New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-26
LABOR IN THE SOUTH AND THE NEGRO.
Demand Under Present Prosperous Condi-
tons Solving Problem.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: A visitor from the South spoke about the sd-
vancement OF the South in the following brief but
expressive manner: We are only on the edge Of
our possibilities"
Before the Civil War the assessed valuation OF the
South was over S.OOOOc000O Twenty years later Il
s20O0OOoOoO less In 1900 the assessed value was
nearly SsOOoOOoOOo but Il is supposed the real
value was about N4OO0OOOOOO
The population IN the last thirty years has about
doubled
The cottonseed industry twenty year. ago had
S.5OoOoo invested In it. and Il has a capitalize
ton OF S50O00.O0O
In the output OF pig iron was ss 800 tons Lsst
year IL was 26O46T tons. The coal mined n 1850
6O4s01o tons. In 1900 ii 4Sls2O0O tons Tbs capI
tai invested in the time in manufactures In
creased from s25l.6s2oSS 10 a.OOoOoo.9O
The products OF the farms will be worth this year
not less than S5o00000 The largest crop Of cotton
before the war was something less than 100000
bales. The crop Of 1892 1880 SIS bales. This Is
about three-fourths OF the product OF the whole
world. While the product is great the South has
only 100000 spindles to manufacture IT, while the
rest OF the world has 100000 spindes That the
number OF cotton mills viii be greatly Increased In
the South one can doubt
Look then. wherever we may IN the South-in the
field. In the mine. in the rnanufactory-we zee
place for willing hands TO work This has been the
case for some time. and scarce are the workmen
that some Of the leading Of the South not long
ago were willing 10 petition Congress TO allow the
Chinese 10 come IN TO al their vacant places The
cotton planters OF Mississippi II is said intend 70
send North 10 obtain Italians TO pick the cotton.
All our newspapers filled with advertisements
tor men, women and children 20 and assist In
some kind OF work Our streets are filed with
workmcn. white and black. working together. on
Labor Day, IN South Carolina, white and black
marched together in the same procession. You may
md walters and mattresses. white and black, In the
dining rooms Of some Of our hotels.
The papers are commenting on the present condi-
ton. One leading paper OF the Far South said re-
Gently: ITO ali appearance they are getting along
vel together ana mutually prOspering." Another
said. We shah give him (the negro schools, be-
cause he cannot maintain them himself and because
Ii is 10 his interest and 10 interest that he have
schools"
Work IS plentiful that people are glad 10 get Il
done by white black Some who have always
been used TO the negro are wanting no others to
serve them.
Here. then Is a solution OF what IS known the
problem. II the present prosperity should
continue and there is nothing in sight to hinder it,
We shall have all our people. white and black at
work. While We esteem employment great pre-
Ventive OF many evils. do not consider Il q
pauacea for all the evils that threaten
With work foT the industrious and law-abidng,
and with a strong hand upon the lawless and
speedy punishment for the guilty. shall see the
South going forward peacefully 10 success.
Baltimore, sept z. 1903 X II w.