Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-09-14
THE LABOR COMMITTEE.
A Grandson of Calhoun on the stand Con
dition and Prospects of Labor in the



New York, September l3.-John G..
Calhoun OF south Carolina. grandson
OF the famous statesman, and who is
now resident of Arkansas, was a wit
ness before the senate committee on
labor and education this morning in
regard to the condition and prospects
OF labor in the South. He stated that
| since 1859 he had been engaged in cot
ton raising Ia Arkansas, and had
abundAnt opportunities for Observing
the condition of labor at the South
The laborers in tue Mississippi Valley
are entirely agricultural. Few white
men are employed, a they soon become
| eltnef ian0 owners or tenants. The
condltion OF the negroes was good as
compared with u few years ago. There
were three methods OF employing la
borers-for wages. working on shares
ana rs tenants. Large farmers, besides
furnishing laborers with shelter, fuel
ana other advantages, divide the gross
proceeds 81 The crops among his en-
pioyes' DER this system the thrifty
ana Industrious iaborers ought soon to
become land owners, but the NEGROES are
50 indolent they fail to take advantage
OF The opportunities offered. and will
only devote so much OF their time To
work as Will enable them to procure
the necessities of life. Under the
renting system the best land in the
country can be obtained ut from eight
to ten dollars per acre, and with the
rental get MANY privileges. On his
own farms witness has tried all meth.
ods for employing labor, but prefers
the tenant system. 1t was his object
10 raise the standard of colored laborers
to that of small white farmers, and
tne number OF these is increasing
every year. The relations between
the planters and employees is friendly
ana harmonious, and there is little
danger OF strikes. The laborers felt
they had an interest in the soil and n
strike would be as injurious to them
IS TO the employers.
There was much greater tendency
10 Il conflict between races than he
tween labor and capital. The best in
.ertsts VI labor III lie South ,youlu be
suosetVed by the establishment of in.
dustrial schools, and by the total elm
nation from federal politics Of the
sso-railed negro question: and by leay
ing us solution 10 time and -by a re-
auction OF taxation. For MANY wears
the negroes regarded themselves AS
wards OF the federal government. and
10 were well for them to understand
they have nothing more to ex-
pect from the federal govern
ment than the white man
ana that like him their future depends
upon their own energy and industry. |
Nothing probably would contribute 80 !
immediately to their prosperity as a |
reduction or the the tariff. Witness |
thought the South offered greater in
duccelnents to immigration. The race
Keeling is dying out, ana If the !
oouth was left TO itself there was no
more danger To Ice feared from it,
Oapital could then find secure invest
meht. In politics, the negro vote was
ny no means rs solid for the Republi-
can ticket us so many supposed. but
was spilt tween two parties, a large
proportion voting with the planters.
..heif employers, not from coercion but
oy preference. Witness advocated
government control oftheimprovement
u the mississippi. In regard t. educa-
Iloh, he suggested that the former
cotton tax of $1,000, 600 should bc ap-
pfopriated TO the education OF the
negro IN theSouth. AS 10 the rest of
me states, they could take care OF their
'olofed citizens, and he accommodates
nav the settlement OF all difficulties
ie ieit to time. II