The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-02-07

LABOR AND IT'S FUTURE

dl,cu,,in. lhe future of certain
prominent staples With reference
solely to the relations Of supply and
dem.nd or else in view Of success
full rivalry, the fruit OF sagaclous
imitation Of American systems Of
culture. or perhapsof persistent and
happy Developments Of hitherto
stubborn and impracticable regions,
upon which agricultural enterprise
NAV at last have made II long
sought impression. Allthis is en-
i%nently proper, because it may be
that present staple, may still alb
sorb the industrial activity Of the
South, and then, in that contIn-
gencv, it is wise to participate all the
consequences Of over production,
unaccompanied by enlarged domes-
tic consumption, or the opening up
Of new foreign demands.
But we think this question of
the future viii compel a discussion
in another point Of view in which
the suggestion Of how to dispose Of
a surplus Will be less serious than
that Of whether the present supply
a be maintained. The idea of
an ever increasing surplus is foun-
dcd upon the charging area Of pro-
duction, and the almost limitless
extent OF new territory coupled
with Il confident reliance upon a Ia
Dor supply, the character Of which
was SO happily adapted to the OBJ
jects OF Southern culture. Ii the
material Of this labor shall remain
unchanged, if It's supply keeps pace
with the enlarged rea of cultiva-
ton. if it does not fall behind the
natural increase Of other classes Of
the population, then the stability
of Southern staples may be assumed
to be secure, and the only appre-
hension will be that Of ever pro
duction.
Bat what IS This labor upon
which the South is now so abso-
luteiy dependent 1t is the negro,
the former slave, and his offspring,
growing up under their new eype-
rience in freedom. And it is well,
before building deep into the flu
ture, to enquire into the founda-
tons upon which calculations are
laid. In q state OF slavery, the
negro, though humanely treated was
not freely entrusted to the rule of
his own discretion, but was con-
trolled to the motions OF one mas
ter Will, who planned out his work
and who enforced the execution Of
a comprehensive idea by systematic
subordinate execution. The negro
became a perfect component part
Of an elaborate machine, trained to
his duty, and with just enough of
intelligence to comprehend the i'm
.ortant relation he bore to its sue
cessful working. This subordina-
ton to a controlling power and
will brought the negro into habits
Of system and regularity which in
time became with many a second
nature. When the shackles of
were stricken off, the effects
Of disciplined habit remained in
some degree unchanged, and the
resumption of the extensive c~ultiva-
ton OF cotton, and some other
was not so difficult as had
been feared. But it can hardly be
denied that the freed slave has lost
efficiency. Vet it cannot be de-
nled, farther, that comparatively
Indifferent as he is, the former
slave negro Is the only approach to
reliability the planter can find. He
works because he had been trained
% work from his infancy, not be-
cause he is naturally less incident
less prone to animal indulgences
han his offspring, born or reared
n freedom. Now, it is apparent
o the most careless observation
hat these last cannot be depended
IN to maintain the systems carried
IN successfully under their progen-
tors. With them work is a thing