Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-12
Miseellaneuus Readins.
THE CONTRACT LABOR LAW.
Judge BrawIey's Decision as Seen BY
q Practical Farmer.

| Judge Brawley's decision on the
South Carolina labor law has giver
rise to considerable comment through
out the state. In fact he commented
at some length himself. 1t is. on these
commentaries l wish to comment brief
ly. The Judge grows eloquent wher
he says, "These walls had better orum'
BILE to dust than that this court should
shut its ears to such an appeal, COM
Ing from a race that has been down.
trodden for 800 years" Then I smiled
One prominent religious paper took W
the matter at this point and stressed
the Importance Of moral suasion. Ther
I had to laugh out. It Is not often
assume the cheek to take issue with
an editor and judge at the same time
seldom feel that l know more about
subject than do these celebrities, ant
that is only when / see they know
nothing about it. So my assuming tc
speak to this question In dissension tc
their views Is not so cheeky after all
Now, first, Judge Brawley is certainly
| in a position to know some things ir
reference to the constitutionality Of
law, and on this point his words shall
be considered as having weight and
Authority. But what opportunity has
Judge Brawley to learn Of this ques-
ton Of contract labor and negro eth
les? Certainly no sensible man at al
acquainted with the entire minutia OF
its Significance could sincerely give
expression to the language he used
about the race being down-trodden
unless, forsooth, they are treading or
each other.
have been farming for more than
thirty years with free negro labor, and
IL the negro isn't in the saddle today
heeled with two spurs and with dra-
COON bit in hand, am unable to know
good thing when see 1t. Second, as
to the Christian editors recommends
ton to moral suasion as a substitute
for coercion I am reminded Of the
teacher who tried to run his school or
this humane method. He had decided
that coercion was unnatural, that the
rod was brutal and that the only hu-
name discipline was moral suasion
He accordingly announced his policy to
his school. During the day a mis-
chievous boy committed some infrac-
ton. This boy was asked to remain
In after school. The teacher at once
began his experiment; he entered upon
the delivery Of a stereotyped lecture
sort of sermonette. The boy from
the first fixed his eyes intently on the
speaker and held them riveted there tc
the finish. This encouraged the speak
er and gave inspiration to his delivery
After the lecture was over the boy
lstilf gazed into the teachers face as
IL puzzled or undecided about some
point. Whereupon the teacher kindly
remarked. Now, Sonnie. II there IL
anything in reference to my lecture
you did not fully understand, VIII!
you can make yourself free to ask me
any questions you like on the subject
The boy still looking up into the teach
ers face with the same spellbound at
tention, spoke up at once: "Well, say
teacher, is it your under jaw or youl
upper Jaw that works when you talk?'
Just as we'll preach moral suasion tc
the chain gang guards and peniten-
tiary authorities and tell them to droI
off their pistols, loose the shackles
from their prisoners and turn the gang
into a sort Of camp-meeting hulabal-
loo, clean up wickedness and crime
root and branch, once and for all, as
to try to cram down the throats OF
farmers such moonshine and miserable
sophistry.
Be It known that 1 am not in favor
Of oppression or overbearing methods
Of administration. / believe in CIV
ing every man, white or black, his
rights and a fair deal. Hence these
effusions. Now for plain, practical
statement of the situation; the lano
owner in this southland, who has tc
depend on labor other than his own
with which to cultivate his land, has
three methods open to him: First, to
hire laborers to do the work, second
to let out his land to croppers; third
to furnish stock and run the farm
This latter class is in fearful minor
ity, so the land owner Is largely de-
pendent upon the two classes hrst
mentioned to get his lands cultivated
We will see, then, who is In the sad
die and who wears the spurs. l crop
my land to Dick, Tom and Harry
They move in early in January. DICK
calls for flour and bacon for supper
the evening he gets in; Tom Is modest
and waits till the next day. Harry Is
still more provident and waits till the
second week to call for his first ra-
tions. BY the first of April they have
been fed three months and have not
done three weeks work, they are IN
debt. / have been pulled down TO the
point where l realize that l must De
good touch things easy and handle my
men as If they were glass. One more
month passes and the boys have put In
good work. To one not conversant
with the situation 1t would appear tha'
we were evening up to safe equl-
librium. Just the contrary. During
this month Of April they have not only
been furnished a months rations, pu'
bill of SIS to 500 for summer cloth
ing per family, $40 worth of fertilizer
has been put in the ground, cotton and
corn planted and thunder played gen.
orally. l find myself now In a position
to touch them not as If they were
glass; but as though they were dyna-
mite-must avoid any friction, jar
concussion or any other sort of Gus
sim. They are not only owing me $I5
to 500 per family, but they stand be-
tween me and an investment that IN
wolves all the work, feed, wear and teal
of mules and implements, fertilizer
bill, land rent, etc, and whenever they
see fit to step out between me ano
these investments, all crumble to dus'
beneath my feet.
You say hire labor and pay your
hands ONLY as they work. Booo