The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-05-24

On Thursday Mr.. A n. Beck win send about
three hundred cOlOred laborers 10 New Orleans
70 work on railroads now being constructed II
Louisiana. Mr.. Beck expects % send nve hum
dred more In . week or two Union, 1854 Z
The laborcrs mentioned passed through Talla-
hassse on Thursday en- routs for 81. Marks 70
take passage on the steamer Amite for their
destination.
A large number of cOlored people have left
this county this year 70 work on the railroads In
East Florida, and doubtless the lot above named
contained some OF them.
We have heard II stated that mot less than six
or seven hundred have aquit farming this year
in Leon, most of whom have probably LEFT the
country. We have also been informed that
more than two hundred and Afty mules which
were worked last year are idle this season Tor
want of hands to work them. One large planter
told Us day or two ago that on one Of his places
on which he usually runs nineteen plows, but
one was running this year. Many negroes have
deserted the plantations and moved to the towns,
thinking to pick up a livelihood doing odd Jobs.
The reason of all this il manifest. and may be
comprehended in one word-COTTON!
The planters who are conducting their bust
ness successfully are the ones who live on or
very near 10 their plantations, and insist on ju-
dicious management on the part OF their tenants
by requiring them, (oftentimes against their
willD to plant food and forage crops, and TO cul-
tvate only what they can cultivate well. Those
who fail are they who undertake too much, who
do not exercise proper control over their tenants,
and whe are with them only small portion of the
time. Frequent failures for the above reasons; the
low price of cotton, and the necessity Of import
ing corn for food and forage at high prices, have
resulted in the utter and not unnatural dscour-
agement of the colored snant-farmers, and the
result is their present decentralization. They
will be almost certain to better their condition
by emigrating, provided they do not 60 to the
harsh and inhospitable Northwest, where SO
many have formerly gone, only TO perish of cold
and want In Texas, and in the newly settled
portions of East and South Florida, they will
find good wages, or cheap and rich lands, either
of which, with industry will redeem their for
tunes
Meantime what are the landed propretors OIL
Middle Florida going to do without the negro
We will tell you: They are going to organize
and "carry the war into Africa" as it were, by
supplying the country with the best possible sub
stitute for negro labor, by cutting up their large
tracts of land into small farms, and bringing in
the best classes Of white population to occupy
them. They must spend some money TO do it
and sacrifice many things; but the end to be
aeheived-the redemption of Middle Florida
from the incubus which has retarded her grow th
and paralyzed her powers-will more than COM
pensate for all
The white people are making no effort to
drive out the negro He is going of his own free
WILL because it is no longer desirable place for
him, and they will wish him health and prosper
ity wherever he may go but they will not, in
few years at least, regret his departure for they
will then see, in the place Of diapidated plantr-
tions, the neat settlements of thrifty Germans or
Swiss, or Northerners; in the place of ruined cab
ms they will see the comfortable, wholesome and
picturesque cottages of Caucasian population,
whose frugaity and industry will make Middle
Florida one of the most delightful and beautiful
spots on earth.