Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-02-27
NEGRO VAGRAHCY.

A Representative of the Race Makes Excuses
For Conditions That Exist and Charges the
Trouble to Unfair Treatment.
Editor Yorkville Enquirer:
Allow me space in your valuable pa
per to reply to the article headed,
Problem Of Problems" I think it Is
timely and a part Of 1t Is right.
AS Negro, desire to speak Of SOME
of the causes set forth in your article.
You say that the Negro is worthless
and retrograding. Let me ask, What
makes lazy -people?" I answer, poor
pay. Let us consider here the duties
imposed on the Negro of today, as a
common laborer on the farm or In the
house, etc.
At one time the average cook stayed
in the kitchen and cooked for the fam
lily, the house-girl presided in the house
and the butler or porter stayed around
the yard milked and did general house
work. Today the average house hires
a cook at about 81 a month, and ex-
rects her to cook, clean UP house, milk
the cow, bring in the wood, and go to
market. Doing all these things, then,
how can you expect her to give satis-
faction at only IA cents a day?
Mr.. Editor, you speak Of the loaf1ng
men in the streets who are fed from
this same cook. Let. us see If they are
know you have a class Of men on your
streets who describe themselves in the
song $780,.
1T amt no use to work so hard,
For I've got q gal in the white mans
yard!"
This same Negro-animal in human
form-inhabfts every town in the state.
He gets his living by acting as a pimp
for wife mems sons with these self
same girls. He gets his clothes this
way. You never see one with new
suit on. Then he remains around the
stores and receives crackers, cheese,
canned ham and other eatables, until
the so-called girl goes home, when. If
he has not made further arrangements
for his boss, he follows and gets his
supper att he expense of the people
for whom the cook Is supposed to be
working. This is plain. Mr.. Editor;
but these are in part the reasons for
so much loafing on your streets and on
the streets of other towns. Stop this,
and you stop the evil. I favor the
chaingang for all such.
Take the Negro as a farm laborer,
and the world has no better; but what
pay does he receive? He is promis-
ed about Sc per month and he receives
that on white paper to some mans
store. Here it Is discounted about 20
per cent. You will see that this will
make any race worthless. Take the
clerk who undertakes to work In
store on half pay. He is soon dis
charged and for what?
hn a..
gro, "Why work for so little, when I
can get credit?" - Let us see how much
confidence there Is in him. He can
buy mule on paper, when he Is with
out a cent of money. He can rent land
on paper, and he can buy supplies on
paper. Now, Mr.. Editor, If he can do
this, cant he afford to loaf? I answer
yes, and I say that majority Of the
business men will trust him before
they will trust their brother in white;
yet you say that he Is worthless and
unreliable.
Now, Mr.. Editor. if the legislature
should be called together and they
would put a stop to men trying to
farm without money. to pay labor, and
stop the merchant from advancing on
crops implanted. then we would see
change, and If they staid there 80
days, we would say we'll done. You
would see that the chaingang would
fail for want of criminals. The indus
trious, good women Of the country
could stay in the parlor, and we would
all rejoice at the better condition OF
things.
No, Mr.. Editor, all of the Negroes
are not IN one boat. and time will prove
that the Negro lis coming. Yet you
will have to assist him in getting rid
of the drones. Give him employment
in all the avOcations Of life, where he
Is fit for them-in the cotton factory,
ice factory, and all of the industrial
pursuits and you will help advance
his industry.
I had the opportunity Of looking over
q nav roll where white men and Ne
gro men are employed alike. end IT
took the WAGES of three NEGROES to
nav the WAGES of one white man. vet
the Negroes were nerformine oil the
hard work. why is this. Mr.. Editor?
The Negroes too. were In debt and the
white men did not owe ANYTHING. 7
make the statement to show that the
NEGRO does we'll under the existing cir
cumStanceS.
T have lust reod Of the Anderson af-
fair. and saw that the iuhoe deserves
the annlanse Of Of the world at large
for mis- able rharPe 70 rhe jury hut
some one will have tn deliver a like
charre here. On last Thursday Dep
ntv Sheriff Herjntt was sent after
Negro said to have violated contract.
His nistol is said to have gone OFT acc1-
dentally. and shot the Negro through
the heart while another man was put
ting the handouts on him. IT IS said
the Negro made no resistance to cause
the deputy to have out his pistol. This
haDnened on n planta ton where the
landlord employs about 60 hands.
What will be the outcome? VIII JUS
tice be doneo The solicitor will do his
dutv: but the Jury will not. All this
makes the Negro worthless. They
have m protection in the courts.
Mr.. Editor. T hope I have not taken
up too much Of your space. and that
this piece will not be thrown In the
waste basket. I ask that In justice to
us. as people striving to become good
citizens. YOU publish 1t. and 1 hope 1t
will do the Negro good.
Very respectfully,
r. A. WHITE.
Manning, S. c., February 25, 1901.
,u., ,ro.nv ron nncpve MEN