The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-08-13
THE WAY TO CONTROL LABOR.
The Only True Solution Of that Difficult and
Perplexing Question.

Perplexing question.
Editor Press and Bdnner.-There has been
and is yet great deal of discussion going on
about the negro. Some say he is failure, and
some say not. In our locality there is great
deal to say about controlling him as a laborcr,
and innumereblo plans have been suggested.
Several clubs have selected writers to write
essays on the subject. So, my club, consisting
Of myself, held a meeting and after much con-
sideration selected me TO write an essay on tho
subject, and rs it was the unanimous desire Of
the club to have me to do so, have concluded
to accept the honor. So thought would seat
myself With pen in hand and write you few
lines nnd get you to help me out, for the Lord
knows l need assistance badly. will state
few of the difficulties that surround me and my
enterprise Of writing the aforesaid essay.
In the first place, my ideas spring up and
fash around fast that can't catch on to
them, and when do get one expressed nobody
else can understand it. In fact, can't under
stand it myself, and then it is so far around my
subject that am unable to circumference It,
have been unable, 60 far, to distinguish head,
tail or foot of it. / can't tell the outside from
the inside of it, nor the wrong side from the
right side Of it. Nor can I tell the popular
from the unpopular side Of it, and would be
very much embarrassed and mortified il l
should get inside Of the wrong side of the pop
ular side of it and offend my audience which is
the said club consisting Of myself as aforesaid.
Here arc few of the ideas succeeded in
getting. Now, want you TO elucidate them
and dress them in their Sunday clothes for me,
80 they will be fit to read before my said club
My first idea is, that it ia tho easiest matter
in the world to control the negro labor, if you
can control the money to pay him for his feed
while he serves you. If had the money to
pay them and tho provisions to feed them;
could control enough negro labor to level the
county, and dig we'll for every two hundred
yards square in it, and build brick house
with ten rooms in it for every white man in the
county, and build enough frame houses for all
tho negroes in the county. could build
enough churches, schoolhouses, court houses,
and jails for oil the people, without regard to
race or previous condition. Now, if you please,
inform me how can control the money and
will have the whole thing in n nutshell and
Will give you lesson in controlling the negro
that will make it so eaoy uat it will make your
head swim. Just pay him, and feed him, and
you have got him, and all you have to do is to
hold your grip, and don't you forget It.
My second idea is, to set the negro a GOOD
example, as all hands agree that he can beat
the deuce at initiating. Now, if could only
control my audience, consisting of myself as
aforesaid, and get it to set the negro an exam
pie Of such days work, and at such prices, as
it desires, and to stick to it through heat and
cold, from Monday morning till Saturday night.
Now if l could induce the said audience to
cease fishing, hunting, picnicing and base
ballinS, and stick to hard work on little pay
poor rations, and TO be easy of control, while
thus employed, the negroes might initiate, or
in orther words if q fellow might hire himself
to work for himself, at low wages, and on short
rations, and try his level best to please himself
verify believe by such an example he could
and would control the negro laborers. need
help right here.
Just about here in my essay want 10 say
few words abent base ball. The white people
have learned the negroes how entertaining tho
base ball is, and tho negroes follow us to T,
and good Lord how hate to sec negroes play
base ball, with good crowd for spectators, |
while the grass is getting away with our new
ground corn.
My third idea is to impress the Importance
on my audience Of controlling his own family
l don't believe that Hercules and Samson made
into one could control his own family on the
labor question, if they were born tired and in
hcraed the disease. l know that no one ever
has, or ever will, control those who are behind
on sleep that was lost as far back as the third
and fourth generation. If they inherited this
evil from the Sleeping Beauty it can never be
cured
There is another thing would have them
broke from, and that is reading yellow back
pamphlets that tell how red headed Sallie
Scroggins married dark skinned William
Snooks, and other love stories that would make
mule male ancestor sick. They mix this
delightful reading and sleeping together and
the negroes arc following their example, and
what could look worse than sleeping, or read
ing negro, while the grass is growing in the
potato patch.
And then there arc so many picnics and big
meetings to attend and cook for that it con-
sumes all their energies, and all Of the clubs
provisions, and then ride or drive all Of the
clubs old poor horses, as long as they are able
to be propped up, to saddle or harnes, and the
negro follows their example, and no tongue can
tell how hate to see o negro on q poor old
horse and his crop lost for want of plowing
and hoeing.
have known the member Of my club to
spend two or three days in borrowing enough
money to control for one day, when the
weather was hot and the grass tough, and my
neighbors do the same thing, and the negroes
follow their example, and he can do i to per