The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-07-26
Mr.. Kennedy Discuss's the Labor
Problem and Immigration.

Editor Press and %I;rnuer:
Coming from all parts OF the south IL the
sH me cGln plant, md III I IL the scarcity OF.
labor. What has brought about Ibis cOudi.
ton of h1iairs and all this fuss one hears
about Labor? j. our population growing less
or is the deDnuL inI labor on the Increase ?
Our country Is being Developed hs II never
was he. ore. and consequently there IL II greater
heInHud Tor InhOr Tn all lines Of Industry. SO
mnch NJ that the farmer finds IL difficult TO
secure the necessary Labor la carry On his
farm work, and then he Is compelled IL pny q
higher price otIpntimcS tOr very in fpriur III
Dor which maKts IT. alloge her very umsaIis-
factory. 1t has almost gotten to the place
where liz has to tnke such nS he can get, or
else allow his land To lay out.
The question naturally arises, Whst IL tn be
done 10 relieve the situation? If we should
induce Immigrants here would tley make
satisfactory farm labOrers" Would they not
nave tD be Taught how to raise cotton? Our
methods of f"rmiug In the States would be
alto. ether i Fl rent I" the Old Country, and
before They would narn and hecoInn accus-
toned To our way of frrmlug they would ht-
come dissatisfied and move. The only way In
which our cOuElry would he benefited by
Immigrants would be for them TO come In SUI
flrieEt lumber 10 form coIonItS IN our
sparccly settled and undrveloptd country,
wnere they could farm IN IT would suit them.
such Oh trucking. dHirying. ETC., would br
best srited 10 their tastes. Then, where does
he relinf come In TO the cotton farmer ?
Il be not confronted will the labor question
still, even though We had immigrants. | am
moi opposed 10 I'm migrants II We could get the
right class, but that IL a risk to Iun. How
ever, we have a lot of undevelOped country
that If II was settled up by q good class OF In
dus,rioua Germans or ItarianS IT. would be Of
great benefit To the country at large no doubt,
and IL will be a long time before IL IL Develop
ed If the tread of our labor continues to go 10
the railroads, towns and cities for. employ.
ment. There Is where the trouble lies, the
farm Is being too heavily taxed by the cities
and pub lie works OF various kinds.
The cotton mills year 10y year are robhing
the farmers OF their best labor. What we
want is TO keep our Industrious whiIep people
on the farm. Sell them a small tract OF land
Oh easy terms, so they can secure for Them
ty with our own people and At the same time
en- aaDce the value OF our property. Let the
mills get foreigners to run the machinery and
| let's keep the men on the farm who know and
understand our methods of farming.
In your community a4 we'll AZ ours, oc.
casionalIy a good family will leave the farm
and 90 TO the factory. You may not notice or
pay much attention to IL, vet IN the course OF
population in the country Is being thinned
out 10 a remarkable degree. Who re taking
their places, pussibIy a few negroes who have
crossed the river To evade the law-Iabor that
you can place no confidence in at all, for they
are here today and gone tomorrow.
A good negro is the best lBborer in the
world. espec ally in the cotton fields, but he
Is getting 10 be a scarce article, and even then
he has to be under rigid discipline II the best
results are obta ined.
The young gen eratio OF negroes take no
interest in your business, their object and aim
from fest TO last is to beat their employers.and
TO work at the same time in the most slip
shod fashion. They are slow to take on TO
new Ideas, preterriDg 10 do their work In the
old way or the way In which 1t will take the
longest. Many have 10 be watched. as they
are slothful and lazy, but obedient and do
we'll under q white brennan.
Why Is 1t that our Jails and penitentlaries
are 70 well pa%troniZed? La not crime on the
increase and does not our prisons demonstrate
that fact? The Idea OF getting something Tor
nothing lands many q one behind the bars
Is there any great improvement 10 be expect.
cd OF the negroes from an educational stand
point, or, In other words, does an education
tend 10 makea better class OF workmen un
less II be OF an industrial nature? What has
he done In The past thirty years but 10 imt-
tate the whites ss best he could? He has no
original ideas but patterns from some one
el.e.
In referring TO the labor question let's try
and improve what we nuNe and encourage
the young men end boys to stay on the farm
and help to build up our agricultural inter-
eats and resources III such a way that 1t will
be an honor TO any country,
W. l.. Kennedy.