The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-25
A 0RoRINQ CoMpErlTIoN.

Another portenlious fact has been
omitted-ao far as | have observed-from
the consideration and judgment OF the
labor organizations. They seem 10 have
taken little or no heed OF the existence OF
more than q million and half Of able
bodied laborers in the South with dark
skins, but with expanding intellect, in.
creasing intelligence and growing ambi.
ton. While these men were slaves, work.
ing in the corn and cotton fields, in the
rice Bwamps and on the sugar plantations
Of the South, the skilled labor OF the
Northern States felt no competition from
them. But since they became freemen
there has been a great change in the
variety and skill Of the labor performed
by colored men in the South. The great
mass are, OF course, still engaged in agri.
cultural work, but thousands and tens OF
thousands, and in fact hundreds OF thou.
sands, have entered and are entering the
mechanical and semi.meChaniCal field.
They are making pig and bar iron
In Tennessee and Alabama. They
arc manufacturing cotton In Georgia
and the Carollnas. They are brick.layers
and plastererB everywhere; they are car.
penters and painters; they are black.
smiths; they make wagons and carts they
make cigars; they tan leather and make
harness; they are tiremen and pilots on
the river boats; they calk vessels In south.
ern ports; they lay railroad track; they
are switChmen and section hands0n the
line and hremen on locomotives. In fact,
they are generally entering all the avenues
and channels Of skilled labor. OF course
they arc underpaid. They receive far less
than has been paid In years, past to North.
ern mechanics for similar work. They
are able TO take no part In making laws
for their own protection and they arc con.
sequently and inevitably Unable to main.
tain q fair standard OF wages or to receive
fair proportion Of their proper earnings.
lido not dwell on this subject at length,
though 1t could easily be presented In
aggravating detail. ! mention II only to
place 1t before the Labor organizations OF
the North, with this question addressed to
them-Do you suppose that you can per-
manently maintain In the Northern States
one scale Of prices when just beyond an
imaginary line on the south Of Us q far
different scale Of prices Ia paid for labor
The Colored mechanic Of the South Is not
80 skilliul a workman nor 80 intelligent a
man as you are, but II he will lay brick In
new cotton factory In South Carolina at
half the price you arc paid, II hv will paint
and plaster Il at tho same low rate, he 10
inevitably erecting an industry which, II
the same rate Of wages DO maintained
throughout, will drive you out Of business
or lead you 10 the gates Of bis own poverty.
IN A NUTSHELL.
The situation Is therefore plainly dis.
cefnable, Viz, Fint-1t the Democratic
party shall succeed, Rs they have been
annually attempting for twelve years past,
In destroying the protective taflG, the ar.
tisans OF The United States will be thrown
into direct competition with the highly
skilled and miserably paid labor Of EI.
rope. SeCond--li the Democratic party
should DO able 10 hold control Of tho Ma.
tlonal Government, the Colored laboreF In
the Southern States will remain where
the Southern Democrats have placed him
politically, subject 10 the will Of the white
man, and unable 10 tx the price or com.
mand the value Of his labor. The Colored
man will, therefore, under those Cohdi.
lions and influences, remain q constant
1uantily Ia Tue labor market, receiving
compensation iot hll own Toll,