The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-29
The south and Negro La Dor.

Reports from Alabama indicate that the FAM
Gus Black District of that State is being de-
populated. Nobody seems to know gust where
the negroes going, but they ara managing
70 get out somehow or other. 1t is certain that
great many OF them nocking to the cities,
as is the case III this section Of the country. but
the gain of the cities is all common
snrate With the loss of the country
II II be true that many OF the blacks MAX
Ing their way north il Is possible that the
movement VIII IN the event be advantageous to
the south. The entire race question in this coun-
try mas been caused by the massing of negroes
III one section Were they numerous ali over
the bhl9h. the questions OF social equality and
OF political equality would very shortly cease
TO be questions at all. Ii is only because there
Is no immediate contact between whites ana
blacks In large numbers In the North and West
that those sections insist on Ii practical trial of
their fanciful theories
III Is true that the South iii afford to
lose any labor at this time, but there are com
pensations la the first place, the South, already
attractive 10 settlers because of the excellence
u It's lands and the salubrIty of its climate
would he doubIy attractive were the percentage
OF negroes less than it is. Moreover, white
laeef on the farms would result in yields far
greater thah those now obtained our lands
everywhere would be cultivated inteIiigently and
eiheienti&. whereas now II is generally admitted
that even where negro labor is plentiful il Is
careless, Hni eliAhlc and Inefficient
In another way, the of dependence on
large bodies ot labor IN the fields has passed
me advent Of THE automobile pillow and other
kihdred mechanical devices enables to
do what seven or eight did before In fact the
ihbot question can continue to be a serious one
cniy because of the absolute necessity of picking
cotton bN hand Were il not that for this
planters VINO nov hire many negroes almost
solely IN order to have them for use at picking
time, would materially decrease their employ
.hent rolls and use mec hanical plows, etc AS
II L. owing to this necessity for having plenty
OF pchefs. many Southern farmers are cstopped
from utilizing modern machinery ON the farm
me tendency of agriculturists all over the
south Is to get away from dependence on negro
labor In Louisiana IL has been displaced by
Italian labor on many of the plantations In
Texas and ether States and more farmers
nave contracted their planting. il necessary to
maximum OF what they can cultivate and
handle without being dependent on the avail
ability OF many Negro Workers 1t will be noted
that in the wheat districts OF the West there
Is not SUFFICIENT labor to harvest the crops
everything except harvesting liz done by me-
ehanlcai cohtrlvances. At the harvest season
workers are imported il. great numbers In
me event OF the invention of no efficient COT
ton picking machine, 1t may he that the South
IN similar way viii depend on imported labor
for picking Il SO. 1t VIII be released still FUR
Their from the thradom Of inefficient black
workers.
1t Is probable that when tho planter demon
strates his ability to get along without negroes
negro Iahor VIII begin to improve. 1t Is care
less now because 1t has no competition We are
inclined to believe. however, that whatever the
immediate results of negro exodus from coun-
try districts the final result would be entirslv
good.-tharleston News and Courier.