Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-06-27
Friday. June 81, 1902.
THE VITAL LABOR QUESTION.

w "-Sh eAo NitSiuid SODSIilutloD6t
Convention could have settled the labor
question while it was solving difficult
problems for the present and coming
generations.-Richmond Dispatch.
The labor problem, not only in this
section but throughout the South, is
becoming one of the most momentous
in fact, with the good roads move
ment there are none greater-that
the present and future generations
will have to grapple with. As
mighty as the Constitutional Con-
vention was and is, settlement of this
is far beyond its ken. IF there is
a man wise enough to solve it he has
not yet arisen to public notice
throughout the length aud breadth
of our land.
Here in tidewater Virginia so many
industrial forces clash over the labor
question that it is the one topic of
all others that meets with intermit.
tent and recurring discussion and
general admission of the necessity
for doing something to remedy the
evil. Farmers and oystermen cannot
procure adequate help even at ex-
orbitant wages; at the same time the
two interests are in competition in
seeking help. Farmers declare that
the oyster rocks, in offering an indie
pendent living to the colored laborer,
prevents his tilling his land on a
paying basis, while the white oyster
man finds himself without help
because the negro laborer can work
independent of him on the same
footing. From September to May
most of these do not deign to do a
stroke of work except on the oyster
rocks, and ninety per cent. of them
work on their own shook" AS soon
as the oyster season is over Young
and middle-aged of both sexes HE
them away to the North, where they
lind remunerative employment at the
summer resorts, coming home in time
to dip the tong at sunrise on the
first of September. The natural
sequence is that they are of little
benefit as citizens to this section
gathering when the carcass is ripe
and forsaking it when its bones have
been picked bare.
We think in tidewater ore of
the chief remedies for the lack
of labor lies in shortening the
oyster season, and possibly put
ting a heavier tax for the privilege
of taking oysters. But because of
the political cry of few IMPROVE
dent whites and large class of
negroes the Virginia Legislature has
persistently denied us the relief that
seems to be needed. With September
and April cut off from the oyster
season two important months to the
farmer might be redolent with offers
of help. 1t seems to be hard
to get some of the leading oystermen
to the belief that a tax of ten, or
even twenty dollars, for the privilege
of oystering would rebound to their
benefit and the relief of the oyster
rocks. If prepayment of such tax
were required there would be fewer
of that class of colored people that
flock from the forest, hire canoe by
the week and throw it up without pay
ing-to do the like next week-and
these would be more willing to hire
themselves out at reasonable wages
both to the farmer and to the provi-
dent oysterman. This would appear
to some an argument for oppression,
but we who are acquainted with |
oyster affairs know that under such |
a method no class would suffer, as
the shiftless negro who is to be de.
barred on account of the tax will |
make more during the season at fair
wages and be Of more service to his
country than he is under existing
conditions. 1t is only matter of a
few years when none will be able to
make days wages on the public
oyster grounds if the present system
This is no cry of wolf
before the wolf is at our door, for he
certainly is here today, in the matter
Of depleted oyster rocks.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The Constitutional C,4.