The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-13
THE NEGRO EXODUS
Is Chiefly From the Towns
and Not the Farms.
There is Scarcity Of Cooks. Plenty Of Hands
to Pick All the Cotton That viii be
Raised in N. c.

Recently there has much been said
about the exodus of negroes from this
State. Reports have varied as to the
extent of the outward movement and as
to it's regularity.
Some accounts have it that the migra-
ton is chiefly from the country and that
so many of the negro farm laborerS are
leaving that there is a prospect that
much of the cotton will remain unpicked
on account of a dearth of laborers.
Recently an article on this question,
written by Mr.. Royal Daniel of the Jour
nal staff, appeared in the Atlanta Jour
nal. Mr.. Daniel was in this State some
time as secretary to the Cotton States
Convention. In his position he necessa-
riIy came in contact with a number of
farmers from different sections of the
State He also took the trip with the
Commissioners of Agriculture to Ashe-
vile and Biltmore. In his article on the
subject he says:
1.-THE cotton may bloom all for naught
in North Carolina this fall and the bolls,
bursting into full maturity, may drop
into decay to the ground.
This forecast, gloomy as it may appear,
is not exaggerated. The farmers who
are watching the stalk blossom in the
field will tell you the same story. They
will go further, doubtless, and tell you
that unless the situation materially
changes the farmers bank account next
fall will be on the wrong side of the bank
and a mortgage will be on the home.
ITO the question as to what is respon
sible for the situation there is but one
reply:
There is no farm labor.
There has been a negro exodus on in
North Carolina for months. The de-
partures were quietly made at first. Few
went together. The purchase of a ticket
to the North and East was few and far
between. Now the exodus is on in full
blast. Six hundred negroes have gone
from Raleigh alone. From other portions
of the State they have been going and
now the farmers are standing idly by
waiting for q change and hoping for re-
lief"
A News and Observer reporter called
at the Agricultural Department yester-
day to investigate the matter.
The records show that only two COM
plants of scarcity of labor have been
received from correspondents in the past
three months. The correspondents of
the Department are scattered through
every county in the State. and are to
report in addition to certain queries in
regard to the condition of the crops,
any matter which they think may affect
the farming interests in any way. The
two complaints that were received came
from Sampson and Person counties re-
spectively.
The complaint from Sampson was in
July. 1t said: Farm labor is very
scarce. l don't see how we are to save
our fodder -r.
"a The other complaint was from num-
Der of citizens of Caswell county. and
was In June. They simply said: Farm
labor very scarce" With the exception
of these complaints from these two
counties, with the possible exception of
Person, no complaints of the scarcity
of laborers have been received.
1t is known though that negroes are
leaving the State in large numbers. The
migration seems to be from the cities,
however, instead of the farms. On last
week one thousand negroes left Winston
for other points But it will be remem-
bered that a northward migration of ne
groes takes place from this town imme-
diately after every election.
The chief complaints that have come in
SO far from the ladies whose cooks.
lured by promises by the willy railroad
agents of higher wages, have gone North.
That the migration of cooks has to
certain extent embarrassed the North
Carolina housekeepers is true. But it
is not true that this exodus of negroes
has in any way embarrassed the North
Carolina cotton farmer, except in
small neighborhoods. There were numer-
Gus complaints of the scarcity of hands
during the spring months while the crop
was being put in the ground. Only few
complaints are being made now.
Mr.. Daniel argued that the amend
ment was the cause of the exodus.
Speaking of this phase of the situation
Mr.. Daniel said
THE negro has been disfranchised in
the State. He believes he has been done
an injustice He takes it as a matter
of course that there is nothing in the
future for him in the State. He has
made up his mind to go away. He is go
ing. Others have gone and send back
good reports. Why cant he succeed as
well?"
That some of the negroes take this
view of the situation is evident In Sal
isbury many of the cooks refused to
work for the wives of men who vote for
the amendment. But only in sporadic
instances haG tho massage 0f that act