The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-02-15

farmers needs. says yes. and * -,
presumably. evident that the expcidl-
ture OF less that 10 per cent. of their
income may well be applied TO the -.
fort for relieving the need Of lahor.
which relief will benefit the farr~ eUS
at least as much as the manufacture.
but which will cost the farmer ia
directly only 500 where IL will oo>t
the manufacturers directly $5.os. i'or
II should be borne in mind that No eff
fective work can be done with hut SIC
OO0. Judging from the South CaToinl
experience at least $4,000 additional
will be needed.
The farmers of the state NEED ok
times as many laoorers as the matt
facturers. and are asked 10 contribute
indirectly one-ffth the amount the
manufactures will contribute directly
II should be understood that tier
can be no discrimination under tn"
operation OF this law. The contrInu-
ton Of the individual being expesaed
for the general benefit exactly as MIST
be the allotment from the Agricultural
fund II need alone weTr considered
the farmers should contribute six Times
as much as the manufacturers. A, II
is, he is asked to sanction an allOtH-uEt
from a fund which. If not spent Tor
his purpose will be spent for ton,h
other purpose which is net likely t.
be of as much value TO him as thv
relief OF his need-that for a reliable
and sufficient class Of labor.
In conclusion / appeal for a law tua'
will give TO the state a department OF
immigration with sufficient scope and
authority TO be effective. The faTnaHr
interest, especially in eastern NoItr
Carolina, Is mainly dependent on negTu
labor, which each year becomes more
unreliable and harder To get. Scaraty
Of labor has caused higher wages SI'h
the result that q negro can now live
on the work OF two or three doyS n
week, where formerly he had to iCDcl
continuously. To keep UP a constant
force ii is necessary 10 have u surplus
of from so TO IS per cent. more thaR tie
number actually needed at q os"
time.
The bill should therefore make II
possible to obtain good immipratr
farmer labor capable OF replacing ~
groes as field hands, and II Is douteui
if any Of the northern European couS-
tries can furnish people able to stasI
the summer climate in the fields; IN"
bill should give TO the department All
.lz-4., o. Aatarr,jnn uhat Ynppa nEts
best adapted TO the needs of b state.
That foreign white farm hand %H
successfully cope with the negro fArss
hand has been established beyond Q1es-
ton. A notable instance be4As ~
Sunnyside, Ark, where the ltaliaa ano
negroes have been working side by M"
under exactly equal conditions. Al
article appearing in the February au~
Der of the Review of Reviews gives
the following data:
For the six years ending with 1891.
the annual averages were:
Line produced per hard. Italian.
1854 pounds.
Lint produced per hand Negroes.
I,I73 pOundsI
int produced per acre, italians, As3
pounds.
Lint produced per acre. negroes. ES3
pounds.
Earnings per hand, Italians. 3277.3G
Earnings per hand, Negroes. S11S.4.
Acres cultivated per hand, Italian 81
Acres cul'v'ed per hand Negroes r +
In 1904 &C Italian squads earnei Il
surplus of $38, 1888, an averase ol
per squad. In the same seGses.
out Of 40 negro squads only two
any surplus above expenses. az
gregating $4SO.5O; while the remaining
108 negro squads were 5 5000 in debt.
In 1905. 107 Italian squads owned
$23 400 worth Of live stock, while *
squads owned but 1890 wngts.
Prom the foregoing figures II is evi-
dent that the Italian farm hand IS
twice as efficient as the negro. and ~
is probable that in this sectios o.
Arkansas the negro does not now feel
as was stated % years ago, that 'tte
negro is the admitted arbiter Of thc
destinies Of the south"
Our experience with the North Ets:-
ian in eastern North Carolina durIEg
the last two years is unqualifedly -
their favor, as they are beyond all QUes-
ion an industrious, orderly and cheer
full people. They are physically h.;rdl
TO replace the negro as a farm hala
hand, and are doubly as effective.
Beyond everything else, they are
white men, and have the white Tp g
for women, and the substscu-
ton of the negro By them WIN 90
TO relieve the safety Of the woe
of this country, Of which eVasy
white man living n the south Is always
or less conscious.
The eastern section Of the state n.ras
laboring class physically ft TO SOP
or replace the negro in the Reid.