The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-24
The Labor Problem.
The latest issue of the vicksburg Plan.

The latest issue of the Vicksburg Plan
ter's Journal says:
"The labor system Of the South is
annually growing worse and worse. The
negro never was reliable as q laborer,
even in the days when he ranked as an
expensive chattel. The masters eye
kept him in subjection, and the fear OF
the lash goaded him to unwilling toll.
AS freedman he is worse than failure.
Unreliable to the last degree, he brings
ruin, SCORER or later, upon all those that
put their trust in him. Contracts are
things he makes to be broken. The
opportunity of defrauding those who
have trusted and befriended him is
eagerly improved. Deceit and dissimu-
lation are inherent traits in his character.
He is familiar with vice and does not
hesitate to commit grave crimes to pro
mote the qualification of his brutal pas.
sions. Slovenly in NIL his habits, he can
not and will not comprehend the lessons
which the improved agriculture of the
period teaches"
These are pretty hard things to say,
yet it must be admitted by all candid
people that they present vastly more Of
truth than Of poetry. Of course there
are few honorable exceptions in almost
every community, but leaving these out
and taking all others as mass, we find
the case standing very much as our
Vicksburg contemporary puts it. Then
naturally comes in the question, "What
are we to do ?" There are not enough of
these reliable laborers to perform our
work-nothing like enough, and to
depend upon those unreliable cannot do
otherwise than prove disastrous. The
Planters Journal goes on to state, in SUBJ
stance, that q radical change is neces.
sity and no time must be lost by indulg-
ing in vain and useless repinings. I'm
migrants must be attracted to US by thou.
sands. We must go after them if they
do not come voluntarily. Money must
be expended in disseminating informa-
tion regarding the climate, soils, crops,
manufactures, mines, forests and other
resources of the South. To the masses
of the sections from which we would draw
immigration the South is only a pesti-
lential region, a semi-barbarian country
where might makes right, where law is
defed and crime is deemed honorable.
These wrong impressions must be cor
rected. Capital must be invited and its
investment be rendered reasonably
secure. Homes must be offered on rea
sonable terms to such as have means to
buy, and who will Immediately improve
them, while lands must be rented to
those who have not the ready means, but
who are willing to work. To meet this
crying want the large plantation system,
so prevalent in the best parts of the
South, must be abandoned. Plantations
must be divided and sub.divided.
From this changed condition of affairs
other resultant benefits will follow.
Muscles of iron and steel will be gen.
orally introduced, and those who under
stand their use will find ready employ
ment. Skilled laborers will be in de.
mand. One of these with his machine
will do more and better work, at half the
expense, than can now be accomplished
by score of our slovenly cultiyators
with their primitive implements. The
negro cabin will be demolished aud the
white mans cottage will take its place.
The soil will be worked to its full capac-
ity and the largest crops Of the present
will be largely increased, for science will
assist the efforts of intelligent labor.
This increase of population, of an
intelligent and enlightened character,
will naturally attract to us diversity
of interests, all of which will,
in due time, find ample scope and
profitable occupation. Manufactures of
NIL kinds will be established. Our mex
haustible mines of salt, sulphur, coal,
iron and precious metals will be worked.
The wealth of our wide-spreading forests
will be utilized. Our swamps will be
drained and our waste places will be
reclaimed.
These are no Utopian ideas. They
are entirely practicable. Something of
hekind must be adopted and that without
unnecessary delay. We do not need to
go to Europe or Asia. We do not want
the scum and dregs of any nation. Bone
and muscle without brain will do US lit
tie good. We can and should offer
inducements to secure the best class Of
the surplus population of our own coun-
try. If thrifty, respectable emigrants
from the Old World desire to settle
among US they should be welcomed.
There is room for them all.
In this connection it is proper to state
that the frantic efforts now being made in
certain parts of the South to procure
immigrants OF any character, can only be
productive of evil. We cannot afford
to furnish an asylum for those who "leave
their country for their country's good"
Neither do we believe it wise to pin our
faith on those who must be brought to US
by charity. God helps those who help
themselves, and we feel sure that when
we place our superior advantages prop.
erly before the world, there will be no
lack of energetic and intelligent men
who will find way to reach lis without
asking advances from us. We have
often observed that when an immigrant
has been paid to settle in a given locality
the community soon finds it advisa-
BILE to pay him to ego West" or in some
other direction. tive us only the intel
ligent, energetic and respectable. Let
us extend to such every possible induce
ment to come and all needed assistance
after arrival, but let us securely close our
doors against all others.
A HARD CUsToMER.-A friend who
has been travelling recently in South
western Georgia, heard of man now
living down in Lowndes county, whose
career has been remarkable for more