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EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT
BUREAU OF LABOR AND PRINTING
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
H. B. VARNER, Commissioner.
GEO. B. JUSTICE, Assr. Commissioner.
RALEIGH
:
E. M. UzzELL & Co., State Printers and Binders.
1904.
J
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT
BUREAU OF LABOR AND PRINTING
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
FOR THE YEAR
904.
H. B. VARNER, Commissioner.
GEO. B. JUSTICE, Asst. Commissionef
RALEIGH
:
E. M. UzzELL & Co., State Printers and Binders.
1904.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
To Els Excellency, Egbert B. Glenn, Governor:
Sie:—As provided bj law, I hand you herewith the Eighteenth
Annual Keport of the Bureau of Labor and Printing. The reports
presented are as complete as it is possible to secure with the facili-ties
available under present conditions.
As will be seen from the reports, especially of the farmers, labor is
scarce, and in a good many cases unreliable. This state of affairs
is attributable, I think, to the ignorant state in which a majority of
the laborers are to be found. Unable to comprehend the value of
an education in any line, they do not educate themselves to accept
a hio'her class of emplovment than that to which they have always
. . -i
been accustomed. Consequently they remain in what is commonly
known as the lower class—also remain in a dissatisfied state, and are
unable to accoimt for it. Under such conditions it is impossible to
get a reasonable amount of service from them, and the same reason
is to be assigned for their not taking hold of any means of making
livings on their own account. Among this class are found the men
who cannot see how anything that is not directly beneficial to them
can be right; the men who consider that there is no other place in
life for them above that which they now hold—the same men who
have concluded that the positions of society are fixed by immutable
laws, and an effort in the upward direction never occurs to them.
From the more careless and naturally vicious of this class come
the criminals. There are exceptions, but in E"orth Carolina the un-educated
criminal is the rule, the educated criminal the exception.
As fast as this class is thinned by death, or other causes, it is filled,
and over-filled, by the younger generation, who may be kno^vn in
advance by their absence from school, and their failure to direct
themselves to any kind of employment that would naturally supply
their wants and necessities. The remedy is apparent : strict vagrancy
laws, compulsory attendance on the public schools.
Letter of Transmittal,
There seems to be more and more disinclination on the part of
the various factories and other establishments to answer the ques-tions
on the blanks sent out from this office. Various reasons are
assigned for this. Some do not realize the importance of the blanks
to us, and some resent it as an unnecessary and impudent peep into
their private affairs, and other excuses are made for withholding
the information. To make a personal canvass is the only possible
way to make the report complete, and this cannot be done owing to
the smallness of the appropriation. I would urge that the means to
put the Department on a level with similar departments in other
States be approj)riated from the general fund.
1 desire to express to those persons and firms who have so kindly
furnished me with the information asked, my sincere appreciation.
I have the honor to be,
Very truly yours,
Henry B. Varner^
Commissioner.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Agricultural Statistics.
II.
Miscellajyeous Factories.
III.
Cotton and Woolen Mills.
IV.—FuRA^iTURE Factories.
V.
ISTewspapers.
VI.—Trades.
VII.
—
Telephone Industry.
VIII.
jSTortii Carolina Mining Industry.
IX.
Railroad Employes.
Bureaus of Labor.
CHAPTER 1.
AGKICULTUEAL STATISTICS.
The tables following are made out from returns to blanks sent out
from this Department to the farmers of the State. The results ar-rived
at represent the opinion of a majority of these farmers. For
instance : If Ave have five farmers reporting from a certain county,
and three of them report that the value of land has decereased, while
two report that the value has increased, that county is entered on the
report as showing a decrease in the value of land. The same opera-tion
serves to arrive at the other results of the same table, as well as
the tables following.
Immediately following the tables will be found a general summary
of the information in the table.
l^ORTH Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Tabi,e No. i—Showing Condition ofFarm Land and Labor by Counties.
County.
Value of
Land, In-creased
or
Decreased?
Fertility
of Land
Main-tained?
Tendency to
Larger or
Smaller
Farms ?
Labor
Plentiful or
Scarce ?
lar?
ble?
Alamance increased--!
Alexander increased -.;
Alleghany increased ._
Anson increased -.[
Ashe increased--]
Beaufort increased--
Bertie increased _-j
Bladen .-- increased .-
Brunswick ; increased -.
Buncombe neither !
Burke increased -.1
Cabarrus increased -.
Caldwell increased--
Camden increased --|
Carteret increased--!
