The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-13
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~NS 6s@@4&4 S04st Ac1DAa NVfDeS ~ pretty general complaint that comes up just now from many. if not most. sections Of the South wnen 1t tells us that there's cotton in the fields. bad weather ahead and no pickers to be had for love or money. That is the state of affairs throughout this part of the country, ana rarely fortunate Is the planter on whose place other con- ditiOns prevail. A week of wet, windy weather such as November may be ex- pected to introduce at any time. would cause the cotton farmers of this sec tion heavy losses.s
 One of the unfavorable features con- nected with the south's great staple is that 1t is so easily ruined by a few days of bad weather coming just when fine weather Is most essential. When cotton is fully opened Q hard wisd will blow 1t out, violent rain will beat it out and into the mud. and If all the bolls are not open long wet spell will rot them. Thus it is that good cotton crop depends not only on Ia vorable weather for making 1t but on good weather for gathering it. In seme portieks oe the South the great CT part of the year's growth has been picked and housed, but in many ether sections much Of the staple is yet hanging from the open boils, ready to be picked, and in default of pickers a few days of the bad weather that go frequently comes in November will cause immense loss to the farmers and the South.
 With these facts In mind 1t Is easy te see what it means to the cotton growers to be unable to get hands. We have more than once haa sofne- thing to say about the general scarcity of labor all over the country, but this Is not only a matter confined te the South, but 1t is an urgent case. So acute is the need and so general the conditions throughout the Georgia cot ton region that an earnest afpeal was mado to Governor Terrell to have ali the public schools of the State sas- pended so that the children might help save the crop. He could not do this but the suggestion shows the urgency of the need and the danger of delay.
 And while these aeplorabls condi- lions exist all about sis there can be found in every southern city scores and hundreds of idle, vicious negroes, worse than mere vagrants. who cam not make an honest living. and many of them will not try to live honestly or do honest work. They are not only a menace to the peace ahd good order of the cities, but they are a corrupt ing influence towards the weli-dis- posed of their own race. They will not work and they will not starve. They. must either live on those who do work or they must obtain living by crime. Even if they were disposed to work the towns and cities are so over crowded with them that there Is no work to be had.
 We know, for we have proof of 1t, that some of the Northern newspapers, noting the criminal records down here, and seeing that so many of those who are arrested and punished are negroes, take 1t for granted that it Is solely be- cause discrimination is shown against the colored people. They do not know the conditions and do not konw that there are from five to ten idle negroes in a Southern city 70 one idle white person; that these idle negroes are so numerous that they cannot live hon. estiy, and that this accounts for the fact that so many criminals are ne- groes.
 These negro vagrants could obtain work on the farms if they would take 1t and if they could be relied on. They will work two or three days in week at some mechanical employment when they will work at all--Father than have steady employment in the fields. Doing mechlnieai Or. other day labor gives them opportunity to live in town, or to herd together In the country, and 1t gives them a little ready money to spend as they please. This is much more to their taste than is regular farm work, and that Is one of the reasons why the cotton crop cannot be gathered. If a really sue cessfuI cotton picker has been invent cd, or if such a machine can be pro- duced 1t will prevent in the future such conditions as now prevail That seems the only hope the planters can entertain, unless immigration relieves the dificulty. The negroes cannot be aonandad Op