Delta chief., 1883-09-19
Labor In the South.

On the 18th John c. Calhoun. grand
son OF the famous Statesman OF tha. npme. who
resides in Arkansas, gave some Interesting aud
rather importHni testimony before the Senate
committee on labor and education. He stated
;hst since 1859 he had been engseed IN cotton
raising anl had abundant opportunity for OBJ
.c'ving the condition Of labor In the south.
Labosers ia the MIs,iSsippi valley were entirely
agricultural. But few while men were EN-
ployed, n they .oon became either land owners
ot tenants The condition Of the negroes was
good as compared with few yc.trS ago. There
were three methods o. employ. " labpTcrs for
wages working sharcs, rnd ~ tenant. for
laIl1c iaTglrrs, b, ,dc, furnishing lsboivr- with
shelter, lucl rnd other advantages, who divide
the gross proceeds Ui his crops among his etn-
pluyes. Under this system ibfiiiy aud .Ddus-
iTtous laborcr- ought Ia become soon lsut own-
crsr but nessrocs are =. indolcnt thst they fail
TO take advantage OF the opportunities Afforded
them, aud viii oul, devote much of their
time 10 work rs wl'l enable them to procure the
necessities OF life Under the renting system
the best lald IA the copn,ry eau be obtained
for from sS to $40 RD scrr. spd with rental lrt
msny privileges Oh h,s own farm. witne.. en-
ploycd all ,hosc mctlIois Of employing labor
but preferred the tenement .rsiein. II wa.
his object to raise the .ianuaId of rolpreh la
Boz TO ,lst OF the small white farmer bat this
could Only bc donr gradually on Eccount of the
estrrtDe poverty OF The neqoes. A large por-
tioJ oi the cotton ctup IL pog Is,i-cd by small
fasTncrs, Rcd the number Of the . II Increasing
every year. The relations between planters
and employees ere friendly and harmonious and
there i little danye, oi siikc1 ~ the lsl.orcFs
feli 'hat lhcy hll al iltcrCsi 10 he snil aud
strike would De ~ Injurious TO them as to their
emplo, crs.
There WIS much greaicr tendency Of q CON
MET &c wccn races thsn between labor sud
capital. The best iuicrr ts Of the South won 'd
be srbserycd by The establishment o! Industrial
schools Pnd BY total cllmilEtinn fn,m fr .irrlti
poll ic7 OF ,hc Eo-callcd negro qrplIIpn and by
leaving t. gpriiou 10 lime ADD reduction OF
i7Nttiun. For inlny ycat. urs0,t. rr.tnrl.l
thcrnfolv's Ss wards Of he federal government
aud Il were wen for thFm 10 undcrsi anl That
they have ne hing move 10 expect ltum The
fcdc ~ government than the white man and
iIht ll!.e him tlelr FUTURE drprnda upon their
n'n energy Euu industry. NO.hnE g,ub3bly.
would contribute 80 ign diatrly TO i air mo ].
reduction of he t.hif
NHntsS Thought IL would asl hifatd fbe
p'caiC Inducements 10 immigration The
race locling was dying niii and N ,hc south was
lrit 20 i,s"lf tlicrc II 10 move danger 10 hr
feared from a.. ahd capitll could ilcn mud 80
cure inSCstmCuL In politics hr n,..srt Yn,c
WIS by no mcaus ~ EGllu 10, tho Republican
.icl,ci p 80 much In ihc north sunDnsrt hut il
Epih het|ecl thc Two parties p Iprls prunDr-
t9j pei'g Eish the 9lsutsu- WHO ore lhcii en-
pipN'T-' soS hom cOc' cjpn, but hy preference
IN -nrH 70 educ ii0h he -uggl ted he for
thct cot on tx of tDnDClJ .bopld he 1pi,f,,-
pflatce To the cGUca tiuh OF the rCsro fn tbe
Sou h; ns % the res of tHo state iiicy could
take ?tc OF their coloprd citlzcns aud he re-
commended That ihc SCI cincOt of MI ,iiiIt, nj
ties he left 80 time.