Caswell 1 neither
Catawba increased -.
Chatham increased --
Cherokee increased --
Chowan increased --
Clay increased --
Cleveland increased --
Columbus increased --
Craven increased --j
Cumberland 1 increased ..{
Currituck 1 increased--
Dare ! increased--
Davidson —
Davie
Duplin
Durham —
Edgecombe.
Forsyth
Franklin -_-
Gaston
Gates
Graham —
Granville—
Greene
Guilford _-_
Halifax
Harnett -_-
Haywood .--
Henderson -
Hertford -..
Hyde
Iredell
Jackson
Johnson
Jones
increased -.
increased ..
increased --
neither
increased -.
increased-,
increased -.
increased --
increased -.
increased -.
neither
increased --
increased -.
increased ..
increased -.
increased ..
increased -.
increased -.
increased -.
it:creased -.
increased -.
increased -.
increased --
yes-no
-
yes.
yes-yes-yes-yes.
yes-
3'es-yes-yes-no
.
j'es-no
.
yes-smaller
.
smaller.
smaller.
smaller.
smaller
smaller.
larger -
larger ..
smaller
.
smaller
neither .
smaller.
smaller.
smaller
smaller
-
yes ' smaller.
no smaller.
yes smaller.
yes smaller.
yes- smaller.
no smaller.
yes smaller.
j-es-..
yes. -.
3'es_..
yes- -.
yes. ..
yes.-,
yes--.
yes-..
yes...
yes...
yes...
yes---
yes...
yes...
yes. ..
yes-_.
yes_..
yes...
yes.-,
yes...
yes-..
yes...
yes--.
yes. ..
yes-..
yes...
yes-..
yes--.
larger
smaller
.
larger -,
smaller
neither .
smaller,
smaller
.
smaller,
smaller
smaller
smaller,
smaller,
smaller,
smaller,
larger ..
smaller,
smaller,
smaller
smaller
smaller,
smaller
smaller,
smaller,
larger -.
smaller
smaller,
smaller
smaller
no -
no -
no -
no -
uo _
no -
uo -
no -
no -
no -
no -
uo -
uo -
no -
no -
uo -
uo -
no -
uo -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
scarce 1 no -
scarce 1 )'es-scarce
uo .
scarce -
scarce .
scarce -
scarce .
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce .
scarce .
plenty
-
scarce .
scarce .
scarce .
scarce .
scarce .
scarce -
scarce .
scarce .
plenty
-
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce .
scarce
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce .
scarce -
scarce -
scarce .
plenty,
scarce .
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
uo -
uo -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
uo -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no -
no.
no.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
-: yes.
; no.
yes.
no.
{ no.
! no.
}es.
yes.
no.
no.
I no.
I y^s
I no.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
j no.
3'es.
I
yss.
!
yss.
yes.
no.
no.
I no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
uo.
uo.
uo.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
Condition of Fakmeks.
Average Table No. i—Continued.
County.
Value of
Land, In-creased
or
Decreased?
Fertility
of Laud
Main-tained?
Lenoir increased..
Lincolu iucreased--
McDowell ' increased --
Macon ' increased-.
Madisou increased -.
increased --
increased --
increased --
increased .-
increased ..
Martin
Mecklenburg ...
Mitchell
Montgomery ..
Moore
Nash increased --
New Hanover ! increased --
Northampton 1 increased --
Onslow ! increased --
Orange neither
Pamlico increased --
Pasqnotank increased _-
Pender --' increased--
Perquimans 1
increased --
Person ' increased --
Pitt i increased--
Polk ' iucreased--
Randolph increased..
Richmond increased -.
Robeson \ increased --
Rockingham neither
Rowan increased --
Rutherford increased..
Sampson increased.
-
Scotland ; increased --
Stanly - I increased..
Stokes increased..
Surry- increased ..
Swain increased --
Transylvania increased
Tyrrell
Union
Vance
Wake
Warren
Washington
Watauga
Wayne
Wilkes
Wilson
Yadkin
Yancey
increased --
increased ..
neither
increased ..
neither
increased -.
increased -.
increased -.
increased -.
increased ..
increased -.
increased ..
no
yes
j'es
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
yes
3'es
yes
yes
yes
yes
J'es
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
3'es
3'es
yes
no
yes-..,
}-es
yes
yes
j-es
yes
yes
Tendency to
Larger or
Smaller
Farms?
smaller ..
smaller ..
smaller --
smaller .-
smaller.,
smaller.,
smaller.,
smaller --
smaller.,
smaller.,
smaller ..
smaller ..
smaller ..
smaller.,
smaller.,
larger ...
smaller ..
smaller ..
smaller ..
smaller.,
smaller ..
smaller ..
smaller .
smaller
.
larger ...
smaller
smaller
smaller.
smaller
.
larger ..
smaller
smaller.
smaller.
smaller
smaller.
smaller
-
1 smaller.
