New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-04

English and brazilian banks They constituted
a portion of their property But they were in
property. for which they felt confident that they
would receive ndemnication, 50 much as by
probab deprivation of the only form Of labor
by which their plantations could he operated sue
ccssfully Ont of ,346,G4s slaves officially
registered in Brazil seven years ago, 22.463
were in the coffee provinces Of Rio de Janero,
Minas Geracs and San Paulo and 1861 03 in the
sugar province Of Bahia. Probably the official
registers moderated the number Of slaves. but
the proportions will hold good even if there were
100000 slaves emancpatcd by the Princess
Regents decree. as is generally stated. More
than onc-half of the slaves were in the coffee
provinces. Two-thirds of the whole number
were in the coffee provinces and in Bahia At
least IS per cent of the slave population of Rio
de Ianero was employed in the cultivation Of
coffee The proportion in San Paulo was almost
as high. Emancipation was dreaded. because
the planters despaircd of culnvatins their coffee
farms without save-labor They were cOnvir ced
that emancipation would be a blow from which
impractcablc to employ freedmen with regularity
and efficiency. There were no other aGrlcultlral
laborers available. Their costly plantations
would he menaced with ruin under emancipation
I'VE are abolilionists at heart" they were in the
habit of saying. but interests will never
rally from the blow; 1t will be fatal TO us for for
cannot raise coffee without organized bands
of laborers and it will be fatal to Brazil, TO.
what will become Of the National revenues and
resources if the coffee crop lac lost ,"
The logic of the coffee planters was strength
encd by the failure of the costly colonization
schemes which had been entered into at various
times since 1912. Millions had been frnlileSsy
expended early in the century on varions colonies,
and when the Plate countries adopted the same
policy with remarkable success. The effort was
renewed at heavy cost 10 the treasures OF tue
Provinces and the Empire. Between ls41 and
1870 il is estimated that $4,000 GOO was IN
vested in immigration schemes. designed to at
tract European lahorrrs not only Ia the waste
lands but to the cultivated ayr cultural belts OF
Brazil Colonies were established in Rio
de ,Iancro Minas Geracs. San Panlo,
Fspirllo santq B@hia Santa Gah' pnr
ing the last ten years contracts have been signed
for bringing at least 900 600 Europeans To
lrazil. but Immigration even in the most favor,
able years has not exceeded $4,000 from all
sources. Owing 10 various causes the colonlza-
ton schemes have languished In Rio Grande do
Sol the best results have been obtained. nut IN
the copper provinces the colonsts have not ne
come Agricultural laborers. Most of The colonies
have entirely LOST their original character ltal,
ians. when taken into the INTERIOR have preferred
10 work on railways: Germans have cultivated
small farms Of their own. ard refused 10 work
with ne1roes on large plantations FazcndciroS
who have subscribed 10 Immigration fuhds III me
hope Of obtaining farm hands have been supplied
with shoemakcrs. blacksmiths tallors and me
chanics. who were useless on coffee farm ana
naturally found employment elsewhere If imm,
grafton has been unsatisfactory IN lis general
results. since Brazil has been unable TO compete
with the Plate countries II has been utterly
barren. far as the requirements OF the coffee
belt concerned. II has not supplied 'oIcc
Of agricultural laborerS which can hc employed IN
Tie place of negro slaves. When cnan'iPa'l"n
was decrccd there was practically no free LABOR
available for the cultivation Of coffee orchards
Chinese immerat on was seriously and hopriully
considered few years ago IS substitute lor
slave labor. Agents arrived in Rio 70 establish
regular line of steam communication with
Chmc.c ports by which coolies could be trans
ported economically for employment IN me coiiee
tacts. Many Of tie 1alcndcIios favored the pro
let warmly. but great opposition was offered pv
European immi-ran's and also by large classes
of tie native populations The earliest ncgoiia-
lrel. ,fi hon I'm
crnmeni. through lis diplomatic representatives.
