The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-03

where a splendid dinner was enjoyed.
At two o'clock the sessions were re-
sumed.
Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session was held in
the lower hall, the library of the Pull
en- building, where the convention
discussed 1.-THE Labor Question and
What the aFrmer Must Do About It."
The first speaker was Mr.. !. M.
;reen. of Henderson, and he told of
his as il appeared to him. lie held
hat for farmers to succeed they must
ret together and that the lack or CO.
1neration was q great trouble AFTER
.iting the failure of the Rocky Mount
convention to develop any plan 10 Nid
he tobacco farmers, he said that the
| rest thing to help the farmers Is the
farmers Alliance and that literature
must be read by the farmers 10 snow
hem what to do. Inc plan oL u
| yanization of the farmers he held,
vas the best way in which to control
he labor situation. 1.-THE boil weevi
| n Texas does not trouble the people
n Texas worse than the labor question:
lerplexes the farmers in North caro-
ina he declared, and then relateu MS
troubles in hiring and keeping Names.
If it don't improve i will nave 10 qul.
arming,' he said, and with a similar
statement from one in the audience,
aid that a day ago his hands had lett
md that such things had kept his boys
rom school
He urged that the Legislature be Pc
toned to repeal the mortgage ana
homestead laws. This was evidently
popular, for there was applause tie
Id it ought to be a misdemeanor 10
i've mortgage on an unseen thing,
With mortgages tapping over. 1.-The
armers have the situation in their
)wn hands if they exercise their rights,
nd the labor question is one of these
hings they can settle by co-ope cltion.
He talked of the cooks in the towa
eeding the idle laborerS who came TO
own and then denounced the failure
o enforce the vagrancy laws, saying
hat the mayors of the town ought TO
nforce the laws. lie said that labor
- Granville is organized and held
meetings Friday night. THAT is SO in
part of Wake" said a voice. "Yes,
aid Mr.. Green, "they are organized
nd the farmers are not"
he said the place for the farmers
10Y was to educate him in colleges
ike the A. & M. and put him back on
he farm, that scientific lethods inn
roved machinery. more horse power
needed. THE trash at work now
'ught to be taught how to work. he
ried, and told of some of it's trifliny
,toings, insisting that the labor should
,ecome skilled.
Mr.. Green endorsed farmers papers,
literature and the formulate OF tie
State ChemistH With the farmer tax
ng advantage of everything possible
re saw the brightest days for the far
ner ahead, and one of these bright
hings he saw was in the hopes of get
ng cooperation in holding the cot
on crop so as to get high,s but les;ri-
nate prices.
Applause greeted the close OF Mr..
Green's remarks, and then a telegram
vas read from Hon e. e. Daughtridge
egretting that business kept him
way and wishing the convention
great success.
Mr. T. B. Parker Next.
Mr.. T. B. Parker, the business agent
If the Farmers Alliance, spoke next
IN the labor question.
Every dog has tieas of its own, he
,egan, and other occupations besides
hat of farming have labor troubles.
lie discussed these as now affecting
he beef packers and the Fall River
,otton mills. In taking the question
he would discuss hired laborer, the
negro as that was the labor needed
IN the farm. This he held to be ignor-
mt labor, not near as capable and eff
lent as before the war, and not near
Is tractable.
Mr.. Parker held that the negro me-
hanics today was far inferior to those
previous to the war as then they had
White instructors, "who took pains to
each them and gave them pains If
hey did not"
The tenant system, the speaker held
h
hough he did not condemn this when
properly supervised. Careless hand
ing, the turning over of all the land
cams and tools to the tenant. he beld
rould breed idleness and trouble. He
tsked for an intelligent handling of
he system The growing desire of the
legro for a comfortable home is not
tlways met and this causes charges II
place. He urged them as one way To
'etain labor on the farm the prepar-
ng of better homes, with orchards
md gardens, and announcement 10
make their place really a home N.
which they would desire to- stay. The
Use of improved machinery on The
arm. he held would be another Wy
o hold the labor and do more work,
more quickly and more economical.
Another trouble he saw was the
paying of the same wages 10 the hand
workers as 10 the lazy. lie ldNOItu u
hange of plan here, and this he h"id
would hold the industrious. TacF, thu
,peaker said, would help. and in this
Connection, said that in place of tell
ng negro that he is black rs the Ace
IF spades, a thing he knows, That a IL
lie discriminate praise Wouit help
che employer whom no one pleASe5
md the employer whom every one
)leases are both hurting the cause of
folding labor. A happy medium ia
leeded and will succeed, al,l thus aid
lie labor question.
Discussing the matter of dispensing
With negro labor for white labor, Mr..
darker thought the average Southern
armer would be slow to give up the
legro laborer whose ways are better
1nown than are those of the foreign
RS. The Swiss proved failures in the
otton field. We may miss the negro
IS an individual. but he does not
trike in a body.
Improve conditions among the ne
sroes encourage their marrying and
,ettling down, improve your fields and
Methods of farming and you will have
ess trouble with labor. Use cooper
ltion and with organization as is found
the Farmers Alliance and kindred
organizations, and there will be found
lid in solving tha In hOI' npohlanl