New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-13
THE DRIFT FROM THE PLANTATION

III itCSul ieIltT 10 he montgomery Au-
vertiser" Booker T. Washington discusses with
his usual good sense the question of farm labor.
The South is flied with complaints that the
negroes are irresponsible and flock away from
The plantations TO the towns. The lack of cot
ton pickers is to-day an acute difficulty. but too
many persons devote their energies to denuncia-
ton of the blacks who do not do the work in
stead of TO intelligent efforts TO make them con-
tented In the country.
Mr.. Washington points out that the drift from
the farm to the town is not a tendency confined
to his race The scarcity of farm labor exists
all over the country. New-York is thronged
with idle white men who could not be induced
10 live in comfort on farm. and perhaps some
of the conditions which make rural life in the
North unattra Give to many who would benefit
by it operate equally the Southern negro
Mr. Washington, however. wastes no time on
such considerations. He wants TO help the
South and promote the welfare of his own race
He believes that agricultural labor is morally
and economically the best employment for the
bulk of the negroes. and seeks remedy for the
present unfortuna tie drift. His first step is TO
find out why the negroes leave the country. He
went among the idle colored people of Atlanta
and other cities and heard their excuses for
not being where they would be more useful TO
themselves and the community He says:
These people who have talked may he right
/ they may be wrong, they may state facts or
they may state untruths. but this 1 know, they
represent the attitude of large class of coored
people, who give the following IS chief reasons
for leaving the farms: Poor dwelling houses.
! loss of earnings each year because of unscrupu-
/ lous employers, high priced provisions, poor
schoolhouses. short school terms. poor school
teachers, bad treatment generally, lynchings and
whitecapping, fear Of the practice of peonage,
4 q general lack Of police protection and want OF
encouragement.
Mr.. Washington shows that while lynching
and peonage may prevail in only few places,
the report Of them fills the negroes everywhere
/ with apprehension and sends the more ambi-
tious where tLey think they will be better pro-
tected. This is especially true of the outra ges
! against respectable colored people who by their
prosperity have aroused the i'll will OF the baser
/ sort of whites. He avows that lynching and
/ other outrages are almost entirely the work of
the baser minority, and demonstrates TO the in
! telligent property owning people the economic
/ wrong done them by these enemies of the white
as well the negro race. He urges the i'm
! proyement NJ country schools for the blacks
and the inclusion in them of a primary course
In agriculture which would interest the chill
dren in farm life and make them naturally eff
cient farm workers. Then he urges the pro
vision of better dwellings and the holding out
Of similar appeals TO the better class of negroes
instead of the pursuance of policy which puts
| them as low as possible in the scale of civiliza
ton and keeps the farm only the least am
bilious and efficient
While pointing out what the white employer
needs to do if he wants trustworthy negro la Dor
Mr.. Washington does not forget negro short
comings and tells his people that they must be
law abiding, and must learn to be more regu
lar and faithful, if they do not wish to forfeit
their right to earn a living in the South and
make way for Italians and other foreigners
who will come in TO do the work now reserved
for them. As time goes on it looks as if the
solution Of the problem was to be found
in economic necessity. The South wants t.
grow cotton and otherwise prosper. 1t wants
the negro labor, and wants to make It efficient
The desire 10 secure contented and civilized
working population must in the end overcome
prejudice against anything which raises the
negro for fear IT is q portent of social equality
Mr.. Washington holds that much of the loud
defamation against the negro is now a mere
matter of habit, and comes from men who in
their private relations are friendly with the
negroes and ready 10 aid in their advancement
The talk is sort Of outworn political ritual
Nevertheless. it does harm, both by discoura 2
ing worthy negroes and promoting the reckless
ness Of the worthless white elements