The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-11
NEGRO LABOR IN Corrox MILLS.
widespread Intereat In the Result or an Ex-
pertinent In South Carolina.
Erom The Mobile Daily Reoister.

From the Mobile Daily Register.
The substitution of negro labor for white labor
in a cotton. mill in Charleston, s. C., has prob
ably attracted more attention and aroused moro
general comment than any labor incident In
past years. This interest was caused by more
than one feature of striking Importance. In
the first place. it is looked upon MS a revolu-
ton in cotton mill labor In the South; secondly.
1t raises tho question whether the project will
DO successful, considering the generally accept
ed low order Of tho labor employed; and lastly,
II successful. will 1t result in tho chcapening Of
the mill product TO the extent that goods and
yarns from Southern mills will more than ever
come into successful competition with the mill
products of tho North.
The latter proposition appears to be the ono
that has the strongest claim on the Southern
manufacturers who have already employed or
are contemplating the employment OF negro
labor in their mills. 1t is the boast of the manu-
facturers 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
genco OF the labor employed in this country.
Based upon this theory, the opponents Of the
employment OF negro labor In the cotton mills
OF tho South say II cannot prove remunerative.
The claim is that while tho negro labor can DO
employed at less wages than white labor. tho
superior 10 that OF the negro that this Will more
1Sfm sorI ih;s shSarx IN, she Ola diIRaos rnnS In wage a :
be proved by experience.
tho management Of other South Carolina mills
ton with more than usual interest, and II 1t
should prove 10 be as snccessfnl as It 10 now
other Cotton T" mills. The dasidSratn iSa Sppsar rs TO
enins q the market for cotton goods p sogthern
tcrcsted III cotton mills, the -introduction Of
negro labor INTO hem y II matter OF much con
but 10 those OF tho North as well.
1t means the throwing out Of employment
Of u large number Of white people who have
the various department. Of the cotton mills.
1t n'etY,s either this or tho possible Necessity OF
Tho WAGES paid, 10 oporativSos IN the o COTTON
mills of the South, II hsa been claimed and gen.
orally admitted, have never boon as high as
New England. While the Southern opera
tivos have received loss wages. IL Ia. claimed
South Than in tho North. The New England
manufacturers claim that tho cost Of oper4t
strongest clonent Of competition that they have
been forced 20 lhcot,
With u still further reduction In wages OF OPP
%eralives in southern mills through the en-,
hbl"y men ,s Of me groSS the SpPsshSns,pn y fen, II
test for profitable production Of cotton goods in
aIR III This VI" being ~ he s' result HP" Essr ePT'2 nil o %%r.
production OF rhC liner class OF cotton goods, in
me production of which. the highest Glu:s OF
wages. Should the experiment. Of the employ.
ment Of negro labor In the mills OF the soul
ns now constituted prove successful. II may bc
that IL will mean the transference OF tho
white Operatives 10 mills einployi ny only ma.
chlnery for the production Of the hncr cottol
come into sharp competition with the same
class OF mills In New England as they have in
Inc past In the manufacture OF tho lower grades
q, goods. The subject IS one full OF vast posi-
nliilies, and the result WIN DO watched with
inc hcshSst interest by the cotton manufacture