The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-10-10
POLITICAL CHAT.
Talk With Senator George Of lis
sissippi- His Vis9s en- the Labor
Question and ths Rsstal Telegraph.


cnflt1tAF-a71 AA1-.NasA ~%~1AA-AA-l
wAsHIxeFox, Seps- 2s.-'sThat fort
Is not worth any mAre than 3 mnsh-
room. A modern gguhoat would batter
il down in half an hear. II has ontlived
It's usefulness Forknnately, We are not
likely 10 need any forts for long time
to come. Il wonld hs criminal states
manship that would involve this country
/ in a war with any q ihe European Pow
ers. We are too removed from all of
those ambitious e0untfies 10 be Affected
! by their complications
Senator George Of Mississippi said
/ this the other day, pointing to one of
the stone forts near sandy Hook, rs We
we're sailing down New York Harber.
And [ suggested 1T Is fortunate,
TOO, that there i no longer any fear Of
war between the sections"
There will he no more var IN this
country in cur time, eoufinued the Sen
ator. "unIess there shall be trouble on
the labor question, and l confess that.
after giving that subject very careful
I attention, the pro5lens which II sug-
i gesis seem 10 me more complex and
difficult than ever senafor George is
a member Of the Senate Committee on
/ Labor. which Il now investigating the
labor question. One thing is clear
There j. great deal of discomfort in
this country, and it is growing. The
army of labor is much the largest, and
in the end will be the most powerful.
/ If clash should ever come capital
would be at great disadvantage"
What is the labor situation in the
Southern Statess'
II do not know that there is any spe-
cial discomfort there. The farm labor
ers, as a rule, work upon shares. The
planters, even at such low rate of wages
as twelve dollars per month and the
board Of the help discovered that much
better results can b. secured by work
ing their plantations upon shares. Wage
paid negro labor is very unsatisfactory
to the employer. Ii is difficult to get
good days work
Speaking of the result of the tele-
graph strike, Senator George said that
the operators were placed at disad-
vantage in not receiving contributions
from the Knights of Labor, and that
one reason why the latter declined to
contribute was, possibly, the fact that
the great mass of that organization Is
composed of laboFers, who receive very
much less than the telegraphers receive,
and for that reason there was an indis-
position to contribute from their scanty
earnings to the support in idleness of
higher-priced laborers. Besides" con-
tinued Mr. George, Hthe strike has
shown that telegraphing is no longer a
mysterious art, knowledge of which
must necessarily be confined to few
/, persons. On the contrary, it has been
3 ~ 4laf h,
possible for the existing body of tele-
: graphers to maintain monopoly in this
I art. The means for learning it have so
! greatly increased that new telegraphers
can constantly be supplied"
"What effect" | asked, upon the
) postal telegraph subject will the strike
/ be likely to haveg'
Mr.. George replied that, unquestion-
ably, the subject of postal telegraphy
woulk be discussed in the next Congress,
| "and," he said, IL would favor Gov
ernment telegraph myself in competi-
: tion with existing lines, provided bill
| could be drawn which would not in
crease the army of Office holders by 20,-
: 900, and thus add to the appliances of
partisanship."
) But" it was suggested, swOuld not
the existing Civil Service law prevent
the use of telegraph operators for par
etisan purposes, or at Efast could not a
: bill be drawn which would remove them
from such influences
: Mr.. George thought not. He evident
j ly had little faith in the successful en-
: forcement of the existing Civil Service
/ law, and believed that politicians would
e always find an opportunity to eyade it
r for their own purposes.
; Would not a Government telegraph
5 be of much service in the South. where
the facilities of existing lines are much
: less extensive than in the NorthY' |
e asked
: Mr.. George answered that the tele-
+ graph in the South was mainly restricted
s to commercial uses; that it had not be-
come a medium of social intercourse,
+ and would not be likely to for some
;, time Outside OF the cities the tele-
: graph is very rarely used. Men of large
d business even resort TO it very seldom
l. as the mails generally are sufficient fol
their purposes.
i As for the general results of the labor
n inquiry Mr.. George said that's vast mas.
# Of testimony would be collected
n good deal Of it will be rubbish, but som.
of it will be quite valuable. 1t would
IN unquestionably, furnish the text, for
II debate on the relations of capital ane
10 labor. There would be several measure
le in connection with which such debati
" may arise. One of them will be the tn
he resolutions directing that all unearne,
ID land grants shall be forfeited. Nj
George declared himself heartily in fs
yor of the adoption of such a policy
and believed that it is in the power O
Congress to restore to the public domai
by such action at least 25,000, 900 acre:
i'd REPUBLICAN OUTLOOK SOUTH.
- = l had talk the other day with n.
h. tive Southern Republican who has see
IL all the ups and downs Of politics sine
80 the war, and who has now defnitel
n abandoned politics for business-to b
an own advantage. His change of earee
%. "a possibly, puts him in a better positio
= = to give intelligent views Of the politics
(, situation in the South. He looks :
- things in the light of his experienc
- and as an impartial observer. aske
~ him: SIS there really any chance for Il
~ - success of the Independent Republ
ss can movement in the South ~ II
- 70 answered: With the possible exec
- -, ton Of Virginia, no. The leaders of Il
,Se ss Independent movements for the mo
- -. part are ex-Confederates, and some
m 'aa them were Confederates of very b
~ kind. 1t, perhaps, IS not becoming
- me, Confederate myself, to say nut
- on this score, b. the negroes Of Nj
.en -.s sissippi, for lstsnEe, will nexer forg
-. the Fort Pillow story, and whether
H. reports as to Chalmers connection wi
~ the massacre are true or not, the negre
-, "a believe it, and they know that he
- been active as bull-dozer since the ":
-. - and became a Republican between t.
- DAYS when the Democrats refused him
- =: seat in Congress. The negroes of NJ
49, 49, sissippi will never follow Chalmers.
In Nirginia It is different. Maho
e. has kept his promise with the negro
mi He has in a great measure fought /
- battle of the negroes, and they ought
h.. be, and doubtless will be, grateful
- him. He possibly may retain his cg
=, troll of the State, but the Bourbons
nI5 determined and more confident fh
5;d-i they were.
ulu a As to the rest Of the South, YOU mis
= rs wen talk about q Republican
- Greenback movement in Kentucl
-, Some Republicans are really eonfids
-. about Louisiana and Kentucky still.
~ 49, know something Of Louisiana / b
~ -, spent nearly IL my life there. If /
- Republicans could get ont their 70
l;fs and stop their faefi0nal quarre1ing, Il
-:.h would have ! majority; bat they cam
- under the new law, get their vote con
ed. Florida has more If a North.
element in il. and politics in No
ans Carolina are mixed. But the Repul
rate can partr viii not "a, wislslv. Il Il reI
ssh for IT, r;S1or;ss .Ir.on EIeetoraI "a
1len south Of the PeE1mac river
ens DO you think there Is chance
ma the Republicans next year
d. Il have been travelling great
pre- this summer. and I think that the
lt publican chaucee to elect their Pr
:ady dent are good The Repnblicans
Der tainly are ID mnch better condition i