I
smaller.
\ smaller
smaller.
smaller .
smaller
smaller.
smaller
smaller
.
smaller.
1 smaller.
Labor
Plentiful or
Scarce ?
Negro
Labor
Relia-ble?
scarce _
scarce .
scarce .
scarce -
plentj'-
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce .
scarce -
scarce .
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce .
scarce -
scarce -
scarce -
scarce .
scarce -
scarce .
scarce -
scarce .
scarce .
scarce .
scarce
.
scarce .
scarce .
scarce .
scarce
.
scarce
.
scarce .
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
pleut3'
Em-ploy-ment
Regu-lar?
no -- yes.
no -- no.
no -- no.
no -- no.
no -. no.
no -. yes.
no -. J'es.
no -- no.
no -- yes.
no -. no.
no -. no.
no -- yes.
no -- no.
no -- no.
no .-! no.
no -- no.
no -- yes.
no -- yes.
no -- yes.
no -. no.
no --' yes.
no -- no.
no -- no.
no -.: no.
no -- yes.
no .. no.
no -.1 no.
no -- no.
no -- no.
no -- no.
no -. j-es.
no -. yes.
no -- yes.
no -- no.
no .- yes
no -- no.
no -- no.
no -- no.
no .- yes
no -- yes
no .. yes
no -. no.
no -- no.
no -- no.
no -- : no.
no -. no.
no -- 1 no.
10 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table' No. 2
—
Showing Wages, Cost of Living, etc.
County.
In-crease
in Cost
of Liv-ing?
Highest
Paid
Men ?
Lowest
Paid
Men ?
Highest
Paid
Women ?
Lowest
Paid
Women ?
Children?
Wages
Increased
Decreased?
Alamance ..
Alexander-.
Alleghany -.
Anson
Ashe
Beaufort --.
yes.,
yes.,
yes--
yes..
yes.,
yes..
Berlie \ yes..
Bladen yes--
Brunswick — yes.-
Buncombe yes--
Burke yes.-
Cabarrus ves..
Caldwell yes..
Camden yes..
Carteret yes..
Caswell no ..
Catawba yes_-
Chatham yes..
Cherokee yes..
Chowan yes--
Clay yes--
Cleveland ves..
Columbus yes..
Craven yes--
Cumberland __ ves-.
Currituck yes..
Dare yes.-
Davidson yes--
Davie yes..
Duplin yes..
Durham yes..
Edgecombe yes--
Forsyth yes--
Franklin yes.-
Gaston .- yes..
Gates yes..
Graham yes..
Granville yes_-
Greene yes-.
Guilford yes..
Halifax yes..
Harnett yes..
Havwood ves..
Henderson — ves..
Hertford yes..
Hyde ves..
Iredell yes..
Jackson yes..
Johnston 3'es--
Jones yes_-
18.55
19. 80
21.45
14. 00
29.25
22.50
15-75
20. 20
14-95
17.70
13-45
17. 60
20. 15
15.00
26. 00
13-85
10. 00
16.30
21-35
21.80
24- 15
17. 20
19-85
21.50
16.25
19-25
22.00
20. 15
13. 00
17-65
17-25
14-45
32-50
13.80
15. 20
18.15
23. 00
18. 00
18. 20
15.20
18. 00
16. 15
22.50
20.45
20.25
17-65
15-50
23-05
18.65
18. 00
6.50
8.95
II. 70
9. 00
13.00
14. So
11.50
14-40
11. 70
10. 00
8.30
9.40
12. 00
10. 00
17-35
9. 00
7. 00
11.50
13.00
14. 10
11.80
9-85
12.95
14- 50
7.90
11. 15
14-75
12.45
6. 00
11.65
8.90
9-30
9-75
9-70
10.55
II. 60
13.60
9. 00
7.50
13.00
II. 50
10. 10
10.50
ir.85
15-50
12.50
6.50
13-50
13-35
14.25
13.00
9-85
1-05
3-85
5-80
4-50
I. 00
2.50
3.00
1. 70
o. 00
2. 40
2. 00
6. 00
1.85
8.90
6.50
1-50
1-05
3-90
1.50
0-55
3.00
4.75
0. 00
0.75
8.20
6-45
5- 00
1-05
7.25
0.65
3- 00
0.75
2. 60
3- 10
1-75
1-05
1. 70
o. 00
2.50
I.
