The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-10-10
LABOR SCARCE.
THROUGHOUT /
FLORIDA
Employers Cannot Find Suf'
ficient Men For Neces-
sary Work.
Loafers Are Plentiful In All
Parts of the State.
SERIOUS CONDITION THAT CAN
NOT BE CORRECTED UNLESS
OFFICIALS TAKE FIRM STAND
AND ENFORCE VAeRANcY LAW
TO THE LETTER-LAW ON THE
SUBJECT.

From all over Florida come com
plants of the scarcity Of labor and
the non-enforcement of the vagrant
law, says the Jacksonville Metropolis,
In Jacksonville employers of labor
say that they cannot find men suffi-
cient to do necessary work, but that
their agents report scores OF loafers
who hang daily around dives In the
suburbs. The officials sometimes
make an arrest, but to properly carry
the law into effect there should be
wholesale raids made every day.
That something is needed to relieve
the structure" in labor conditions,
when Florida's prosperity is hampered
by the scarcity of common labor while
hordes of able-bodieo negroes are loaf
ing is expressed in the following para
graph from the Tampa Times. where
in are given the observations OF AS
sistant Chief of Police Riggs:
HE said along the docks great
many negroes were offered work, all
of which is paid by the hour. The
negroes work an hour apiece for the
various concerns, in all putting in but
slight amount of work, but when
they are arrested on a charge OF yag-
rancy they are always able to show
to the courts that they have recently
worked little for two or three differ
ent, concerns. and this is always
sufficient to rid them of a conviction.
He said that by working a few hours
each week they were enabled to Loaf
and hang around the dives the re-
mainder of their time and be able to
show that they do work when they
are arrested"
Practically the same conditions ex-
list in Maimi, says the Metropolis OF
that city. A contractor who has a
large order for crossties says that ne
is unable to get negroes TO go into the
woods. The land is near Miami and
he has offered them exceptionally
good wages. Every negro he has APP
preached has listened to his proposi-
ton and then replied that they don't
want to cut ties, don't like the woods,
and don't have to go there.
Yet every one of them was idle and
pretending to be seeking work. Thee
negro and the white man alike is GET
ting too choice about his labor II it
suits them they will work; If it don't
they won't
The State Law.
In order to inform the people gem
orally as to who constitute Migrants
under the State law the following Isl
taken from the statute passed by the
last legislature:
"Rogues and vagabonds, idle or dis.
solute persons who 90 about begging,
common gamblers, persons who use
Juggling or unlawful games. or plays,
common pipers and fiddlers, common
drunkards, common night walkers,
thieves. pilferers, traders In stolen
property, lewd. wanton and las
civious persons in speech or behavior,
keepers of gambling places, common
railers end brawlers, persons who
neglect their calling or employment
and misspend what they earn and do
not provide for themselves or for the.
support of their families, persons wan
dering from place to place able to-
work and who are without means and
who neglect to earn their support and
live by pilfering or begging. idle and
disorderly persons, including those
who neglect all lawful business and
habitually misspend their time by fire.
quenting houses Of iii fame, gambling
houses or tipping shops. persons eblo
to work but who are habitually idle
and live upon the earnings of their
wives or minor children. and all able
bodied male persons over Is years ot
age who are without means Of sup
port and whose parents or guardians
are unable to support them and who
are not usually in attendance upon
some school or educational establish.
ment, but who live in habitual idle
ness, are declared to be Migrants, and
upon conviction shall be subjected to
the penalty provided.
Warrants Executed.
1.-THE law also says that upon proper
information made upon oath before an
Officer authorized to act IN such cases
he shall issue warrant for the arrest
of any person therein named or de-
scribed who Is charged therein with
being vagrant under any of the pro-
visions Of the foregoing section and
such warrant shall be executed by any
sheriff, constable, policeman or by q
private person duly authorized there
to bye the officer issuing such war.
rants but any sheriff. constable. DO.
liceman or other lawful officer may ar.