The semi-weekly messenger., 1905-09-01
LABOR AND WAGES.

south and in some of the milling dis
tricts of the north some persons are
using the argument that an increase OF
wages is the cause Of such scarcity OF
labor. 1t is contended that among the
negroes Of the south and the New Eng
land mill operatives there are so many
who will work only to secure a bare
living that when they can earn more
than a daily subsistence they will lot
work steadily If this be true it
shows a deplorable condition in the
sections named and makes the labor
question infinitely harder TO solve 1t
cannot be denied that in the south
there are many negroes who, if b?
working three days in the week they
can make enough to live on for the
balance of the week they will not wo,i1
the other three days: and the case may
be the same with many mill operatives
in New England. But, for that reason,
can any one advocate that the wages of
those who are thrifty and willing to
condition by laying something aside
should be reduced to scale which
would barely enable them to live from
hand to mouth? Because there are
lot of loafers who work only to keep
from starving and who will not labor
when they have a single days ratiOns
ahao6 ch0I1ld If ho aid fbof oil
should be cut down so that neither
they nor the Industrious wage-earners
could earn more than enough for each
days necessities? That is what the
argument of these men leads to. Hera
is what is said, with the comments
thereon of The Manufacturers Record:
III the masc CT letters from southern
manufacturers dealing with the labor
problem. recently published by The
Manufacturers Record. was q pretty
common suggestion to the effect that
the increase in the compensation of
the negro for his services was tending
to decrease his productive capacity.
Typical OF many opinions on that point
was that of President J. NJ. Earr. of
the Seabcard Air Line railway. who
wrote:
The negro is so constituted by ma
ture that when he has earned sufti-
cient money to satisfy his customary
physical needs he ceases work and
does not return thereto until his ne
cessities cCmEel him so tc do. The
remedy for this condition is either q
reduction in wages or Importation Of
other labor. both of which appear to
be imposs BILE Of immediate apDlica-
ton. Econ omically the best and only
way. in my opinion to increase the ef-
hclency of negro labor is to reduce his
wages. The average southern negro
Will not work SO long as he has money
in his pocket
This trait. however. does not seem to
be monopolized by the negro. accord
ing to tho special correspondence
of The New York Commercial from
Providence. r. I. In that center Of
New England industry it is noted that
among the many industries the SPIN
ming and weaving of cotton is the only
cne III which the demand for labor
skilled and otherwise. is in excess nf
the supply. The French-Canadians.
WHO were prominent in the industry
in that region. have no: departed by
wholesale. but the coming Of Poles and
Italians has not made uD for the dis
appearance Of the operatives who o
few years ago could be seen waiting
every morning at the mills doors
Seeking chance to work. The cotton
mill workers there have no Organza-
ton: wages are the highest they have
teen in many years. with the excep-
tion of the reriod prior to the cut
down two years ago. ard observers
are at a loss to account for the short
age of supply of labor. The corre-
spondcnce from Providence SAYS.
though:
1t has even been seriously argued |
10y certain mill agents that The search. |
ty of laboy in the mills is owing to the |
high wages raid. The operatives these |
men say will not work steadily. but |
are continually taking a Gay Off now
and then to spend their surrlus earn
ings. When it was suggested some
time ago that wages be advanced for |
the purpose Of attracting people back |
to the mills. agents who believe that |
There is an intimate connection be-
tween nigh wages and much loafing |
were inclined to suggest rather that |
cutdoWn be tried. inasniuch as it |
had been found that when wages were
low the operatives took fewer holidays |
and the machinery was keI.t running
more steadily liz consequence"
Here. both at the north and at the |
south, is a condition worthy or careful |
investigation by students of social |
problems. Cncorrected. ITS results |
may be disastrous. The eDitome of it |
seems IT, Ee that the more wages Of |
tered man the less work he will do |
That is contrary to what has been
the rule with American workmen up |
to date. The question naturally arises:
what is the extent Of this danger. is it |
likely to affect native American white |
Workmen. an6 is there any means to |
overcome it? It may hardly be met |
by the vagrancy law. defining the va
grant as one without visible means Of |
support. The attempt to reduce wages |
would certainly be<regarded as a step
backward. RCformers must. there
fore. get to the root of the matter. the |
education given the rising generation. |
In that seem to be the germs of the |
evil. For directly and Indirectly the
teaching both in school and out of |
school tends to train the young to |
habits of thoueht which must lead
them to course which would carry |
them through life with as little exer- |
ton as possible. In other words. like |
tho southern negro and like the |
French q nf