The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-08-18
BROOKHAVEN, MISS. THURSDAY. AUGUST Is, 1881
sMisfAlaav.
The South az It II.

sMisrellany.
The South a. It II.
An Intelligent and fair-minded
correspondent, sent on q tour
through the South by the New York
Tribune, has just completed his
work, and we give below several ex.
tracts from his last letter:
THE LABOR PROBLEM EVER PRESENT
The South is building more rail-
roads than is likely to have bust
adequately to sustain. The great
est problem of this portion OF the
country, as of every other, is likely,
l think, to be the labor problem
how to arrange the conditions OF
life so that the laboring people OF
the country will be happy; so that
they may be the strength and not
the peril of national institutions and
civilization. lido not think the in
fiux of immigrants from foreign
countries will be an unmixed good
for the South. 1t will almost cer-
tainly be a great disadvantage to
the colored race, by reason of in
creasing competition in labor, and
the interests of the mass of white
laborers in the South will probably,
after some little time, suffer similar
injury from the same cause. 1t ap
pears to me to be the time to inquire
whether it is wise to permit. the
transfer of whole populations from
European countries to America.
Why should this country not keep
its unoccupied soil for the natural
increase of the population here:
The people of this country have un-
doubtedly the right to prohibit fur
ther immigration if they wish to do
SO. The greatest need of the South
to day, as of the whole country, is a
higher civilization for the working
people, more knowledge and better
Judgment regarding the conditions
of their own; or in other words, bet
ter instruction and education for
men and women who work with
their hands for wages. The santa
ry condition of their homes should
receive increased attention every
where. and some legislation will be
necessary to secure improvements
which are Indispensable.
A NATIONAL SAVINGS BANK SYSTEM
There is one thing which I Think
might be done for the benefit of the
working people, and which l have
long believed would be ofgreat ben
eft to them and to the country, and
that is a system by which the Gov
ernmeut shall receive the savings OF
people and guarantee their absolute
security and certain return to de-
positors, without interest. There is
no sound reason for the Nations
paying interest permanently TO any
class of it's citizens. On the con-
trary, depositors should pay, under
such system, a small sum for each
deposit made. sufficient for the cleri-
cal work required, and for any real
expense Of business, as persons now
pay for pOstofiice money orders.
Such system would do more than
anything else which is reasible to
educate the working people in hab-
its Of saving, and would thus enable
many Of them to acquire property,
who, as things now are, will never
do so. For large proportion of
the people who work for wages the
saving banks are too far away ade-
quately to serve the purpose which
would be accomplished by the Gov.
ernmcnt receiving deposits at the
post Offices everywhere; and, which
is also very important, the savings
banks cannot guarantee the abso-
lutte security::of deposits instrusted
to them. / have no doubt that the
system / recommend would soon
greatly increase the amount deposit
ed in the savings banks Of the coun.
try, as most people have such a de
sire for interest on money as would
lead them to prefer the risk connect
ed with the business of savings
bank-fcr the sake of the interes,
as soon as their post-ofiice depos'
its should have reached any consid
cradle amount. Much money is
wasted by the poorer classes. and by
most of the men and women who
work for wages, as l have for many
years observed, because there is no
convenient and everywhere accessi,
ble method for the saving or secure
keeping of small amounts. That
great evil for the working people,
the drinking habit, is fostered and
increased by the absence of such q
method; and I believe that the adop'
tion ofthls system of Government
care of the earnings Of the people
would have a marked effect in di-
minishlng expenditure for drink.
To induce habits of economy and
providence among people who labor
with their hands for wages would be
an important advance in civilization
and certainly the country has no,
reached the highest attainablc per
fect;on in the art of government,
while there is no method for the Sc
cure keeping and certain return Of
any small sums that may result
from the provident self-denial of the
men and women who toll. l hops
this suggestion may be discussed BY
the press of the country, and that
within a few years its substance
may be embodied in such legisla,
ton as may be necessary to estab
|lish a system under which the peo
pie will be absolutely certain of hav
ing their savings, intrusted to thu
care of the Government, returned tt
them without loss and without in
terest. Whatever difficulties NIGH
arise in the introduction Of such
system could be overcome in pfac-
tice, / think, and it would be worti
while to try it.
Pare Talent.