The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-12
NEGRO FARM LABOR.
President wright Tells the Indus
trial Commission How 1t Ia I'm

II
GeOrgia..44-s4
4 Washington, April 10.-Prof. r. r.
EWright, president of the George State In
Edustrial College, here for, the purpose of
fenlightening the Industrial Commission on
the subject of negro farm labor in Geor-
Egia. The professor appeared before the
Commission to-day and submitted an in
Ateresting statement on the subject from
Ibis point of view. Among other things
The said
There is now practically peace and
harmony between the races throughout
the South. l am speaking of the labor,
ing population. They have never learned
the art of politics, and they are far less
interested in them to-day than the white
men, who are striving to deprive the ne
gro Of the ballot. From a landess, home
less class of ex-slaves i1r 1865, the negroes
in Georgia have becoms taxpayers to the
Namount, in 1879, of s., 1S2,39S in 1885, 49, 655,-
US, and in 1900, S14,1lS,720 including the
Eownership of a million acres OF farm
4 land.
las compared with former years, this
Nshows a condition of healthy improve
rent. In fact, bearing in mind the dis
Uparity between the condition of their in
Etelligence and the fact that the white
VTeople of Georgia began their poStSeman-
n c!pation period with practically an the
EFsoperty of the state in their HANDS, val
Ted then at more than $222, 1s3,7ST. it must
be acknowledged that the colored Iaborer
has truly done well to save out Of his
seanty earnings during the past thirty
I'VE years, one dollar for every s16 saved
ny MS more fortunate white employer
curing the same period.
There are in Georgia three classes OF
tegro farm laborers-the troopers or
wage earners get So to $12 per month with
F9uons, home and fuel The tenants or
enters pay certain portion of the crop
1or the rent of the land.
but | do not intend to speak of the en-
He state, / have chosen a group OF
COUNTIES in the southern part of. the
STATE generally known as the Wiregrass
sston. There are thirty-two counties in
is group, extending entirely across the
'ate below latitude 80. In the past three
EgIess
ne wire grass region labor is practi.
dtE colored. In 1870 there were, how.
49, IN this wire grass region. 1922
""Ie people, and 1926 colored persons
5VIo more whites than colored. Ac.
HI ~ tAl6 CELSIUS loSU, the WHITES
ou increased to 1883 and the negroe.
- ih,10, or 21,S17 more colored thar
4 "ntes' The colored people in this sec
4 w Had in 1880 added to their number
ore than 10000 and the whites a it'll,
le thah $4,000. The increase of popula
On IN this section has been quite grea
'he decade ending in 1900, but Il seem.
nat me colored people are still in ma
e 80 According to the controller gen
- last report for the year 1900, thu
srass colored people own 413.17s acre
"na' nesly half OF the farming Ian,
"enlted to the colored people OF Geor
ga All Of them began 70 work for sinai
Eas'S or Dart OF the crops. Now oni,
- % per cent. Of them are troopers o
earnersi 80 per cent. of them ar
"lh or renters, and 10 per cent. o
I'm own and work their own farms. Tn
ses Tor farm iaborer IN this sectioI
H. Wy small, and consequently there
s,eat temptation TO leave the farm
4 "oiN on the railroads the turpentiu
NJ. Aha tho saw mills. This section !
'ps ine greatest naval supply eente
world, ana the work r. mostly don
10. wire grass colored people. Will
ere number OF ayocations 10 whle
H.. 40, % laboFef can resort for a scant
M me average wire grass eoloTe
tarmsr. His farming. however
tho erudest kind. Except IN rar
H. 'neef' hs has no practical knowiedg
A 'Npfofsd machinery. 80 follows IN
routine ~ iarm cultivation pursue
TOTO si1Yo master, who himsT
f'l introduced lab0F-saviuR ma
INTO hia farming.
PIE u y fact that a. q ruls AZ
A.. .hlch has fallen into their posses
g. ne 90 broom seage ~ so.eelle
1siaas SEA since fhs wsF Al