Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-05-06
SOUTHERN LABOR.

Labor COnvention-Large Attendance,
All the Lower River Towns Being Rep
resented-The Colored Delegates Present
as Spectators Only.
V1oKsBURa, Miss, May 5.-The Missis-
sippi valley labor convention met this after
noon in the Southern concert garden, the
opera house, which was intended as the
place of holding the convention, being too
small. There were fully four hundred dele
gates present, every county and parish on
the Mississippi river between Helena, Ark,
and New Orleans being represented. The
Farrar, chairman of the committee on ar
rangements. Gen. w. R. Miles, Holmes
county, Miss, was made temporary chair
man. Gen. Miles in brief speech stated
the object of the convention, which was for
better understanding between capitalists,
land owners and laborers of the South. It
was the old question that had disturbed the
world ever since industry had been organ
lied.
Addressing the colored people of the con-
vention the speaker added: The god of
nature had made the colored man tropical
plant. The South was his home according
to divine dispensation, but if any desired to
emigrate to Kansas or elsewhere, no human
power can prevent you. You have the same
right to 60 as have.
Turning to the whites, Gen. Miles said:
You are the owners of the soil, and you
should be honest in your transactions with
the colored man.
On motion, committee of twenty was
appointed on permanent organization.
Pending the absence of the committee ex-
Gov. Henry S. Foote being called upon adj
dressed the convention. He said he had
come at the earnest request of the cotton
exchange of New York, to lend what power
and influence he had possessed toward
harmonizing the conflicting interests of the
great Mississippi valley. He argued that
both white and colored ought to shut their
eyes to the past, and hand IN hand work
together for the future prosperity of their
native land.
The following report of the committee on
permanent organization was adopted: Presi-
dent, Gen. w. r. Miles, of Holmes county,
Miss. Vice-presidents, T. F. Cassell. Mem
phis, Tenn; James Hill, Jackson, Miss; n.
B. Robinson, Helena, Ark: David Young,
Concord, La. (All the vice-presidents are
colored). Secretary, A. W. Crandall, Madi-
son parish, La.
After appointing committee on creden-
tials the convention adjourned for one hour.
On reassemblig the committee on credentials
reported every capitalist, merchant and far
mer who had come in response to- the call
should be entitled to voice in the proceed
ings of the convention. Also, those who
had credentials from county and parish con-
ventions. Before vote was taken on the
report of the committee, Rev. Chas. Thomp-
son, colored chairman of the State Emigration
society of Louisiana, addressed the conven-
ton. His remarks were directed particularly
to the colored men. He said the colored
men present would refrain from voting on
all resolutions or reports introduced. They
were here to listen to the proposals of the
whites who constituted the capitalists and
owners of land. Let them come forward
with their guarantees, and if satisfactory
endorse them, otherwise state your objec-
tions. This speaker was followed by III. B.
Robinson, colored, large farmer of Phillips
county, Arkansas, in the same strain, which
advice was generally needed, for when vote
was taken on the report only the whites voted
A committee of thirteen on resolutions
we're appointed by the chair, to whom all
resolutions introduced were referred without
debate. The convention then adjourned till
8 o'clock tomorrow morning. Among the
resolutions referred was one which reads az
follows:
Resolved, That this convention being called
and assembled, to take into consideration the
material interests of the people, irrespective Of
party color, resolutions of a politica
character shall be entertained by the chair
and debate of such questions shall be out OF
order.
The spirit of the convention towards tn,
close was most harmonious, and great bene
fits are anticipated as to the result. Their
seems to be a general feeling toward con
cessions from both whites and colored. Tn
report of the committee on resolutions will
it is thought, favor a reduction of tn
price of rent for land, and les
exorbitant prices for necessaries.
The BABY Monkey.
Philadelphia Letter.
The mother sits meditatively in her cage