The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-16
NAVAL STORES. LABOR.
OPERATORS AFRAID TBEY WILL
LOSE A GREAT DEAL OF IT.

a Curious North Carolina Law-En-
acted to Prevent the Migration OF
the Blacks and It May Prevent
Them From Coming to Georgia At
ter Returning Home for the Eol-
days-Is the Law Constitutional?
VALDosrA. Ga. Nov. Is, Considerable
interest attaches at this time in naval stores
circles to the stringent law passed by the
North Carolina legislature last February
affecting the operations in that state of emf
grant agents. The annual emigration il
near at hand of the thousands Of turpentine
laborers from the farms Of Georgia, Florida
and Alabama, when they will 20 to visit
their old homes and relatives in the ex-Tar
Heel state during the Christmas holidays.
There is a general apprehension among
naval stores operators that this recent legis-
lation over there will cause a serious
scarcity OF labor in the turpentine regions
| next year. It is feared that numbers Of the
hands who go to Carolina TO spend Christ
mas VIII be forced to remain there against
their VIII, as the enforcement of the law
| VIII prevent the sending out of the usual
agents to gather up the negro laborers and
bring them back. OF course no turpentine
man would risk such a thing as giving these
negroes the money to pay their own fare
back to Georgia. That would be the last he
would ever see Of either his money or the
negro.
inclose you COPY of the law In ques-
tlon, so that all naval stores men can read it
for themselves and paste it in their hats for
| future reference.
A careful examination Of this act COM
vinces me that 1t is unconstitutional, being
IN violation Of the first section of the four
teenth amendment to the constitution of
the United States. The supreme court has
never failed to confirm the right of a citi-
zen OF one state to enter another state and
| hold business transactions with its citizens.
| unfettered and untrammeled by either ex-
cessive license or prohibitory statute. The
"drummers' hcensen decision, also the
liquor prohibition cases." illustrate this
point. The interstate commerce clause"
OF the constitution is always touchy sub
Ject with the supreme court.
Certainly it is a monstrous thing for any
| state to enunciate the doctrine that none OF
its unemployed or idle citizens shall have
the right to leave the state for lucrative
work elsewhere-even though they NAV be
| starving in their miserable homes! 1t seems
to me that the right Of a Georgian to visit
North Carolina and peaceably contract with
any or its unemployed citizens for work out
mere is SO plain and manifest that it becomes
one OF those "unalienable rights" referred
70 In the declaration OF independence
IL Is conceded that any state has q perfect
legal right to protect contracts and contract
labor and to enact laws Furnishing interfer-
ence Herewith. But this North Carolina
law covers all classes, whether employed or
unemployed. Again, observe the peculiar
wording OF section OF said act This de-
fines the section of the state wherein said
law shall be enforced, and plainly exempts
the balance of the state from its provisions
asked the North Carolinian from whom
obtained the copy Of this law the meaning
OF that remarkable section. He replied that
there was what is known as a "Black Beltn
in North Carolina, and it was that
belt" which the legislators designed thu
law to cover. The rest of the state, j. e. the
white district" was mot in it.n He ex-
planned that the emigrant agents ALWAYS
got In their fine work in the aforesaid black
belt, especially Peg Leg" Williams (of
Atlanta Constitution fame) who used to
carry off whole trainloads of negroes to
Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi, and who
Is principally responsible for the enactment
Of the said law The lawmakers over there
blundered badly in putting in section 5, as
It's intentions are 50 manifest that it will
cause good Constitutional lawyer to smile
and would doubtless provoke a vigorous
'HumphP from any one of the potent,
grave and reverend seigniors Of our supreme
bench.
l hear it rumored that some of the Savan-
nah commission houses are getting I'D a
fund to make a test Of this law and its con-
stltutionality. 1t is suggested, however,
that wise precaution on the part Of
operators would be to take contracts from
| their hands before letting them go next
month, binding them to work for the year
1872. and have such contracts witnessed
There would be no risk in going or sending
after these hands in January, as the ''hir-
ing" prohibited by the act of February
would have been already accomplished and
| outside the limits OF North Carolina.
CARoLINIAN.
THE EMIeRANT AGENTS. Lie ENsE ACT, PASSED BY
THE NORTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE
Chapter 75-Laws passed by the legislature of
| 1891.
AN ACT to prohibit emigrant agents from ply
ing their vocation in this state without irst
obtaining license therefor, and for other
SECTION /. The general assembly of North
Carolina do enact, That from and after the
ratification Of this act no person shall carry on
the business of an emigrant agent in this state
without having first obtained q license there
fore from the state treasurer.
SEC. 2 That the term "emigrant agent" as
contemplated in this act shall be construed to
mean any person engaged in hiring laborers in
this state to be employed beyond tue limits of
the same.
license which shall be good for one year upon
payment unto the state treasurer for the use of
the state of one thousand dollars (S1 .000) in
each county he operates or solicits emigrants
Tor each year so engaged
SEC. 4. That any person doing the business of
an emigrant agent without having first OBJ
tanned such license shall be guilty of INSIDE
| meanor. and upon conviction shall be punished
by fine Of not less than five hundred dollars
($5O0l and not more than five thousand dollars
5000, or may be imprisoned in the county
jail not less than four months or confined in
state prison at hard labor not exceeding two
years for each and every otfense-within the
discretion of the court.
SEC. 5. That this act shall not apply to any
county west Of the line as at present established
by law for the receiving Of patients by the
North Carolina Insane Asylum, except the
counties of Mecklenburg. Moore, Anson Rich
mond, Cleveland. CASTOR, Lincoln and Ca
tawba.
SEC Q. That this act shall be in force from
and after its ratification.
Ratified the 9Th day of February, 1891.
CHERRY RIPE" Is MISSING.
A Root1tif,,I Ial