The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-09-15
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
John G. Calhoun, of Distinguished Ances-
try, Before the Senate Committee.

John G. Calhoun, of Distinguished Ances-
try, Before the Senate Committee.
NEW YORK, Sept. 13.-JOhn c. Calhoun,
OF South Carolina, grandson of the ia
nous statesman of the same time, and
wins is now a resident of Arkansas, was
a witness before the State Committee
on Labor and Education this morning.
He was called to testify in regard to the
condition and prospects of labor In the
South.
He stated that since 1869 he had been
engaged In cotton raising in Arkansas,
and had had abundant opportunities of
observing the condition of labor at the
South. LabOrers in the Mississippi Val
ley are entirely agricultural. Few,
white. men are employed, as they soon
become either land owners or tenants.
The condition of the negTOs was good
as compared with that of few years ago.
There were three methods of employing
labOrers--fOr wages, working on shares,
and as tenants. Large farmers beside
furnishing labOrers with shelter, fuel
and other advantages, divide the gross
proceeds OF the crops among their en-
plOyees. Under this system thrifty and
industrious labOrers ought soon to be-
come land owners, but negroes are so
1ndOlent that they fail to take adVan-
tage of the opportunities afforded. They
will only devote so much of their time
to work as will enable them to procure
the necessities of life. Uuder the rent
ing system the belt land in the country
can be obtained for So to 80 an acre,
and with the rental many privileges. On
his own farm the,witness made use of all
these methods of employing labor, but
preferred the tenant system. 1t was
his object to raise the standard of color
pH IN nf no 90
mer. This could only be done gradual
ly on account of the extreme poverty Of
the negroes.
A large portion of the cotton crop
is now raised by the small far
mers and the number of those
increasing every year. The rela-
tionS between the planters and employees
are friendly and harmonious, and there
is little danger of strikes of labOrers.
They feel that they have interests In the
soil, and that strike would be as inju-
riOus to them as to their employers.
There was much greater tendency Of
a conflict between the races than be-
tween labor and capital. The best in
terests of the laborer5 of the South would
be subseTved by the establishment of
industrial schools, and by the total ELI
minatiOn from Federal politics of the
so-called negro question, and by leaving
its solution to time and the reduction
Of taxation. For many years the negroes
regarded themselves the wards of the
Federal Government, and 1t were well
for them to understand they have moth
ing more to expect from the Federal
Government than the white man; and
that, like them, their future depends
upon their own energy and industry.
Nothing, probably, would contribute so
Immediately to their prosperity as re-
ductiOn of the tariff. The witness
thought the South offered the greatest
inducements to immigration. Race feel
ing was dying out, and if the South were
left to itself, there was no more danger
to be feared from it. Capital could then
find secure investment. In politics the
negro vote was by no means as solid for
the Republican ticket as so many in the
North supposed, but was split between
two parties, large proportion voting
with the planters, their employers, not
from coercion, but by choice. The wit
ness advocated Government control of
the improvement of the Mississippi In
regard to education, he suggested that
the former cotton tax of $70,000,00C
should be appropriated to the education
of the negro in the South. As to the
rest, the states could take care of their
cOlOred citizens, and he recommended a
settlement of all difficulties be left tO
time.