The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-04
A DOUBLE LABOR PROBLEM
EFFECT ON WAGES OF THE RdCB
LINE IN THE SOUTH

nisphriS IN WnEes-WhS Labor IL Chem.
What appears on tho surface TO be n temncst
In a teapot has been raised by the managers ~
tho cotton mill at Charleston who have sun.
planted their white labor by black labor; bu, tbs
question is vastly more important than 1t seems
at first glance. Indeed, it involves tho problem
OF the laboring population Of all races In Tho
South, n correct solution of which Is not to la
found In the attitude of the mill owners mr.
OF tho white operatives, but in n ~satisfac.
tory understanding between those OF thu
black and white people who are compellcd
to work in order to live. Tho Charleston
Ncps and Courier, in reply to a hysterical nr.
ticle on the subject In the New Orleans Times.
Democrat, states the case for the mill owners in
tho following editorial:
1T Is not true. as our contemporary SAYS.
that the Charleston move is n declaration thai
we have not a suficiency OF white labor for our
cotton mills, a declaration in favor Of cheaper
and less skilled labor 1t is nothing Of tho sort
not been. and is not now. in the opinion of the
owners OF the Charleston cotton mill, a su ficienb
fiaPGeEfx aS Fl S%s'e y! a the t sueesssfal o pal.S In0S 81
this mill. That is oil. The Charleston move is
nc not 1 designed i, Or intended nn5 iS y or exp s;nS in any way
Of labor anywhere else in the South. 10
is simply, untrue to intimate that there is
ton mill owners to use the negroes as a means
of %crowding white laborers out Of a bra nch OF
hhpio hlChb III WhlCn LhtlT opportunity has lOF
countless centuries been manifest This state.
ment is not more extravagant than, stupid.
perience behind them do not require the sup ep
port of an ill.informed newspaper which pleads
re- Dhe sr eIeYat ione s sns ii IN th In n aes o1 soSa, h fnIiS
the mills has been manifest for centuries.
The white mill operatives. who are said to
address to the public. Of which tho following
from o sa1 etiDso with %h the o sfssSs REssiq It sho nia
eers. wives, sons, and daughters in the light pur.
suits OF the country. II; however. his services
tries that he must be put in dangerous proIim.
lily with our maidens or they be deprived OF OPP
SON can be assigned de for e:xc InaS S0b hjmrs from 5e ~.
like money-slptted foreigners and Southern
we would ,cheerfully support them for office.
We affirm by all our physical powers and brave
negro horde turned loose upon the pursuits Of
our mothers, our wives, our widows, our daugh:
"A Washington writer takes the position which
the late Henry ". Grady Of Atlanta assumed
position which embodies the gist Of the whole
contention, but offers no solution TO. the vexed
question; since the poor blacks and the poor
stitute e5 per cent. Of the Southern population.
have TO work to support themselves, and refuse
to work together; that is, the whites refuse 10
work with the blacks. and thus they creates
labor problem within a labor problem. Tho
half has been black. In this respect the Afro.
American has the right Of way, II his labor was
BY his labor as a free man, even as he had to do
30 as q slave. On this point the writer quotes
prominent Southern Republican as saying:
"The South has to-day as good labor as there 10
IN hn the country. and cheaper labor than you vii
understood it, they have in the negro population
labor which. II handled properly. would make
m shsm anal all II T ss q ! bald T top Sis Tor I 3 ss sG %si, work. work
blinds them; They pay the negro in the country
family oflittle ones at home, He must Be away
shem may Al Ta the esd t Of th SeG yesr 10 he i IS no sb bet seGt oi
ehiIare he b w1s s. Been the sro Sss5Snin1EE; e and %ee his
boys and shiftless men. The people of the South
WIRE y@hahe man 1ns he II my s1 snper. eS si I h @Teh found %Hsi t H.
he VIII l, DO az Z, much roS m work ! and i'd o SS good TCrf in
%Son f I esid s T9sk a d nna h HE n sEise h %aH had
and did well. more than 10 and" tn, ita white White
I that f that aS Sase 'E q eyPiGai pi Sus K illus a9n.s S whas
my experience shows-that when you pay tho
makes an Excellent nI m och s'' Put h him az
one kind Of work and he becomes quito
n meeS saRSss Of q II the 3 s4ul are taH 'k msS.
and there is plenty of work in the South now
mon labor the negro Will always DO in greater
demand, because he can work the whole year
around. Four;hfths Of the men working in tho
factories of the South are negroes. / cannoe
understand the prejudice of the white people OF
the South against employing the negro. A man
he employs them any more than the Pennsy!.
vania mine owner associates with the Hun.
good qualities. He is not vicious. He does mob
wreck trains or burn houses; He works hard Il
people are missing a golden opportunity by their
failure to understand what is within their grasp
Lam 1.snr a al iSs ,I unlimited ssd, supply of the cheapest
We here have the Southern labor problem pre-
cenI TSe r min o inpee pG 2ieS. o. %, v iSS Witt 81 fo opSEs.
lives view, and t3lthe intelligent observers view,
The three views give an accurate statement OF
men working in, tho factories OF tho South are
negroes y must DO inaccurate. The condition ae
trades and the factories ofall sorts, and the coal
mines Of most of the Southern States; White
and women. AS the Charleston operatives put
It. when white people are hungry. hungry black
they are hungry or not, they cannot work with
white people Gin the light pursuits of tho
The Atro-Americens OF the South have got to
live and support their families. They CANNOT
DO SO unless they can have work. never heard
white man; he would rather, share his labor or
his crust with ono than otherwise; but thar
'.'N. SAo ~ " III ~ tHo ~ '' 49,
way in the South or North needs no reiteration
here. The only correct solution OF the matter.
OF course, would be for tho blacks and whitesto
share the labor with equal opportunities and
wages. wherever there was q demand for labor.
BY refusing to do this, not only are employers OF
labor placed at a great disadvantage, but black
laborers are forced to accent work wherever
they can get 1t and at whatever wages are
offered TO them.
Isaw the point illustrated in q striking man.
dS1 tsss w w'hto Of II laying she G aoSb Hs aI1sp paSe en- ,hG on on
Auburn avenue. q thoroughfare on which more
Afro-Amerlcans than any other sort OF Amcr!.
cans own property. The contractors were In =
hurry to get the work done. and, as they did mob
have enough white help, they were compelled
to hire some black help, but the whites refused
to work In the same gang with the blacks; SO.
RrotcsQuely enough. tho gangs were divided on.
with the space OF u hundred yards between
them. Each gang had its separate foreman. hno
the authorities made the same tests of the work
and required TINT il all come up to n certain
standard. But this Is moi, al. Tho black pave
ment layers received one-half less for their work
than the white ones; that Is TO say. the whites
received ~. 30 and the blacks ST .25 a day,
i had n talk with some of tho black men about
the matter, and, whilo they were thoroughly