The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-03
NEGROES AND MILL WORK.
C0IOred Labor in the Cotton Factories
of the South.
The Experiment That Is Being Tried and
the Effect 1t VIII Have on Compe-
tition With White Labor in This Coun-
try and Observation-Disclosures in the
Way Heretofore.

try and Observation-Disclosures in the
Way Heretofore.
Edgefeld, S. c., July 27.-At Charles
ton, S. c., large cotton mill is begin
ming operations with negro labor. The
mill is not new. 1t has failed twice with
white labor. If this new experiment. with
negro labor succeeds it will mean that
labor for cotton manufacture in the South
| is practically unlimited in quantity.
1t will mean that the cheap labor Of
China, Japan and India will have some
competition in America.
Much has been said and written about
the cheaper cost of manufacturing cotton
goods in the South. If negro labor can
be used the cost will be reduced to a small
Ter figure still.
Years ago it was said by the New
England manufacturer that the white
labor of the South could not be made
skllful enough to make success of spin-
ming and weaving. That opinion has been
proved to have been an error. The white
labor OF the South is not only as good.
put is much better than the rank and file
OF the labor in New England mills. The
superlntendents and foremen in New
England have some advantages of educa-
tion and training. This advantage is
rapidly disappearing from two causes.
The native Southern superintendent is
rapidly acquiring knowledge and skill.
Many New England men are going South.
In New England mills French Canadians
and other unskilled and uneducated for
eigners have taken the place of the ma
tive.
The subject of negro labor in cotton
mills is attracting much attention in the
South. Negroes work in oil mills, in
tobacco fatories, as carpenters, bricklay-
ers, blacksmiths, &c. Why can they not
be made available as cotton factory opera
tives2 Some persons say their fingers are
too thick-that they have not the dizziness.
Yet they make good seamstresses when
properly trained and worked under direc-
ton. Some say they al too sleepy headed !;
others say they will be found to want ten
acityof purpose. Everybody agrees that
there is much uncertainty as to the avail
ability OF the negro for work in cotton
mills. When the experiment. is tried I'M
der favorable conditions, if 1t is successful
it will mean much to the cotton manufac-
turing interest of the South. 1t will
mean cheap labor in great abundance.
The white mill operative will object be-
cause OF the competition. The factory
| owner has no objection to the use of negro
labor. The average Southern cotton mill
owner has been brought up to work ne
groes wherever labor is necessary In.
deed, many of them for farm work or oil
| mill work, and in many other occupa-
tions, prefer negro labor. The cotton
mills have been organized with white Ia
Dor largely because the whole cotton mill
business has been copied from New Eng
| land methods. AS the subject becomes
| more and more familiar to the Southern
man, the subject OF negro labor presents
itself more and more seriously to his
mind
The present white operatives in South
ern mills are almost entirely native-b born
Americans. Many of those in New Eng
land are French Canadians or other
foreigners. The average Southern opera
| tive is more amendable to reason than
the average foreign-born New England
operative The Southern native-born ne
gro would be even more easily man
aged. The negro as a race has never
shown any disposition to form unions or
go into schemes for strikes.
| The successful Southern man has no
prejudice or other form of opposition
against the use Of negro labor. Many
| even prefer the negro as worker. 1t is
simply question of profit. If money can
be made, the negro is good enough to per
form the labor.
White men and negro men work side by
side in harmony. White girls and negro
girls would proabbly not work in the
same harmony The organization of the
labor of a mill would have to be either
all white or all colored as to the ordinary
operative. The foreman would in all
cases be white. Occasionally a negro
makes good foremen or boss. AS rule,
however, they have not succeeded in such
a capacity.
asked very intelligent negro whether
he thought his race would make satisfac-
tory operatives in cotton mill. He
promptly answered that there was not
the slightest doubt that they would be
perfectly satisfactory. He admitted that
the foremen and bosses would have to be
white people, but he was sure that the
negroes as operatives would be all right.