2.
I.
5- 20
5-35
6.50
7- 50
6.50
9-30
6.75
9. 10
7-15
5. 20
4. 00
6. 40
7-25
9-75
6.05
5-65
9. 10
10. 40
5.00
10. 00
7-75
10.85
6. 00
7-15
7-30
8.00
7-50
5-90
7-15
6.50
9-50
9. 60
2.50
7-30
8.25
9-50
% 6.50
5.65
none.
5- 20
6-75
7.80
9. 10
6.50
6.50
6.50
3-45
6.25
7-25
4. 00
7.70
5.60
4. 00
2. 00
7.70
8.80
6. 20
3. So
6.50
6.50
4. 60
6.45
8.00
8-45
6.50
6.50
3-70
5.05
7.80
7.40
8-45
5. 60
7. 60
' 4-25
6.50
8.50
6.75
8.25
7-35
6.50
7-75
7-50
4. 00
8.65
7-35
7-25
ncreased.
10.
ncreased.
ncreased.
10.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
no.
ncreased.
ncreased.
no.
ncreased.
lO.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
no.
no.
no.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
no.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
no
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
ncreased.
no.
ncreased.
ncreased.
Condition of Farmeks. 11
Average Table No. 2—Continued.
County.
In-crease
in Cost
of Liv-ing
?
Highest
Paid
Men?
Lenoir
Liucolu
McDowell
Macoii
Madisou
Martin
Mecklenburg
Mitchell
Montgomery
Moore
Nash
New Hanover
Northampton
Onslow
Orange
Pamlico
Pasquotank -
Perquimans ..
Person
Pitt
Polk
Randolph .-
Richmond
Robeson
Rockingham-
-
Rowan --
Rutherford —
Sampson
Scotland
Stanly
Stokes
Surry
Swain ! yes
Transylvania -I yes..
Tyrrell-.-
Uniou
Vance
Wake
Warren ' yes..
Washiugton -
j
yes--
Watauga 1 yes--
Wayne 1 yes-.
Wilkes -.1 yes--
Wilson ;
yes--
Yadkin ! yes..
Yaucey 1 yes--
yes--
3'es--
yes--
ye.s--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
no --
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
yes--
5'es
yes
yes
yes--
22.75
17. 00
21.50
23- 25
21. 10
26. 00
19.70
24. 20
16. 25
17-50
12. 20
23.40
15.60
18.75
10. 90
35-75
18. 00
20. 15
26. 00
17-25
17. 00
19-50
18.75
15.00
17.40
20. 80
18.50
11. 15
21. 40
16. 20
23. 10
19. 00
27.30
18.70
22. 50
15.40
15.00
19. 10
10. 00
23-30
27.30
14. GO
16. 10
20. GO
15- Sg
22.75
Lowest
Paid
Men?
13-25
10. 80
11. 90
II. 90
13-75
19-50
12.65
13-95
8. 10
10. 00
8.40
13.60
10. 10
12.50
7. GO
17. 00
16. 60
13. OG
14-35
8. OG
9.8G
10. 00
13-75
10. 40
7-25
10. 60
10. 40
10.75
11.00
8.70
12. 2G
10. 60
13. 10
12. 80
14. 60
10. 60
11. 8g
10.30
7. OG
11.65
13.80
9-65
8.60
10. CO
9. GO
12. 00
Highest
Paid
Women ?
Lowest
Paid
Women ?
14.40
14-30
12.80
14. 10
9. OG
13.00
12. GO
12.35
12. 25
10. 90
9.40
13.00
11. 40
14. 00
8. OG
22. 25
35
50
50
45
II. 40
10.65
IG. 00
12.75
10.50
12.30
9-15
11-55
14.40
9. GO
10. 8g
11. 10
13. 00
11.50
13-00
IG. 50
9.90
16. IG
5-00
15-35
13.00
12. 40
10.40
15. OG
II. 00
11.50
Wages
Increased
Children? Decreased?