discerncd disposition 10 import coolies, no' as
free laborcrs. but under CONDITIONS indlS'ihsuiSn
allie from forced labor or slavery: nut Inc la/cl-
deiros have not vet abandoned the hope Of pro-
curing from China a substitute for negro labor
The effect of large importation Of coolies II 1t
hc lclscvcrcd in will be- to ruin Brazils chance
of attracting immigration from Europe and com
reun- with The Plate countries Ire popnla,l"h
j. already badly mixed: The infusion OF Mon
-olian blood viii DE fatal 10 European colonial
tIOI
1t was under these conditions Of hopclcssncss
and uncertainty respecting labor that a new bill
was brought forward in 1ss5. providing for q
fresh registry If slaves. system OF MAXIMUM
valuations diminishing annually ~ 9 per cent. a
large increase of emancipation funds through taNa-
ton of slave property. ana the eniranchlsehen, OF
every Slave sixty years OF age. 80 strong had the
abolition sentiment become IN the northern prov
inCcs that il 'upIss bic FOR The ave provinces
i'm the south 10 prevent the passage OF the law.
Thcy could only weaken lis effect by amendments
proposed by their representatives ana dcienu
northern provinces To their own market ny
cvying heavy taxes upon every slave imported
II hey were fighting for delay. and casting about
for eNpcdicnts by winch the mai conSumialoi
Of universal emancipation could he deferred until
they should be prepared for the allercd conullOhs
Those who were Wlscst among the coffee planters !
caan to sell portions II their estates, TO reduce
tie extent Of their farming operations. ana - /
effect settlements with The comnilssarlos VINO hcld
raoes on their ploDcrtV The bc,innng o! the /
end was clearly discerned by the dullcst among !
them but with that fatal facility for procIAstna-
fiou which is Characteristic OF Brazil. the majority
of them were wholly unprcpared for the decisive
action suddenly taken by the Princess Regent |
In decree NJ univ cIsal emancipation. That decree
icn amorg Them Ike a thunderbot and
D etrd their decentralization. II came al I'm"
when the labor Of every plantation hand was
sands Of heroes. when they heard the tdings Of
,bcir enfraucbisencnt refused 10 work. !
II was . ycai Of Jubilee when the coffee crop III
larrc sections oil san paulo and Rio dc Janrlrc |
,ycnt II rack aud ruin. This was the planters
forfasfc of the difficulties and cmharfass nclis
of coffee culture under the new conditions OF Tree
labor II is not 10 be wondered at that Il bitter
feeling of indignation agalnst hc 'hi"he WIS /
excited For nny years the planters had d en-
predicting that they would re rune, Dy cuanc pa
lion With their property heavily inollgaS''
,hcr yes enfranchiscd without indemnify, ana
their plantations al the mercy OF blick l3noIers
who could not be forced 70 work AT ciIllcil Tines
~ fine culture 0i the shrub and the harvesting
,f fine ron il is not strange that they dcnOun'cl
the Imperial Government for concentrating teF
min No overthrow Of the dynasty uhqucs'lon.
ohlr wa. recorded by Thousands of embarrassed
,oficrs as an aci Of rctributivc justice Tor me
abandonment and betrayal Of the interests 3l Il
ci,,. If iandhnldcrs who with unswcrving 10y
aliv mad supported TIE Crown
The precise condition Of the great majority
Of coGcc- planters cannot ~ present be dctcrmihcI
Ihcr lave been ADJUSTING Themselves rs wen
.. thcv could 10 altered conditions and possibly
have found Themselves during the last year IN
81 better state than they had dared to nope ne
negroes have remained 10 large rAlcht Oh Inv
,t.tps and have been employed with more or less
regularity br their former masters. N"ch WORK
10y, collected New coffee orchards have not
necn 80; out: the ground has been gone over once
ar twIrc where formerly there were three or
,,r ,.aodiroS-a process essential 20 tie culHNa-
, 80 .,ecn. and if last seasons crop suffered
fron lack Of labor in harvcst-'ime, there wcr'