Middletown transcript., 1891-10-01
PRICE, 8 CENTS.
rha Nan.E. 81. .xrszs-a.

1 The efficiency Of the negro as Q
skilled worker, as factory operative,
and as free laborer generally, is .
| question of general interest, especially
interesting to the Southern States.
4 The Tradesman recently sent out to
extensive employers in the South a
circular asking the following ques-
tions, among others:
4. What degree Of efficiency do you
find in common and skilled negro
labor as compared to white labor in
like work
5. Do You intend to continue the
employment of negro labor?
6. Are your negro labors improving
in efficiency?
Z, What effect has such education
as the younger generation has acquir-
cd on them as lahorers?
8. Does it add to or detract from
negro's efficiency as o laborer, in your
opinion, to educate him ? a
The replies received Indicate that
the wages now paid the negroes in
the South equal, if they do not exceed
the average wages Of white factory
operatives, as shown by, the census Of
1880. The negroes, moreover, are as
yet generally exempt from the curse
of child labor in mines or factories.
The summary ofanswers received to
its questions is thus given by the
Tradesma,s
Replies were received from 1856
persons residing in all the Southern
States, and employing 1916 colored
workers, of whom 978 are reported to
be skilled laborers. The highest
wages reported as paid to q skilled
laborer are So per day, the lowest
$1.10 and the average wages OF skill
ed laborers -1.75 per day. The high.
est wages received by unskilled labor.
ers as shown by the replies, are $3.50
per day, the lowest 60 cents per day,
and the average $1.10 per day.
The replies to the fourth question:
+" What degree Of efficiency do you
find in common and skilled negro
labor as compared to white labor IN
like work." are not so general as are
the answers in some of the other
queries. Briefly stated, 27 employers
Of 1879 colored workers see no differ
ence as to their capacity as compared
with white laborers IS employers of
l, All colored men prefer white labor
and 40 employers Of 8, ,214 negroes pre-
fer them to white men in the same
capacity.
To the inquiry, Does it add to the
negro's efficiency to educate him ?"
the answers are very interesting. To
questions Z and s, concerning this
topic, there were received 131 answers,
most of which were quite brief. Em-
ployers. thirty in number, having
1850 colored employees, say that
the amount of education which the
younger negroes have received has
been of benefit to them. and that it
adds to the efficiency of q negro to
educate him. The doubters and those
whose replies showed that they had no
definite opinions numbered thirteen
and give work to 322 colored men,
and ninety-six employers, having
$500 employers Of the negro race,
are Of the opinion that such education
as the younger of the colored race
have received has not been of benefit
to them and that generally speaking,
" it detracts from negroes efficiency
to educate him."
This leaves no doubt that the negro
is becoming capable Of doing better
work, and that where the opportunity
is given him to do skilled labor, as it
is in the South, he is capable of de-
veloping SO as to limp over it.-St.
Louis Republic.