The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1886-02-14
enforcement of Labor Contracts.

FEBRUARY IL, 1886.
Hos. Il. 4. SYKES: DEAR SIR -- / |
trust you will excuse the importantly /
Df an old citizen, whose experience
teaches him that the properties and lib
critics OF the people, are now seriously
injured by pTesem economic conditions,
which are comfortable and can be coun
teracted by practical Legislation oioHc.
Under OUT system, any wrong can Zoe
practiced which the law does not prohibit;
wrongs riously damaging the general
welfare can only be effectively prevented
by penal enactment
10 prevent such wrongs by simply
mulctiug in damages is impracticable;
Tor this only reaches those who can be
made 10 suffer in their property aud
comparatively but few have property.
Now all admit that the wrongful aban-
dunment Of Nh agricultural labor con
tract, without Just cause, damages a
classes, and therefore is public wrong.
For instance, II farmer whose crop has
been l,s-ened TO the extent OF five bales
OF cotton (say $500 by the abandon
ment of labor contracts, and who is en-
abled TO recover this amount, from an
employer subsequently employing his
laborers, Composing such n law to he
pussed) is not DULY compensated for the
wrong done him because the wrongful
act, to him, causes other losss, viz: the
time, seasons and other opportunities of
adding other values, (beslde the five
bales) during the crop year
Moreover, the $50 is not the real val.
ne Of the FIVE bales for thy are worth
5000, instead Of $50 per bale, when SPIT II
into fine fabrics; this leaves $3.50 total
loss to the volume OF business for the
year, which otherwise would have passed
! into the hands Of the various persons
whose employment aud wages would
have been increased, by the addition of
their labor and capital in the handling
of the FIVE bales short--in the many pro
,cssas through which it would have pass
I'd during transportation, translorma
tion, exchange and distribution to the
pointol ultimate utility aud consumption
All these equities aud interests are de
stroyed by this license Of the ignorant
nborer TO do icr0ng.
Now estimate the decrease of our an
nual production of veal th-then the de
prpciation of real estate, and to this add
our Indebtedness and the terrible in
crease OF poverty and crime, now so puz
cling our law makers, aud then you en-
form some idea Of the extent Of the
uroag done to the State by the license tc
abandon agricultural contracts, wrong
fully aud without just cause.
The power To- do this with impunity-
even when not exercised causes iuelii
cient work, aud consequently uuproit
liable apri culture. The estimate OF mos
practical farmers is, that not more
than half time is applied on the farms
during the year. This woa't support q
people in even semiprogressiye condi
tiOu
Now | submit, that to undertake t.
prevent ch wrong, by only punish
Ing the party who employs a labarer uI
der prior employment, is impracticablt
aud illogical; for you punish man fOl
aiding aud abetting an act, lawful in it
self : and upon the theory that the labor
er is under contract and in the employ
meut of another; when in point OF lact
he il not, for he has abandoned the CON
tract aud left the employment without
violating any law, aud is in a position
which compels him to get work, steal o.
stArye.
Asto the question of euticing away tn,
laburer, this rarely ever occurs, and wher
such is the case, it is very difficult to e,-
mblish fact only Known to the tw,
contracting parties, As to creating ,
lien upon the wages of the laborer who
owes debt which is to follow him t
The subseq uent employer, this is too i'm
practicable and too ineIpedient to re-
quire any discussion,
Craftsmanship is nothing more MOI
less than a management of the publ,
business, and therefore must be practi-
cal
But admitting the creation of thisler
10 be practical, it would not reach TIA,
case Of wages of hands who owed moth
ing; nor would ii prevent idle, loafins
laborers from hunting and jobbin.
around on plantations among thei
, friends especially young men aus
, women under tNenty one years of age
many Of whom abandon their aged pa
rents, who have contracted for them, t,
G the charities of others.
The ONLY practical way of remedyinl
this great lrropg of which the agricultu-
raj class have long mplained, is to de
clare the act of wrongful abandonment
5 of an agricultural labor contract mis-
e demeauor, and thus reach the principa
wrong doer without complicating unne
ceS,srlly other parties in the matter. w
want remedies preventive Of wrongs
and not vexiug lawsuits
: This method of creating lea ant
Furnishing only the enticer, has be,
tried ia several States, aud found YER
E inefficient Now why no; try an untrue,
E measure, which is practical and Just
A aud commeuds itself to the common
sense of all practical farmers, who ough
To lie considered experts in matters o
i. agricultural needs, and who have haC
! all opportunities of Knowing what i
necessary for profitable agriculture
throw the entire responsibility on then
, in this question, as you would do, as t,