The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-02-16

ing at the work and results of two
classes OF labor could easily s.tell a
hawk from a handsaw" It is inter-
esting to glance at some of these re-
suits.
Comparison of Productive Powers
The figures for the first year were
not obtainable when I made my in
vestigation. and the year 1905 had not
then closed Hence the period COW
cred was for six years, 1899 to 1904,
inclusive During these years the
Italians nnade>an annual average of
ing hand, and the negroes an average
of II74 pounds. The average lint
production per acre was for the Ital-
ians 4o3 pounds, and-233 pounds for
the negro. The average cash pro-
duct value Cotton and seed) was
SIT. per hand for the Italians, and
SI2847 for the negro. These values
per acre were for the Italians S4477;
for the negro $50 The Italian
produced I4Io pounds more lint per
hand than the negro, equpal to 1901
per cent, while he raised 40 pounds
or 72.o per cent, more lint per acre.
This represents a difference IN money
value, including cotton seed, OF
SI4S9o per hand, or 1853 per cent.
in favor of the Italian, and OF $IS.4I,
or COS per cent, in value per acre.
The Italian cultivated 6.2 acres per
working hand, and the negro 81
acres.
Comparative Records as to Thrift
and Prosperity
The matter of efficiency as be-
tween the European and the negro IS
no longer a debatable question
among those familiar with the two
classes of labor. The true and far
deeper significance attaches to the
uses to which the two put their re-
spective earnings. Stated briefly,
from the exhibit before us, the Ital-
ian saved and the negro did not. Of
the no Italian squads who began
crops in 1905, A. were new arrivals.
Yet of the total number, IS squads,
or 50 per cent, made no accounts
for supplies during the year. This
means that practically all those who
made crops on the place in 1904
brought themselves to a state of in
dependence for 1905. In 1905, OF
negro families began crops on the
per cent, were independent. We
may understand this better when we
know that to the 66 Italian squads
who made crops in 1904 there was
paid in cash balances above all &C
counts the sum of $38,764,58, an aver
age of $587.35 per squad. In 1904
there were no negro squads on the
place, and of these, two drew bal
ances amounting to $48o.5 so, while
more than $4,000, 900 had to be car
ried over for others, or charged Off
to rpoft and loss. The net result of
these operations may be illustrated
in another way: At the end of 1905
there were 10Y Italian squads, and
of these Io4 owned I23 head of work
ton, to the total value of $23,4oo.
Only three squads out of the total
number owned no stock. At the
close Of 1905 there were SO negro
squads still on the property, and of
these Fl owned stock to the value of
$1,000, while II had nothing at all.
Expressed in percentages, only 28
per cent. of the Italians failed to
share the community prosperity,
while among the negroes AT per
cent. found themselves in this con-
dition.
Cultivation of Waste Corners
There are many queer illustrations
of the traits which lie behind the
showing made by these transp1anted
children of sunny Italy. Some years
ago, under the old regime, | was
making a trip over the property, on
the plantation train, with the resident
general manager. We saw an Italian
some distance ahead of us wildly sig
mailing for us to stop. In an excited
tone. and in broken but clearly in
telligible English, he told the man