Evening journal., 1897-08-12
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Test of the Capacity of the Race as
cotton Operatives Being Made.

Test of the Capacity of the Race as
cotton Operatives Being Made.
The substitution of negro labor for
white labor in a cotton mill in Charles
ton, S. c., has probably attracted more
attention and aroused more general
comment than any labor incident of
past years. This interest was caused
by more than one feature of striking inn
portance. In the first place, it is looked |
upon as a revolution in cotton mill la
Dor in the south; secondly, it raises
the question whether the project will |
be successful, considering the gener-
ally-accepted low order of the labor |
employed; and, lastly, if successful, will |
il result in the cheapening of the mill
product to the extent that goods and
yarns from southern mills will more
than ever come into successful compe-
tition with the mill products Of the
north?
The latter proposition appears to be
the one that has the strongest claim on
the southern manufacturers who have
already employed or are contemplating
the employment Of negro labor in their
mills. ltis the boast of the manufactur-
ers of the United States that they have
been enabled TO pay higher wages for
labor and at the same time compete
with goods of foreign manufacture, be-
cause OF the higher intelligence of the
labor employed in this country. Based
upon this theory, the opponents OF the
employment OF negro labor in the cot
ton mills of the south say il cannot
prove remnerativc. The claim is that
while the negro labor can be employed
at less wages than white labor, the
productive capacity of white operatives
is so far superior to that Of the negro
that this will more than counterbalance
the difference in wages. Whether this
theory win hold good remains TO be
proved by experience.
The indications point TO the conclu-
sion that the management of other
South Carolina mills arc watching the
experiment made in Charleston with
more than usual interest, and if il
should prove 70 be as successful as il is
now claimed, negro labor will iDe intro
duced in other cotton mills. The de-
sideratum appears TO be cheapness of
production, and thereby broadening
of the market for cotton goods of south
ern manufacture. Aside from those di-
rcctly interested in cotton mills, the in
PRODUCTION of negro labor into them is
q matter of much concern, not only TO
the white laborers of the south, but TO
those of the north as well.
1t means the throwing out of employ
ment Of large number of white people
who have devoted the best years of their
life 10 work in the various departments
of the cotton mills. IL means either this
OF the possible necessity Of accepting
the wages paid to negro laborers. The
, wages paid to operatives in the cotton
J mills OF the south, it has been claimec
o. and generally admitted have never
+ been as high as the wages paid the op
n eriNives in the mills of New England
While the southern operatives have re
ceived less wages, it is claimed that thi
difference Is more than counterbal
s anced by the cost of living, which !
, much less in the south than in tn
: north. The New England manufnctur
. ers claim that the cost Of operating
these mills in the south has been th'
@ strongest tieiucnl III tNNi illtAlAlNh AAAa
$ they have have been forced 20 meet.
o With still further reduction il
10 wages OF operatives IN southern mills
o through the employment OF negroes, tn
i, apprehension Is felt. il the new labo
proves satisfactory, that the contest 70
, profitable production of cotton good
a in the east will be placed upon mar
70 rover margin. This being the result
eastern mill owners will be forced Il
devote their mills TO the production o
=. the finer classes of cotton goods i'm tn
I. production of which the highest class O
= labor is needed, and which will bea
u higher wages. Should the eXperimen
=. of the employment of negro labor in IN
;, mills of the south as now constitute
:. prove successful, it may be that it wi
,r mean the transference of the machiner
y for the production of the finer cotto
II goods, and in that event, the souther
IT mills viii come into sharper compel
L tion with the same class of mills in Ne'
ie England as they have in the past in th
manufacture of the lower grades {
goods The subject is one fun Of vas
possibilities, and the result will
T. watched with the keenest interest b
~ ~ the cotton manufacturing world.-M'
,r bile Register.