Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-11-20
LABOR IN THE SOUTH.
A CORRESPONDENT TELLS OF
THE PRINCELY WAGES
Farm Laborers Getting Six Dollars q
Month-Facts Regarding Reports OF
a Revival of rosperity"-starvation
Has to Compete with Cheap Living.

AAonIh acts Regarding reports or
"a Revival Of Prosperity"-starvation
Has to Compete with Cheap Living.
Atlanta, Oct. 10.-When I reached
this city and the grounds Of the Cotton
States and International Exposition,
about three weeks ago, found every
thing in dire confusion. Two days be-
fore the opening there was only one
building really ready, and that was the
governments. Thousands of workmen,
however. were rejoicing in hope that
their present condition would continue
and were free to talk of their wages, as
workmen generally are when they are
doing little better than common. And
verify was astonished at some of their
statements. Thousands of negroes have
Hooked in from the farming regions and
were getting 81 day for common labor,
where before the exposition boom the
rate was but 80 cents. One year ago
painters and carpenters in Atlanta got
but $1.50 per day. Now they get $3.50
and call it princely pay. Country ne
groes tell me that on the farms they get
$40 a month and rations, but that Is
only in this middle section, while south
ward and eastward wages are lower.
Orthodox party papers over in Tom
Watson's district have been making a
great to do over the improvement and
revival of prosperity, and surely there
is an improvement if Editor Gate Sena-
tori Pat Walsh tells the truth, for he
says that not long ago able bodied ne
groes could be hired in the vicinity OF
Augusta for Sc month, while the latest
corners from there tell me they can now
get $S. OF course these wages go with
rations-that is, enough cornmeal, pork,
coffee, peas, rice and black molasses to
keep a laborer in working order. And
even in this state hear the familiar
statement that one great cause of hard
times is the extravaganza of laborers.
Last year the rate for picking cotton
was forced down to 80 cents per 100
pounds. This year there was an at
tempt at combine to force it up to 60
cents, the rate which prevailed in the
good old times" but l am told to-day
that there is compromise by which
the pickers are to get As cents on first"
full boil. 1t takes a lively darky to
pick 200 pounds day, but women occa-
sionally do better, and one was pointed
out to me who could turn in 240 pounds
| day for a week. In view Of such and
many similar facts was not surprised
at seeing very large chain gang with
| out a white man in it, and when a resi-
dent friend called my attention to the
model jail in the exposition grounds
was moved to ask:
will you explain your model convict
system?"
Not this year." he replied, with a
dry smile, and we changed the venue.
Street car men have also had their
wages raised and now get IL cents an
hour, a part of the contract being that
they must maintain neat and re-
spectacle appearance" That's blamed
sight more than l could do during the
long drought, when cloud of red dust
hung perpetually over the grounds. Ed
itor Martin of The Dixie Magazine tells
me that cotton mill operatives average
80 cents a day, and others put their
wages at from s12 to $18 per month,
= which does not seem to consist. ! sup
pose the latter are only the poorest class
of workers. In the section where they
live board is phenomenally cheap and
suppose correspondingly plain. l hat
to laugh at one good old lady who told
me she rally hadn't the heart t.
charge the poor girls more'n eight dol
lahs a month, though rally it's wuti
more in these hard times" In th'
nicer sections board is much higher
and rents are simply awful.
Gas and water rates are said to b,
higher than in New York or Chicago
while house service of some kinds is do;
cheap. Even among men there is
great diversity, and much more 81
since the exposition company dis
charged so many common laborers
who are bidding against each other
The firm am best acquainted with jus
now gets the services Of preacher o
the gospel for So per week, and he
there from Z a. m. to 5 p. m, though hi
duties as messenger do not employ hin
all the time. He is 25 years old, a wei
educated mulatto and licensed minis
ter, but is on the pay roll as boy.
DrdymeQ anu HdChIucu get 20 pei WCcn
All these facts and many more of tn
same sort l gathered in my first te
days here for really there was not muc
to see yet in the exposition, and IL
had not been for the thousands of vet
| Grams who came down from the Chicka
mauga dedication and the ten govern
J ors, including two candidates for tn
presidency, and the generals here o
blue and gray day we certainly shoul
have suffered "ongwee." j was particu
, larly struck with the fact that tn
speakers laid great stress on the risin
! tide of prosperity and the advantage
to farmer and laborer. And all thos
, fellows profess to believe in God an
: expect to be justified in his sight,
H. Browning, in Chicago Express.
All In One Parcel.
There 10 corfaiu1v M douhf that