Daily Republican., 1882-01-06
Another scuthcrn yxoaas.

Another scuthcFn Yxoaas.
South Carolina 10 again alarmed at
the exodus of her colored population TO
more congenial States, where they can
have the benefit of education and be
treated on an equality with white citi-
zens, so far rs the laws are concerned.
To the colored men of the State, Ar
kansas, with its bitter proscriptiveness
presents better home than their native
South Carolina. The crimes practiced
against those forbearing people must be
great indeed, when in the rigors Of win
ter they leave their native heath and
remove to strange land.
The question Of labor is becoming
one of great Importance to the Southern
Sta es, and for every able bodied man
that leaves the State, there are none to
take his place. The great foreigns tream
of immigration that comes from Ger
many and other nationsof Europe. does
not flow in the direction of the South,
nor never will until the arrogance Of
the South is curbed and her planters
learn to treat labor az if it had some
rights that ought to be respected. The
exodus of the negroes, which com
menced couple of years ago, is assum-
ing vast and alsrmiug proportions. The
Charleston News ard Courier, the lead
ing Democratic journal Of the State,
and therefore not likely to misrepre-
sent the matter in any way, declares
that 'it is startling to hear that already
entire plantations have been left with
out laborers." The News then adds
that "the colored people are the founda-
ton of the whole agricultural system
of the South. Without their labor .
large part Of the South would remain
uncultivated until white emigrants
could be obtained to fill j, the gap"
This is an honest confession, but emf
grants can never be directed South
ward in such volumes as to supply that
section with all the labor it requires 50
long as the competition of colored labor
is maintained, for white men would
not work for the poor, miserable, paltry
pay, with which the negroes have here
tofore been forced to be satisfied. 1t is
not only that the wages are excessively
low, but that they are chiefly paid in
else than money-generally
in rations. The colored people in the
extreme South particularly, are still
largely under tho influence of their old
who, before they we've set free,
paid them nothing for their labor, and
even now, pay them but little more.
As the negro's intelligence increases,
he learns that he can do bettor every
way in the far West, or in the North,
han in the South, and just a. naturally
as water runs down hill. will men of
every sort seek the best market for their |
abor and the most favorable conditions
Imong which to make their homes.
The whole secret of the exodus of the |
southern colored people to other places,
$ that people elsewhere treat them bet
er and deal more fairly and generously
With them than the South. If the lat
er were only half wise, it would keep
hem in their old homes and be benefit
ed by their labor. But it can only do
hat by giving them a hearty recogni.
ion of all their rights before the law.
nd Of paying them fairly for their ser
ices. If the South should have to re-
ort to white laborers it could deny
hem no legal rights, nor could it pay
hem less for the labor than the North
,ould pay them tor 1t. The present
xodus commenced in the dead of win
or, and is warning to the people of
10 South that they must be generous
nd just to their labor, or their planta-
ions will go uncultivated. Will they
Iofit by the lesson"