Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-01
WORK IN THE SOUTH.
Harsh Critics of the NegrOes-Whites
and Blacks as LabOrers.

and Blacks as LabOrers.
.sSt,rdies IN he SOUTH" in December AHdntic.
In Louisiana everybody told me that the
negroes were improving as labOreTs, at
any rate, all old SOutherners said so. This
reminds me that throughout the South the
harshest critics of the negro whom met
were Northern men-men who had gone
down there to work sugar plantations,
grow cotton. etc. These men, being push
inc. sharp and energetic. after the North
ern fashion, are always disposed to keep
the negro labOrers ''up TO their work."
The negroes do not like to work for them.
They require a steadiness of application
and eXertiOn of which the negro in gene
raj does not appear to be capable. He can
work hard for a while "by spurts,' or on
a race. especially in crowd, and if he
is allowed to sing while at work.
But for quiet. solitary, constant toll,
a first rate white labOrer is, / think, supe-
riOr to almost any negro. The Northern
men i'm the South are, as compared with
Southern men, very eXactlng as employ
crS. They are stern and impatient with
their ..hands." and usually irritate and
confuse the negroes. Southern men are,
usually, not at all eXacting as employers
of agricultural labOrer; they are not ac-
customed to being prompt or steadily in
dustriOus themselves, and they value their
own ease too much 10 engage in any con-
test with the peculiar ways or traits Of
the negro. Thus. the shiftlessness. the
sIowness. the inefficiency, the habit of TAX
ing things so leisurely as If one had infin-
tie time at his cOmmand-the features of
the negro life and character which are so
eXasDerating TO the energetic NOrtherner
are accepted or recognized by most
Southern people as something inevitable,
Iibe Ike course of the seasons, not to be ac-
tolerated or interfered with to any profit
5rfl- | nobody
south. white or black, except a few
leading business men in the city,
who could do anything in fifteen minutes.
II is not natural to hurry in that part OF
the world l talked with queer old man
i'm the pine woods in North Carolina, who
had observed the restlessness OF most
Northern people when they first came to
the South. He said they always acted 'as
eff they was hung on wires, an somebody
was ierken' on em;'' but Southern people
'.knOw how TO take their time, and plenty
on it," Ia reply ! made the usual sage
remarks about differences Of character as
affected by climate and environment in
general, and concluded with the opinion
that life in the South during the time OF
few generations would change the Yam
kee blood and temperament, and produce
a race of people who could ''gO Slow
on occasions. '4es, yes," said he;
.'that's so, young man, that's so, I've
seen 'em. Ii takes 'em just about three
weeks" If you give the negroes time
to say nothing farther regarding these
traits in the character of the white people
they. going on in their large, slow, inor-
ganic way, will accomplish important re-
suits in the course of the year. Exertion
seems less necessary or desirable 10 dwell
iers in Southern lands than to Northern
people 4 distinguished American au-
thor has said Ihat a man could be happy
sitting in chair, IN the open air, all day,
in venice, and that if one wishes 10 work
he must not stay there too long. have
aeyer been in Venice, bnt | saw many
places in the South that appeared 70 re-
romhle Il closely in these respects.