuiOn among the
most intelligent Of6Oth classes as to the
superior advantages OF the wages sys.
tenn over lts rivals. The hrst remarka-
BILE difference appears as f0llOws: {:
Throughout the State Il was found that
the average number OF cotton bales
made this year Cper mulel where
wages we're paid, was ~, while the
average number, etc., produced on the
share plan was only 3.5. The proprie.
tors declared by the following precen.
lages 10 favor ol the respective sys.
TENS :69 for wages, l3 for shares, and
2S for renting. The preference among
the negroes was about the same-60
for wages, 20 for shares, aud 20 for
renting. When stock.raising 10 con.
sidered, the opinions are oVerwheIm.
ingIy on the side of the first plan-the
percentages being SO for wages aud
only II against.
AS the wages system has been grad.
ually supplanting the others in Geor.
gis, go the condition OF farmers has
generally improved. The returns
show a much better state Of things
han those of last year. Aud In THE,
of course, the lRborers share. These
facts may be discOuraging to theorists
who told us that the act of emAncipa-
tion, by throwing the negro upon bis
Owu resources, would Develop 10 him
a self.rellaHce aud q capacity OF taking
care Of himself which he has never eK.
hibited In any country or age. But "a
the true fFiendO OF the black who re-
cOgnize In him the qualities that be
reRlly possesses, the testimony is
cheering. This 10 the true solution OF
ths labor problem Of the south; aud
in lie workings the freedman will fnd
his best opportunities for self-imprOve-
ment and the fullest aud lalreal COM
petition With the whites 10 the sIrug-
gle for existence. Al present he ls
fortunate 10 being projected in the
subordinate relation he holds toward
the white race at the South, aud, If he
knows his own interests, will cheerful.
ly accept the wages system every
where as his surest guard against pow
erty aud suffering.