Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-09-14
THE LABOR INQUIRY.
The Testimony of John G. Calhoun, of
South Carolina.

The Testimony of John G. Calhoun, OF
South Carolina.
New YORK, Sept. 13.-John 9. Calhoun,
of South Carolina, grandson of the
famous statesman of the same name, was
a witness before the senate committee on
labor and education this morning. He
was called to testify in regard to the con-
dition and prospects of labor in the south.
He stated that since 1869 he had been en-
gagged in cotton raising in Arkansas and
had had abundant opportunities of observ-
ing the condition of labor in the south
Laborers in the Mississippi valley were en-
tirely engaged in agriculture. But few
white men were employed, as they soon
become either land owners or
tenants. The condition of the negroes
was good as compared with few years
ago. There were three methods of en-
ploying laborers-for wages, working on
shares and as tenants. Large farmers,
besides furnishing laborers with shelter,
fuel and other advantages, divide the gross
proceeds of their crops among their en-
ployes. Under this system thrifty and in
dustrious laborers ought to soon become
land owners, but the negroes are so indif-
ferent 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 the neces-
saries of life. Under the renting sys-
tenn tie best land IN the country can
be obtained at from eight to ten
dellars an acre, and with the rental they
get many privileges. On his own farm
the witness employed all these methods of
employing labor, but preferred the tenant
system. 1t was his object to raise the
standard of colored labor to that of the
small white farmers. This could only be
done gradually ON account of the extreme
poverty of the negroes. A large portion
of the cotton crop was now raised by the
small farmers, and the number of these is
increasing every year. The relations
between planters and employees are
friendly and harmonious, and there is
little danger. of strikes. Laborers feel
that they have interests in the soil and a
strike would be as injurious to them as to
their employers.
In the investigating committee to-day
there was a much greater tendency to
conflict between races than between labor
and capital. The best interests of the
laborers south would be subserved by the
establishment of industrial schools and by
| the total elimination from federal politics
of the so-called negro question, and by
| leaving its solution to time, and the reduc'
tion Of taxation. For many years the
negroes had regarded themselves wards oi
! the Federal government, and it we're well
| for them to understand that they have
nothing more to expect from the Federal
government than the white, and that like
him their future depends upon their OWE
energy and industry. Nothing, probably
would contribute SO Immediately to theiI
prosperity as q reduction Of the tariff
A witness said that the south offered The
greatest inducements to immigration, thai
the race feeling was dying out and if the
south was LETT to itself there was no more
damage from it. Capital could there
find sure investment. In politics the negro
vote was by no means as solid for the Re
publican ticket as so many in the north
supposed, but was split between the two
parties, large proportion voting with the
planters, their employers, not from force
but by preference. The witness advocated
the government could control the improve
ment in regard to education. He suggest
ed the former cotton tax of $7,000,00t
should be appropriated to the education
of the negro in the south. As to the rest
of the states they could take care Of theil
colored citizens and he recommended that
the settlement of all difficulties be left tt
time