Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-20
RUNAWAY INTEGERS"
A Form of Slavery Still Exists in Lou

a Form OF Slavery Still Exists III Iou
isiana-Negroes Fleeing.
Turnout Louisiana the crops last year
were smaller than they were expected
to be in consequence of the insufficiency
of labor, particularly of negro labor. A
similar condition of affairs is reported
from Mississippi.
In Louisiana grinding on the sugar
plantations was delayed for lack OF
enough labor, and the cane was causht
by the freeze of December still stand
ing In the fields, with considerable
| loss in consequence. In north LOUISE
ana the cotton crop suffered for a SIM
| liar reason.
| The labor decentralization in that re-
| gion Is reported to be very great IN
consequence of an effort on the part OF
| the planters to restore form OF forced
labor. This has resulted in many ne
groes running away to places where
they enjoy greater freedom in the mat
ter Of employment.
The planters have tried to supply the
deficiency by importing negroes from
the black belt of Alabama, Georgia and
South Carolina. Many thousands of
negroes come into north Louisiana an
complained that they work only one
year In Louisiana and the next season
emigrate to Arkansas, where they are
better treated They are pouring into
Arkansas by way of Louisiana and the
result Is shown In the census. which re-
ports much larger percentage OF IN
crease among the negroes In Arkansas
than among the whites, while the re-
verse is the case in Louisiana.
The north Louisiana papers IN an
swer to the complaint of the planters
point out that the fault Is theirs be-
cause of their treatment of the negro
and that the labor situation will remain
permanently bad, If 1t does not grow
worse, unless they change their meth
DDS. and allow the negroes to seek work
where they can get the best terms in
stead of trying to keep them on the
plantations in q condition Of servitude
or peonnge.
It is perhaps forgotten that the suf-
frage was granted to the negroes large
ly because of an act of the Louisiana
legislature in 1866 which, while pre-
tending to put in operation in the state
an apprentice system for the freedmen
similar to that in force in Jamaica,
practically restored slavery In limit
| ed form. It is somewhat similar con-
dition of affairs that is now being put
in operation here, not by law. but by an
agreement among the planters.
"The prevailing labor system is all
wrong" says the Monroe Star, white
government paper and therefore not to
be accused of taking an anti-white par
tisan view of the matter. "The negroes
are not properly treated. The few ex-
ceptions prove this.
"The system used to be bad enough;
it is worse now. Formerly, at the close
Of the year, If a negro were indebted to
the owner of the plantation and wanted
to move he could do so, If the owner OF
the plantation to which he desired to go
would pay his Indebtedness. Now he
can not go. even If he is not In debt and
has money to his credit.
1--WE said that there were executions
to this rule. These planters included
in the exceptions are never in lack Of
sufficient labor.
IF a negro becomes dissatisfied and
wants to move to another plantation he
is permitted to go whether he is In debt
or not The consequence is that few
leave and more come than go.
con the other hand, on those planta-
tions where the negroes are held in
condition of practical bondage, knowing
that in case they want to change theft
home they can not remain on neigh
boring place, they take the first oppor-
tunity to skip to Arkansas"
The Star mentions several cases
showing how this system operates, of
which the following is a sample: A ne
gro renting land on Ouachita planta-
ton raised good crop of cotton and
came out we'll ahead financially In the
years business. He owned horse and
buggy-the great ambition of every
southern farm negro-and his house
was we'll furnished.
He wished to move to neighboring
place where he could get a farm on pet
ter terms, but was told that he could
not go. This proved irksome; so taking
what cash he had in hand he moved
over the line into Arkansas. abandolns
his farm, house and leasehold-eVery-
thing for freedom.
The situation has grown steadily
worse for years, the Star says. Inc
north Louisiana planters have been Sc
curing their negro labor from the
southern states to the east, thru labor
agents: but this can not go on forever.
and the planters in Alabama. Georgia
and South Carolina are beginning to
object to being robbed of their labor.
Labor is getting scarce in these
states, and the planters object to the
labor agents taking away their hands
tc, work in Louisiana. The solution the
Star proposes is the cutting up OF the
big plantations into small farms ana
their sale to white farmers.
At present most of the land Is WORKED
by negroes on shares. The crop raised
is divided between the negro who raises
II and the white landowner on whose
land 1t is raised.
When the years settlement is made,
there Is usually very little cash going
into the hands of the negro. nearly all
the money from his half of the cotton
going to the payment of advances MADE
to him during the year; and as rule,
he is left In debt.
He is thus left in very much the same
condition as the peon in Mexico, for ne
can not leave the plantation until this
debt is settled, and with the IMPROVE
dcnce of the negro it is never likely to
be- as he will continue to get advances
ae long as he has credit to do so.
From this servitude to the soil, after
the manner of the villeins OF the middle
ages, he had formerly an escape If a
neighboring planter would assume the