The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-06-05
Laws to Control Farm Labor.

INe C1LlcGlIy OF tiIS CO1iu1liV1AS PiO
duced by the upsetting Of the labor
contract law lies in that it leaves the
landlord no practical remedy in the
civil courts. The laborers who enter
irto contracts to work for the year
the 1st Of January and receive ad-
vances from their employers may
breach the contract after the crop has
been pitched, or half cultivated, and,
as a rule, a suit for damages would
entail only prohtless expense on the
employer. Therefore, the employers
onl method effective to compel the
performance of the laborer's contract
has been to offer him the alternative
CT going to jail. and the removal o.
this method leaves the landlord help
less.
A ray OF light is let in by Judge
Brawley's decision by the reference to
the Alabama law, which Judge Jones
upheld as constitutional, which pro-
viaes that persons who enter into a
contract with fraudulent intent may
soe punished therefor. It seems that
a statute might be enacted in South
Carolina, following the Alabama stat
ute, the essence Of which would be
that the obtaining Of money or per-
sonal property by signing written
contract with fraudulent intent is
punishable as misde-neanor, and
which would not have for its essence
..the coercing OF personal service in
LIQUIDATION OF a debt'-in which lat
ter category Judge Brawley Classics
the statute which>he has held to be
unconstitutional.
Another remedy which, to our
mind, the South Carolina legislature
must rely upon will be the tightening
&C the statute which makes it mis-
demeanor to entice or persuade any
tenant. servant or laborer under con-
tract with another, or TO employ any
laborer. knowing such laborer to be
under contract. The penalty for this
offence at present is fine OF not less
than s25 nor more than 500, or i'm
prisonment in the county Jail for not
less than ten nor more than thirty
days.
\ strong sentiment for the increase
OF the penalty for enticing laborers
has been growing among the better
class of farmers for several years.
Heretofore instances have not been
uncommon when unscrupulous farm
ers have deliberately interfered with
the labor OF their neighbors and invit-
ed the risk of punishment. being not
unwilling to pay a fine Of So to Sc
cure q laborer at critical stages Of the
growing crop. Indeed, it must be
confessed that much of the labor
trouble complained of in the state is
to be explained by the occasional ap-
sence of honorable dealing between
employers themselves. The legisla-
ture should make the punishment OF
er+ Of laborers under contract so
Sc, e. and its enforcement should De
So prompt and uniform, that the Ia
borer who violates a contract would
find il impossible to enter the employ
OF any other person in the State unit.
the contract has expired. In other
words, the emergency now is such
that the employers of negro labor
must understand lat self-preserva-
ton depends upon their standing
faithfully together.
With added vitality given to the
statute against enticement or employ
ment Of those already under contract
and its rigid enforcement, with sys-
tenaric enforcement of the laws
against vagrancy. and with the aboli-
ton OF the lien law. SO that irrespon-
sible laborers cannot subslst unless
they deserve and thereby obtain cred
it from their employers, the employ
ers may still hope to control the sup
DIV Of labor despite the annulment OF
the contract labor statute. and it may
De that, If the landlords be compelled
~, the NV ser of circumstances 10
universally observe the rights Of each
o-hs~. more satisfactory situation
may emerge than that which existed
previous 70 Judge Brawiey's dec'sioh,
News and Courier
capEEs L.sNDs .tGAIS.