The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-08
Another SeriolS
Southern Problem

New York Commercial Advertiser.
The attempt to substitute negro la
Dor for white labor in a cotton mill in
South Carolina and the organization of
branch of the Textile Union among
the white employees of a Georgia cotton
mill to prevent such a substitution have
raised a question in that section that
promises TO nave far-rcaChing economic,
social and political effects. Heretofore
the South has been quite free from the
labor controversies that atflict Northern
industry so seriously. There has been
little or no organization of labor. Wages
have been low. As a consequence, a dis
position has been exhibited on the part OF
Northern cotton manufacturers, anxious
to escape the troubles of trade unonism,
to attempt the establishment of their in
dustry in the Southern states. Besides
cheap labor, unskilled in the arts of or
ganization and not given to discomfort
and strikes, they hoped to secure ad-
vantage from the proximity of the cotton
nelds. SO promising has been the out
look that the prophecy has been freely
made that cotton manufacturing would
eventually be transferred from New Eng
land to the South. But if the events
mentioned are to be regarded as sympto-
matte, this prediction is not likely to be
realized soon.
An odd theory held i'm the South Is
that while the blacks are peculiarly fitted
for occupations that require unskilled
labor, the whites are pecunarly fitted
for those that require skilled labor. In
obedience to this artificial classification
of human capacity, the former have been
relegated t. work in the fields and to
certain mcnial occupations, and the lat
ter have aIrCgated to themselves the
employment to be found in the cotton
mills. But the result has not been pre-
nj lNy VHyh
labor of the blacks has been much more
remunerativc than the mill labor of the
whites. The further result has been
higher scale of living on the part of the
negroes and the enjoyment OF more priv
ileges, educational and other, than the
mill hands. 1t is not difficult to imagine
what would he the final outcome of such
a racial division of labor. 1t has, in fact,
already been pointed out by Southern
observers, apprehensiVe of negro domin-
alton. There would be constant improve
ment of the negro race, from one gener-
alton to another and a steady deter
ioration of the laboring whites, The
social and political effect of this change
would be to make the negroes eventually
the superior, and consequently, the DOM
inant race. For the literary tests now
applied in communities where the mem
bGrs of the one race are in the minority
would operate in favor of the members
VI Allt bNlNl ldNts
o
In the light of these considerations
the labor question in the South has rath-
er more interest than elsewhere De-
spite the prejudice against the proposed
introduction of black labor In the cotton
mills, it would not be regarded by some
whites capable of grasplng its effects as
an unqualified misfortune. 1t would, in
their opinion, subject the negroes to the
same deteriorating influences that now
work to the disadvantage Of the Caucas-
ian and imperil his social and political
supremacy. At the same time, there are
other whites, the believers in the fun
damental industrial difference between
the races. that contend that If the ne
groes should get into the cotton mills
they would do very little harm. While
they might monopolize tne manufacture
of the cheaper grades of cotton, the
whites would, in consequence of their
mental superiority. monopolize the man
ufacture OF the finer grades.
o
But If trade unionism gets a foothold
the extension of the Textile Union TO
that section, increasing wages shorten
ing hours, excluding negroes and mem
acing manufacturers constantly with
strikes, there is little likelihood that the
predicted transfer Of cotton manufacture
ing will occur. Besides the present trou-
bles of the New England manufacturers,
there would be those growing out of race
antagonism, which would doubtless more
than counterbalance any economic ad-