The Daily bulletin., 1889-12-05
The LABOR QUESTION.
Practical Views Of the situation.
Costly and Cheap Labor Defined.
(Concluded.)

NNN'''''NNtNNNsJ Y
We are blamed because we don't
use more high-priced labor, to do
our low-class work, and we are
sneeringly spoken of as "cheap
labor men," our help as "cheap
coolie labor" "unbridlcd servilc
labor, "and pay rs "plantation star
vation wages" etc. Yet all know
that the wages paid here for sugar
raising is at least double the aver
age wages paid in the world for the
same labor. Even our "coolie" gets
as much wages as the average farm
laborer in the United States, which
is noted as paying higher wages than
is paid elsewhere in the world (ex-
cept here), and the white man, when
he can be found, commands much
better wages here than there. Yet
we are called "cheap labor men
by persons who seemingly do not
realize the fact that our sugars COM
pete, in the worlds market, with
sugars raised at much less cost for
labor, thus showing the necessity of
plantations practising economy in all
things to enable them to exist at all,
and many planters, as stated before,
after practising the most rigid econo-
my for years, failed of success.
Our aceusers seemingly don't un-
derstand what "cheap labor" means.
A cheap laborer is not always the one
that receives the least for his days
wages. The mechanic that gets five
dollars per day may be cheaper
man than the one getting one dol
lar. A cheap man earns more than
he gets and an expensive man less.
Perhaps it will be in place for me
to briefly describe the modus oper-
andi of plantation organization and
management for the information of
those not posted in such matters.
1t must be understood that there
are different departments of labor,
as well as different classes Of labor
ers on plantation, and each class
is paid according to the value OF its
labor. Each department has an
overseer or luna placed over it, with
adequate means at his command to
enable him to carry out the details
of his department. The lowest class
labor on plantation is done by
steam, that being the most effectual
and economical for grinding cane,
pumping, evaporating juice, etc. +,
| yet known to the planters for that
kind of work. The next lowest
class labor is done by water, by the
horse and by the OK, they being the
most economical for transporting
cane, plowing, cultivating, etc. Our
next lowest labor is planting, hoe
ing, stripping, cutting, loading, etc.
This labor, requiring more brains
than the horse possesses, has to be
done by man, but man of 8 low
order of intelligence answers the
purpose, and his pay is small COM
paratively,
Again, to direct the steam, the
drivers, and other low class human
labor requires an experience and in
telligence, with some administrative
ability, greater than these possess
to direct them to advantage, and be-
cause of these valuable qualities q
man possessing them commands bet
ter wages than the teamster Or the
hoer, and are cheaper men at $50
per month than the teamster at $50
or the hoer at 500. Competent lunas
are scarce, even among white men,
and l have yet to see the first native,
Portuguese, Japanese, or Chinaman,
that made an acceptable luna, there
may be such. A competent luna is
a cheap man on a plantation though
his wages may be considerable.
Once more: the plantation with
its various interests of cash and ac.
counts, its hundreds of laborers OF
different dispositions and nationali-
ties, and various classes of labor
engines and engineers, teams and
teamsters, lunas and lunard, must
have a superintendent supreme
head that has the oversight and
command of the whole organization
For this work "Cabinet timber" is
required, not necessarily the same
kind of experience, but he should
have "level head" a correct and
n judicious judgment, not particu
larly of law, but of justice and the
correct bearing Of material things
He must be cautious, yet prudently
venturesome, sympathising with the
sick, encouraging the faithful, ad.
ministering justice, subduing the
rebelllous, and maintaining peace
giving general directions about tho
labor and satisfying himself tha,
every detail is worked up and thus
making all prosper. Here, brains
and proper experience are the chief
articles of value, and the superin
tendent that fills the bill will be the
cheapest man ON the plantation
judging by what he produces--al
though his wages be 5000 or moro
per month. / have known n planta
tion where l thought competent
superintendent would have beer
| ohooi, of COZ 000 no. onnu,, 49,