The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-10-25

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though the cotton piclSing season had
been on for nearly two months. mucai
yet remained to be picked, though.
most of the helds had been plclZeeI
over once. and some twice. The Cot
ton crop was said 70 be q heavy one
this year in spite Of the excee0in
dry weather, Of the last three mon lis.
Ia large cotton gin IS located in L,liE1ps.
Kin. as wen as4a large market house
ana SO fast Is the crop being giunedt
ana put on the market that the price
OF cotton, had fallen ffom us Der
bale October L to $45 per bale last
week: But this decline win not erect
the price OF cotton goods. Now Ishaye
come to the most amusing part OF the
L1eteE. In a conversation with one
of the large planters he told me Of
the large number Of bales Of cotton,
and bushels Of corn he had raised.
remarked that he must have very
large farm II have thirteen mule
farm he replied. What do under
stand by .that?''. ventured to ask,
1--WE reckon our acreage by the mule
capacity It takes to run it, Now
If 1 had only one mule would ne
supposed to have 40 acre crop QUIT
If two mules 80 acres, and 50 on; as
each mule isSsupposed to till 40 acres
of cotton 'lEow as 1 have thirteen
mules at work am supposed to have
$40 acres in cotton 81 have a, hired
man for each mule, SO each man and
mule has his forty acre plat laid on. :
How many hours constitute IA days
work on the plantations ,here?" ]
asked. 1--WE work from sun to sun:
that is they are expected to be in the.
field ready for work at sunup. and
work until sunset. The care OF tho
mules comes before and after the
days work begins.' What wages dc
you pay for the labor of these men?"
/ asked ct pay them from 50 to 81
per month and feed" was his reply.
How can you manage to keep a
supply Of, hands at such prices and
such long days,?" was my next ques-
ton 20 that's easy enough; the laws
of Georgia prohibit an -employe from.
leaving his Employer while in his
debt, and 1 can easily manage to keep
them niggers in my debt" One OF
them did leave me this fall owing me
50. Ihad, him arrested, lodged in jail
and fined $25f and costs, which l paid
and put him back to work, which in
sures me his work for a long time to,
come before he gets even with me-"
But is not that virtually holding
them in slavery." asked We'll
no; they can have their liberty by
working out OF debt" was his ans
wer. But" i fnterjected." is it not.
hard to keep out of your debt at such.
wages?" THAT depends upon the size
of his family, but the women and
children are often employed in cotton
picking, which helps them along vera
much
I narrate this conversation, that
the laborers of our state who are
making five times that amount for
half the hours, may have occasion to
rejoice that such conditions do NOS
prevail here, but do not wish TO
cast the Impression that this instance
represents the general condition oE
the negro Iaborer in the South. The
most of the cotton plantations are
operated by the negro upon shares;
the owner of the farm generally resid-
ing in the towns, while the operator
lives on the farm, and is in full con-
troll of his own labor: and many Of
them are doing we'll; and some OF
ther1 have acquired farms of their
own.
noticed also that most of the col
ored families have their driving fam
ily mules and buggies