Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-09-29
EPITOmE OF THE WEEK.
Interesting News Compilation.
INVEsTIGATING sTRIKEs.

INVESTIGATING STRIKES.
fSession in New York City of the United States
Senate subcommittee on Labor and Edu-
catiOn.l
John Roach, the ship-builder, resumed his
testimony on the 18th. He denied that he had
testified that ships could be built as cheaply in
this country as in England; he said materials
were as cheap here as in England, but the cost
of labor is greater, which increases the cost
of building. Mr.. Roach believed in the pro-
lection of labor in order to develop the prop.
erty resources of the country: he claimed that
without protection no industries except farm
ing and mining could De carried on. Wit
ness believed that if the eight-hour sys.
would be necessary to increase the protective
tariff in order to counteract the influence of
the increased cost of productions, the only
general was to give it a chance at the land:
If the Government would give one hundred
and fifty acres of land to every man who
would be an easy solution of the labor gues
ton; TN order to do this e%ffectually the Gov
eminent should appropriate 9 CERTAIN sum for
transporting emigrants to the West.
JohnC Calhoun, grandson of the former
statesman OF the same name, and who is now
a resident of Arkansas, testified on the 18th
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 abundant opportunities
for observing the condition of labor at the
South. The laborers in the Mississippi Val
men were employed, as they soon became
either landowners or tenants. The condition
OF the negroes was good as compared with q
few years ago. There were three methods of
employing laborers-for wages, working on
shares, and as tenants. The large farmer, be-
sides furnishing the laborers with shelter, fuel
ceeds of the crops among,his employees. I'm
der this system, thrifty and industrious labor
ers ought to soon become land owners, but
the negroes are so indolent that they fail to
take advantage of the opportunities offered
them, and will only devote SO much of their
time to work as will enable them to procure
system the best landin the country can be OBJ
tanned for from eight dollars to ten dollars
per acre, and with the rental are secured
employed all these methods of employing Ia
Dor, but preferred the tenant system. 1t
was his object to raise the standard of
farmer; this could only be lone gradually on
account of the extreme poverty of the ne
groes. A large portion of the cotton crop is
of these is increasing every year. The rela-
tons between the planters and the employees
are friendly and harmonious. and there is lit
tie danger of strikes. The labOrers felt that
they had interests in the soil, and that a strike
would be as injurious to them as to their EN-.
ployers. Witness thought the South offered
the greatest inducements to immigration:
"~o'~J AAAS ooo AIM SupxOh
could find secure investments.
DE. Winter, an auditor employed by the Del.
aware & Hudson Coal Company, after telling
the committee that too MANY people left the
country for large cities where they were not
required, said that New York raises nothing
but gin-min statesmen, dudes and dangerous
criminals.
ia. Emerson (colored), a native of Arkan
sas, but now a resident of New York City, ties
titled on the 14th that he had been educated in
England, and had given considerable attention
to the workings of the Postal Savings banks
of London. This system, he thought, could be
results; 1t would be especially a boon to the
colored population of the South, by atfordine
a means for laying up their small saw:
ings. Since the failure of the Freed.
mans Bank the negroes have been reluctant
to risk their savings. The greatest evil which
was the store system, which corresponded
with the truck system Of the North. The
most OF the negroes were in the power of the
shop-keepers, who charged exorbitant rates
OF interest, sometimes as high as %twenty-fou1
Mr.. Hinton, the next witness, declared, that
what the country needed was a revolution in
the law of equity in regard to corporations
and the distribution of wealth. This was to
be accomplished BY gradual legislation, as the
Florence Elizabeth Cole, principal of the
School of Industrial Artfo Women, spoke OF
the employment she taught as being admira,
oily adapted to women, and very
tive. Designing was required in the manu-.
facture OF carpets. wallpaper gaslfxtures
the designers in this country were French.
men. There were large industrial schools in
Paris, where the most thorough instruction
could be obtained free.