The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-16
THIRTEEN DOLLARS A MONTH.
Plantation Negroes Better Paid
than Our Soldiers.

/
! Can't. Z. Anderson. I. S. A.. in the
American Monthly Review Of Re-
views.
The pay of the private soldier is
$13 per month, or 43 1-3 cents per
day. BY adding the average allow
ance of Is cents per day for clothing
and IS cents for the ration, We have
the total of rs l-3 cents per day,
which is less than any class of labor
quoted. Even a general laborer, with
out any special skill Of any kind.
commands an average wage Of $1.36 per
dav, and the ordinary farm laborer.
% cents for poor mouths. and $l.33
during hawest-time. The lowest
wages paid to any class Of labor in
the United States, so far as am able
to find from the statistics of the de-
partment Of labor, is that paid to the
plantation negro laborers Of the cane
fields Of Louisiana. For the years of
! 1889 to 1901. the average wages paid
! to them at Calumet, La. were as fol-
lows:
! Cultivatins season-men, with
out board =. =. >. >. $O.75 per day
! Grinding season--men, with
out board =. :. .. ..1.25 per day
General average .. :. LOO per day
! The laborers are furnished with
houses, gardens and given other priv
ileges, besides being allowed Saturday
afternoon off two or three times per
month. From this it will be seen that
the lowest and most ignorant class of
negro labor in the country is better
paid than the private soldier in the
army. The negro requires little cloth
inc. whereas the soldier must always
be decently dressed. The negro gets
his Saturday and Sunday holidays,
whereas the soldier is for duty at all
times, by night as we'll as by day. In
addition, the soldier is at all times
subject to orders which may cause him
to give up his life in their execution.
This should be worth something to
him. as insurance companies recognize
this risk by charging him extra pre-
nliums. It is true that the govern
ment provides for the retirement OF a
soldier. after thirty years service,
with three-fourths Of his pay on, the
active list, privilege which the OF
dinary' laborer does not enjoy, but
the percentage Of men who avail
themselves Of this, benefit is so small
under present conditions, and the re-
ward so distant and remote, that 1t
does not figure largely in the actual
computation. Of the soldiers pay.
Even hospital accommodations and
medicines. which are furnished to the
soldier free, are now being provided
BY many Of the large industrial cor
porations without charge to their en-
ployees. Medical attention is provld-
ed by many for the sick, schools main
tanned for the young, comfortable
quarters constructed for living pur-
poses, hours Of labor reduced, and 9TH
or inducements offered which make
the lot Of the laborer far more easy
and attractive than ever before. But
the pay Of the soldier remains prac-
ticallv the same as it was thirty
years ago. This prosperous period IN
our country's history as yet makes no
corresponding betterment for the pay
of the soldier. and he is the only one
who has not shared in the general
prosperity. The pay Of the private,
corporal and sergeant Of the line is
the same as that fixed by congress,
July /. 1871 What wonder that non
commissioned officers or privates who
are discharged with excellent charac-
ter do not re-enlist, when they can
find other employment at higher
wages, fewer restrictions, and more
attractive inducements?