The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-09-23
a., q,

you for you've already been well pald
for them by the crops you've taken on.
which have diminished the fertility OF
the soil, I'm willing to pay for the
benefit l shall derive from them, and
nothing else. If you won't let me have
the land for the fifteai bushels, Ill
stick to the common; can do about as
we'll here But you haven't told me
what right you had to fence in the best
land aud call it yours?
Landowner-Th king gave it to me.
Labor-What right had tho king tc
take away the peoples land and give it
to you?
Landowner No matter whether he
had the right or not; he had the might
The land is mine, and you can not culti-
vate it without my permission.
Labor-Well! We won't discuss the
question of right just now. viii you
let me have the lot for the year at the
price offer?
Laudowner-Yes; you may have 1t.
It's so much gain to me; but If 1t wasn't
for that confounded common you should
pay more.
Another Year.
In the meanwhile Landowner has succecded
in getting through parliament an act author'z-
izing him TO enclose the common. and has
taken possession He has accordingly fenced
in tho whole OF It. Not against cattle this time,
but against LaborJ
Labor, gong to Landowner-Please,
sir us the common is enclosed Eve now
no free land to work upon, and should
be very glad to hire that same lot ofyou
for another year.
Landowner-Humph! You did pref
ty well on that lot last year, didn't
You?
Labor-Yes. sir! was able to give
Capital new spade, besides paying
him for the use of his; and l had enough
over to keep my family in comfort after
paying you the rent.
Landowner-And you expect to get
the land for the same rent this year?
Labor-I hope you will let me have
it on the same terms, sir If I'm oblig-
ed to pay more shall not be able to
give Capital SO much for the use OF his
spade, and my family will suffer for
want of the comforts to which they
have been accustomed
Landowner-That's none OF my busi-
ness. Capital must te content with q
smaller return, and you must reduce
the expenses of your family. There's
no common for you to cultivate now, or
for him to pasture his hcifer on. You
must both of you cut your coat accord
ing to your cloth. End wear your old
clothes when you have no CLOTH
| Labor-I'm aware of that, sir, and
can only hope that you will consider
my circumstances
Landowner-What shall consider
will be my own interest shall man.
age my estate on strictly business
principles. Yca paid me fifteen BUSH
| els of potatoes On account Of my inn
proyements last year. We agreed upon
that as fair. didn't we?
Labor--Yes, sir.
Landowner-Well! Ill be easy with
you and charge you no more this year;
but you must keep the fence in re-
pair.
/ Labor-It will be very hard on me,
sir; taking so much from the support OF
my family, but suppose that must
do as you say; and if | must, must.
| Landowner-Now how much will
you agree to give me for the use of my
land? Last year you wouldn't give me
anything, and had to come to your
terms, because you had the common to
fall back upon. This year there's no
common, and you've got to come to
mine.
Labor--I hope, sir, that they will be
such as to enable me to live and keep
my family comfortably, which will be
hard work enough now, with the addi-
tional work I'm obliged to put upon
the fence.
Landowncr--Comfortably! | don't
know and don't carc. You ought to
} be satisfied with the necessaries Of life,
and not talk about luxuries. But
there's no use in wasting any more talk
about the matter. The rent of the lot
for this year is fifty bushels in all.
Labor-l3ut, sir,
Landowner-Bu me no Butts Thatl
the rent.
Labor-We shall starvc, sir, and theI
your land will be OF no use to you
You must have somebody to cultivat.
. it.
Landowner-Thcre's something II
that; but, as said, fifty bushels is th'
rent You know that you must talk
the land at my price, and know you'll
. make the shift to pull through II fyo'
can't, and find that you really haven
t enough to live on. perhaps I'll not cxac
: the whole OF the rent, but let a part re
main in arrears for you to make n
? when you have an extra good year, an
, I will give you some of the small potu
toes in charity, to keep you alive an
r out Of the poorhouse-where (aside)
E should have to pay for the whole sur
port Of you and your family.
r CLEARLY the difficulty of finding EN-
ployment, the fact that in all vocation.
y as rule, the supply Of labor seems t
rs exceed the demand for labor, spring
,. from difficulties that prevent labor Rnt
t. ing employment for itself tn
barriers that fence labor off OF lant
g That there is a surplus Of labor in an
one occupation arises from the difficult
n OF finding employment in other occ,
u patrons, but for which the surplt
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