The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-09-27
MANY LOAFERs.
idle Men Who Will Eot York for
Love or Pay.
The Vagrant Law Should be Enfor.
ced Against Idle Nc groes aud
Idle White Men.

The Augusta Chronicle says: With
contractors and others employing l.
borers complaining that work is being
delayed owing to the scarcity OF day
laborers, ard the farmers clamor1:
for field hanGs, to gather the fasJ na-
turing crops, it is fact that Augusta
Is infested with the negro loa'ers,
able bodied men who do not work, who
are rot huat!ng for work, who DO not
want work and WHO viii not accept
work, even ct farcy p:ices
These negroes can be seen by the
hundreds every day. They are loaters
around certain bars and localities
They can be seen IN t~os, fcu-s and
in groups CT a dozen or ncr.. How
they live is veil known-being sup
ported by regro women who are at
work, and requiring very little OF
which to &uosiSt. All they want is an
occasional short job, to secure the
price of a drink. Is is believed that
the stealing now going oD, the night
ly robbery Of stores and dwellings, can
be traced to this class.
"There are laws on the statute
books OF G>o-gia. and the City Code,
with which to handle these loafe7s," )"
said q well know contractor Thursday,
and what is puzzIiDg me Is that tie
city police and the county authorities
do not force them either to 60 to work
or leave the city. II they Will not Wcrk
in the city, run them into the rural
districts, where they are 80 badly
needed by the farmers. Let them
understand that it is 20 to work or
move on in Augusta. Tae new solic
itor OF the city court colld begin his
term Of cff1;e with popular mAV3-
ment, a crusade against the loafers OF
the city"
II sent ont for several laborers
day OF two ago, needing them bsdly,"
said another citizen Tnursdly, who is
at tie head OF a well known corpora.
tion, 'and while number Of loa6ng
negroes were to be found, on all sides,
not a one wanted any work to do.
They could not be hired. A cfer Of
wages above what is usually given day
laborers in Augusta was turned
down"
1.-The scarcity Of laborers is not due
to any extraordinary building boom
CT to the fact that there Is any large
public improvement in progress" said
an architect when seen in reference
to the matter. It is true that there
sre q number Of improvements In pro-
gress, as well IS buildings in the
coure OF erection, but no more than is
usual at this favorable time OF the
year. The trouble being experienced
is due in Large measure to the fact
that negroes do not want to work and
the city and county authorities allow
them to i've idle and prof!gate lives.
The continued enforcement Of the
v7grancy laws Of the state and city
aculd in large extent, in my opin
iva, remedy the trouble" !"
Around on cotton block, where tae
feecy staple is coming In at the rate
OF from 5000 to 5000 bales Ct cotton
per day, it was learned that there is
scarcity Of reliable laboreIs, and in
conse quelcs considerable delay is be-
irg experienced in handling the re-
ceipts. Good hands, who known hos
to truck and work about cotton are In
demand and can find employment.
a Chronicle reporter made round
OF the sections in the business center
Of the city, where it is complained
that these negro loafers can be found
icling away their time. TIE condi-
tions were found JUST as rep3rted
From Board street to the river on Nc
Kinne street is favorite place, and
just 50 were found in groups. In
quiry developed the fact that few OF
these were ever seen to work more
than day CT two at the time. On
Center street, Bridge Row, about the
many negro cook shops On side streets,
and as hangers on near bars, they
were found in idleness.
In the southern section Of the city
it is said that hundreds OF loaing ne,
groes can b: seen daily. Gentlemen
who have closely investigated declare
that they can be fou1d doing nothing
day after day, and are generally
known to exist by their wits. The
demand for a crusade against the loaf
ers OF the city Is general. Recognized
as a dead weight to any community,
it is argued that they should be
forced to go to work or move on.