The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-23
Open Boil Exhibited

Open Boil Exhibited
Cotton is expected to be opening
next month in sections of Randolph
county. Ga. not very far from the city.
An open boil taken from the field of
| C. w Martin of Shellman, who operates
largely In agricultural pursuits, was
exhibited on the streets in that city
last week.
Elks Celebrate
| The local lodge of Elks of the city
held an open house in their hall on
| Friday evening last in a celebration of
their eighth anniversary. The order
here Is among the largest and most
enthusiastic in the city and is con-
stantly growing.
Touring Car Burns
| A handsome touring car owned by
A. ]. Moye of Cuthbert, Ca, was al
| most totally destroyed by fire early
Saturday morning. The machine was
occupied by Mr.. Moye and several men,
| bers of his family who were return
| ing home from this city, when the
steering gear broke and 1t was soon
ditched which caused 1t to overturn,
| flooding 1t with gasoline, which soon
| ignited. The occupants escaped un-
hurt.
First Sweet Potatoes
The first sweet potatoes of the new
crop, from the Georgia side, have made
their appearance on the market here
and the specimens were fine for the
season. They sold very readily for so
cents per peck. with good demand for
more, which promises to be soon sup
piled.
Veterans Reunion
The attendance upon the reunion of
the old veterans of the county which
will be held at Clayton, promises to be
unusually large. S. Fl. Dent, president
of the county association, has issued
an appeal urging all who can to at
tend, and the citizens of Clayton are
not only preparing a sumtuous spread
but will entertain in an old fashioned
sacred harp singing on the occasion.
Day Current
The citizens are enjoying the luxury
of a regular day current of electricity
which enables them to enjoy the COM
fort of electric fans and other con-
veniences during the long heated
period.
Another Ice Plant
| An expert has been looking over the
situation with view of establishing
another ice plant in the city.
Wilson Club Probable
It is highly probable hat a Wilson
club will be organized in the county
at an early day.
Attend Rifle Shoot
Four members of the Eufaula Rifles
have gone to Birmingham to represent
the company at the state shoot to be
held there this week.
Leaves for Europe
| Rev. T. II. Johnston left yesterday
afternoon for New York, where he will
be Joined by State Senator Robert
Moulthrop who will accompany him on
| his trip abroad, where he will be alb
| sent for the period of two months.
the planter to execute the contract for
| labor of his former slaves yet present
on his land in the cultivation and har-
vesting of the crop of 1865, then grow
| ing. What was the nature of this en-
forced contract? Was any wage ele-
ment involved? Not at all. The labor
was to be fed in full by the planter and
paid in produce from the field.
Having put this part of the pro-
| gramme on its feet, the military load
ed the remaining 100 bales of cotton on
government wagons, carried 1t off and
left the planter penniless-left him
with a hundred or two hundred free
negroes on his hands without means to
pay for their labor
1t is believed that after 10000 bales
of cotton were burned at Selma. April
II. 1865, $4,000 burned day or two
later at Montgomery, 10000 at Column
bus soon after much of it owned In
Alabama and thousands on the plan
tations in Allah anna that 100000 re-
NAMED on the plantations.
Three hundred thousand bales OF
cotton in Alabama in The year 1865,
put on the open market by the pro
ducers, was worth s45,000,000 net This
net sum was greater than any one
crop had ever brought into the pockets
of the producers.
IT is difficult to imagine the limit
OF the benefit which would have ac-
crued to the state had The terms or
surrender been adhered to by the
! United States and the vicious rule OF
tyranny never applied.
| The negro was ready Tor transfer
from bondage to the wage,
There would not have been jar had
Iincolns plan of restoration of the
Union been executed. AS it was the
| Bureau form of contract for negro
! farm labor was the extremity of inn
pra cticable relation between master and
employe. The Bureau form of plansa-
tion contract excluded the wage sys-
| tenn in order that the cotton on which
it must be founded. might be stolen
from the planter.
The freedmen had 10 impeachment
thrown across their initial efforts to
perform their part in the new state of
affairs, so effective as the theft of the
cotton, the only cash recourse of their
| old masters for their employment 1t is
wonderful indeed that, beginning self
/ support as they did, in country with
out a currency they abided in general
peace the coming of better times.
The negro plantation labor in the
counties between Georgia and Missis-
sippi, known as the black belt of Ala
bama, was perhaps the best trained
the most healthy. physically the best
developed and mentally and morally the
best equipped of any equal body of
agricultural laborers in the world The
man who never saw them work the
| fields cannot we'll conceive what per-
| feet work of cotton and corn means.
They were so content that the idea of
slavery never attached to their con-
dition.
JOHN wITHERSPoON DUBoSE.
TO TAX PAYERS
THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED To
OPPOSE TAX COMMISSIONER AL.