The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-11-29
STUDIES In THE SOUTH.

In Louisiana everybody told ne
that the negroes were improving IS
lsborers; at any rate. all old South
erners said go. This reminds me
that throughout the South the
harshest critics OF the negro whom |
met were Northern men, men who
had gone down sbere to work sugar
plantations, grow cotton, etc. These
men, being pushing. sharp, and
energetic. after the Northern fashion,
are always disposed to keep the negro
laborers up to their work" The
negroes do not like to work tor them.
They require a steadiness of spplica-
ton and exertion of which the negro
IN general does not appear TO be-
capable. He can work hard fer q
while "by spurts," or on race,
especially in crowd, and II he IS
allowed to sing while at work. But
for quiet, solitary, constant toll q
frst-rate white labcrer is, I think, SUI
perior to almost any negro. The
Northern men in the South are, as
compared with Southern men, very
exacung as employers. They are
stern and impatient with their
HANDS," and usually irritate and
confuse the negroes. Southern men
are, usually. not &C all exacting as
employers OF agricultural labor; they
are not accustomed 60 being prompt
ar steadily industrious themselves,
end they value their own ease loo
much to engage in any contest With
the peculiar ways" or traits of the
negro. Thus, the "shiftles2ness," the
elowr ess, the ineffic ieney, the habit
Of taking things leisurely. as if one
had infinite time at his comman1. -
tbs features OF the average negro life
and character which are so exasperat-
ing to the energetic Northener,-are
accepted or recognized by most
Southern people as something newt
able, like the course Of the seasons,
not to be accelerated or interiered
with to any profitable end. I think
saW nobody in the South, viii or
black, except few leading business
mea in the cities, who could DO any
thing in fifteen minutes. Il ia rot
natural to hurry in that part Of the
world. l talked with a queer old
man, in the pine woods 10 North
Carolina, who had observed the rest
| lessuess Of most Northern people
when they first came to the South.
He said they always acted as if the
was hung on wires, an somebody was
jerkin' on 'em;" but Southern people
know how to take their time, en-
plenty on it," In reply l made the
usual sRge 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 Jew
generations would change the Yankee
blood and temperament, and produce
a race OF people who cut ego sloW"
on occasion. "Yes, yes," said he;
that 3 so, young man, that 3 so. |
we seen 'em. Il takes 'em jest about
three weeks" II you give the negToeE
time,-,o cay nothing farther regard
ing these traits in the character Of
the white people,-they, going on il
their large, slow, inorganic way, will
accomplish important results in the
course of the year. Exertiou seems
less necessary or desirable to dwellerE
in Southern lands than to Northern
people. & distinguished American
author said, that man could be
happy sitting in chair, in the open
air, all day, in Vepi,e. and that il
one Whistles TO work he should not
stay there too long. l have never
been in Venice, but l cav many
places in the South that appeared tC
resemble it closely in these respects.
December Atlantic.