The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-16
.TH1RrH,nN a y .oNTH
Plantation Negroes Better Paid
( than Our Soldiers.


Capt. h. Anderson, u s. "a I, in the
American Monthly Review Of Re-
| views. >, ' K. .$1:5. ,3fr
| The pay of the private soldier is
$l3 per month, or 4S la 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 &c 1-3 cents per day,
which is less than any class Of labor
quoted. Even general laborer, with.
out any special skill of any kind,
commands an average wage Of $1.36 per
day, and the ordinary farm laborer,
% cents for poor months, and 81 SO
during harvcst-timc 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-
partmcnt 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:
Cultivating season--men, with
out board =. :. :. $0.75 per day
Grinding season-men. with
out board :. :. :. ..1.25 per day
General average :. :. 100 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
ing, whereas the soldier must always
be decentlv 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-
miums. 1t is true that the govern
mcnt provides for the retirement of
soldier, after thirty years service,
with thrce-fourths Of his pay on the
active list, a privilege which the Or
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-
yard so distant and remote. that it
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
polntions without charge to their en-
ployces. Medical attention is provid-
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
cr 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-
tiaally the same as it was; thirty
years ago. This prosperous period in
our country's history as yet makes no
corresponding bettermcnt 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
tho same as that fixed by congress,
July l, 1911 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? -.
A. DooI,, Nooi, n.ol,,ok,