The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-01-26
TIL LABOR QUESTION.
An Interesting Letter From a Promi.
nent Citizen and a Good Planter
Some Food for Thought.

Editors Press und Banner:
Your editor ial Oh the labor question I think
Wi, bear u lite criticism. l agree with you
in the opinion hat legislation to regulate la
Dor was wholly UNNECESSARY for the good real
son that when the llbLrcr becomes dissntis-
lied 1t is better thai the employer should dis
charge HIM than to attempt 10 hOlu MIN NY
The cause OF dissatisfaction among laborers
arises from the tact that employers do not
generally direct them Us 10 the nlanl7 cement
OF tnelr finances. The result OF this Is, that
tuey at the tnd of the year come out with no
money in their packets: The employer who
wishes 10 rctaln good iabol ers must look alter
their iut,r,St az c,oseiy as he uocs his own.
BY dong t..is his hands at The end Of the year
will have money and there will be no ditil-
cu.ty III keeping them. The writer has had
The most of his Iaborels FORA number Oh years
aud uudS NO difficulty III rct,ining them. The
whole scciet OF the matter Is, The employer
must Xamln their accounts ana see that no
eXoruilaut charges have been made. and that
he Is really interested in their prosperity.
l do not agree with you In the opinion that
we WANT more laburers, but 1 am one OF the
dozen, With General Butler, Who believe IL Is
hest for the State that we have less, ana best
dispute that for years before the war we had
too lminy lai,orers OH the soil 10 accommodate
the supply. Very neatly AL the land was
cleared up and put into cultivation . Hence
the scarcity OF timber alt over the country anu
but Tor the stock law. which was Il necessity,
our plantations IN Il few years would have
bt en- vuluc!es>. For miles around ADbeville
Court house you wiz notice yer, lltlle tim,
bcred il. o u 1t has becII cut down and worn
out-u good deLlO II IN gullies. Thus Is the case
III. over the country. Ihe stranger who lrav-
els through this country Is uStonlslIed at The
uinOunt UI worn out land. Now this Is the re-
suit OF having too much labor in former ears.
udmlt thai ii the land had been properly
cared Tor by our fUreIathers there would nave
been fewer gu.iies and l., S. Worn out land to
be seen. but they we've negligent OF their ill.,
tarpSf and III are. we. To ucl.OllIilputtte cur
4, resent supply of laborerS you may notice
every here that our old helds are beng clear
ed up and put into cultivation. In u few years
they will be exhausted. md, IT the present
state OF things 60 on, in 4 decade OF years the
question OF timber for lire wood and building
purposes will become a serious one.
You s ate that every bale OF cotton that can
be produced adds that much to the wealth OF
the State. This would be true If The proceeds
could be kept here anu invested, but you
know that 1t is taken to the Northwest and
invested Ia bacon and corn. We only handle
the money long enough to quicken our ener-
gicS TO make Two bales the next year togo in
the same way: This state of things has been
going on for fifteen years and we Sec no emu 10
This rninuus policy. AS long as we have a st-
PEI abundance of labor on the soil and ulnoS
entirely from under the direction ana control
of the owners. This result Will follow You
may say that we ought to raise our W sup
J.. les and make the cntion crop II surplus 10 be
inv csieI At home. l heartily agree with you ;
but how is it to be effected unT;er the present
SNS j vi WV
g,ny their own farms. Our plan to remedy
the evils of the present system. Is To dispense
| with at least ~Onc.iOurth OF the labor. Cult
v,ie less land: maker IT more pruductive; con-
| troll aud di. Get the labor; husband the little
timber We have left; turn out the poor land
Il. at IL may grow N pines ana improve; raise
our supplies then We will DC aule to keep The
proceeds OF the UaIcu of cation Mt home, enrich
Ing the produccr, and at the same lime adding
that much to the wealth OF the State.
BY the present plan nothing can nc accom-
pliShed that would result In good to the plant
or or the prosperity OF the state. YOU might
as well attempt to meet a well disciplined
army with an equal number OF raw recruits
and expect 10 achieve Il victory.
BY encouraging the emigration OF the negro
thereby reducing the number OF voters In the
Stale. we at once settle the troublesome ques'
ton of universal suffrage. There u lIoiiilne
more cerlutn that "a long as The lesI" Is In
the majority we will have tr'u"r. NJ meas.
mes We can adopt viii remedy :he evil siiort
OF Il qua flied suffrage which Is ui"xrcd.cmtl III
nnr. ,,rr.,it md; ,i,.n, .FAit.,.EN.
Nincty-six, 8. G., Jan. p. 1881.