The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1878-01-29
NUMBER 10.
la bor ;sad Labor Contracts.

To the Editors Of the Clarion:

To the Editors OF the Clarion:
As your paper has perhaps the largest
circulation of any paper in Mississippi, |
/ have concluded 10 make a tew suggestions
through its columns to the farmers of Mis-.
sisSlppi and our Legislature now i'm session.
| | think thereiS great nt ed of legislation on
| the subject oflabor and labor contracts the
want OF which has been an incubus on our
farming interests and has impeded our
| progress in rebuilding our waste places.
more than all other causes pertaining to az
rlculture. The honest conscientious far
mer Is at the mercy of every unprineined
laborer anu farmer who chose to injure and
deiraud him. As an illustration, Mr.. A. a
planter OF Mississippi is in want of labor to
work his farm, and not being able 70 pro-
cure 1t at home, he goes over TO Alabama
or Georgia and, AT heavy expense and loss
OF time, obtains hands pays their fare, and
gets home with them, settles them on his
place, furnishes horses, provisions perhaps
for weeks or months. His neighbor, Mr.. b.
goes TO work, cladestinelv, and gets all of
Mr.. a hands on his plaee.and Mr. A, has no
redress on Mr.. B. III al Mr.. B has reapea all
the benefit of Mr.. As. money and time
spent in securing his hands. Aud II Mr.. A,
demonstrates and complains, he Mr.. B.,
merely laughs it IF as shrewd trick and
good joke. and Mr.. A. has TO pocket the
loss, and hear the disappointment the best
he can. lie has no redress on Mr.. B. or
the laborers. This is no fancy sketch. for
such eases frequently occur. And il does
appear to me that such acts should be pun
lshed by fine and imprisonment, for it is
certainly moral if not a legal theft.
In other cases, share laborers or crop
pers, frequently refuse TO gather their
crops after they are made. When they
find they have used and consumed their
part, have left crops, and gone and worked
for other parties in violation of their con-
tracts, and TO the damage and loss of the
and holder. But he has no redress, as the
laborer is in such eases generally law
proof Now ought not this party, who has
this laborer, and caused him to
leave his own crop, to be liable for dam
ages, as he in this act has damaged his
nelghbor, and become an accomplice in the
crime? Justice ambiguity would certainly
SO decide, and any person employing la
Dor previously EN- npoyed should be liable
tor damages, and prosecuted as in other
cases of trcspass and misdemeanor.
| have only spoken of the employer
As an offender and criminal | will
now refer TO the empioye. He too
should be held accountable and amenable
to the law. When he with impunity violates
his contract and subjects his employer to
loss and iSappointment, certainly he should.
It is most generally the case that the en-
ployer is solvent and the employc can force
him to a compliance with his contract and
in justice and fairness the law ought to COM
pei the employe to a like com pliance with
ais contract, and he should he dealt with in
Mississippi as he would be in some of the
Northern States or in Europe, arrested and
Imprisoned if he failed or refused to comply
with his contract. 1t is impossible for any
country to prosper without well directed
system of labor. One that protects equally
the employer and the cmploye. the latter
has all the protection in Mississippi that he
could ask for, the former has none.
ARCoLA.