9-15
10. 40
6,85
6. 40
7. 00
10. 40
9-05
6.65
8. 10
8.40
7.20
j
10. 00
7.90
10.50
6. OG
15.00
6. GO
8.50
11-75
7-50
8. 20
6.50
8. GO
9-15
7-65
6. 90
6.25
7-50
6.85
4. 00
6. 90
6.15
6.50
6. 90
6.50
7-50
6. 40
II. 2G
3.OG
9.40
5-25
7-25
6.50
8. OG
6. IG
6.50
6.55
9. 10
6.50
5-50
6.50
7- 70
7-55
5-50
6.15
6. 40
7.15
8. 10
7-50
3-75
13.00
8.75
6.15
8.35
5-75
6.50
5-75
4. 00
6.50
6.50
8.30
6.50
4-45
6.50
4-75
6.50
6. 40
8.50
6.95
4-65
6.50
4-50
9-55
none.
8.25
6. 50
6. 20
5- 10
7. 00
4-25
6.50
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
no.
increased.
increased.
no.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
no.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
no.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
increased.
no.
increased.
increased.
12 JSToRTH Cakolhsta Labob Statistics.
Average Table No. 3
—
Showing Cost of Production.
County.
Cost to Produce.
500 ib
Bale Cotton?
Bushel
Wheat?
Bushel
Corn ?
Bushel
Oats?
100
Pounds
Tobacco ?
Alamauce—
Alexander ._
Alleghapy ..
Anson
Ashe
Beaufort
Bertie
Bladen
Brunswick .-
Buncombe .-
Burke
Cabarrus
Caldwell
Camden
Carteret
Caswell
Catawba
Chatham
Cherokee
Chowan
Clay
Cleveland
Columbus
Craven
Cumberland
Currituck
Dare
Davidson
Davie
Duplin
Durham
Edgecombe -
Forsyth
Franklin
Gaston
Gates
Graham
Granville
Greene
Guilford
Halifax
Harnett
Haywood
Henderson --
Hertford
Hyde
Iredell
Jackson
Johnston —
Jones
36.66
33- 00
26.
27.
27.
17-
30.
31-
35-
25-
25-
35-
29-37
23-
25-
25-
3°-
24.
25-
20.
20.
30-
31.00
30.
26.
34-
25-
28.
'36.'
22.
26.
33-
24.
25 I-
50
50
30
I 50 I-o.
70
.81
.90
.96
.65
35
72
05
77
83
67
50
.50
57
75
92
"69'
74
25
50
•63
.58
.85
.65
45
.87
.56
•71
.60
• 50
•79
• 56
• 78
1.50
•53
•63
• 15
.67
I. 10
.81
o. 45
43
63
55
60
36
45
71
42
42
70
54
58
43
50
45
36
35
57
43
39
50
46
21
50
40
40
50
40
45
55
73
55
42
46
34
41
50
43
47
50
58
43
45
50
28
32
60
6r
30
o. 29
42
40
43
35
25
35
20
33
40
42
40
36
37
30
31
30
35
27
36
35
15
25
20
40
30
25
50
33
20
35
40
35
26
29
40
45
36
28
32
28
33
16
29
35
38
15
5^50
7-25
4. 00
6. 00
8.75
5.00
lo. 00
7^50
11.50
6. 90
5- 00
7. 00
10. 00
5.00
20. 00
7. 00
8.00
4.87
10. 00
6.33
7. 00
8.65
II. 20
8.00
6.80
5.60
9-33
6.25
7. 00
7. 00
5.00
10. 00
7.40
5- 50
Condition of Fakmees. 13
Average Table No. 3
—
Continued.
County.
Leuoir
Lincoln
McDowell
Macou
Madisou
Martin
Mecklenburg -
Mitchell
Montgomery -.
Moore ..-
Nash
New Hano%'er
.
Northampton .
Ouslow
Orange
Pamlico
Pasquotank--.
Pender
Perquimans--.
Person
Pitt
Polk -.-
Randolph
Richmond -.-
Robeson
Rockingham -
Rowan
Rutherford - -
Sampson
Scotland
Stanly .-
Stokes
Surry
Swain
Transylvania
Tyrreil -
Union --
.
Vance
Wake
Warren
Washing,ton .
Watauga
Wayne
Wilkes ......
Wilson
Yadkii
Yance}'
500-fc
Bale Cotton';
30-25
35- 00
40. 00
30-50
26. 4o
28.75
22. 15
25.00
31.00
21. 00
30. 00
25.00
32.30
23-33
35- 20
28.75
45- 00
35- 00
30. 00
29. 12
30. GO
25. 10
22.33
28. 40
29. 20
35- 00
25.00
27. 40
34.00
26.30
25.00
32-50
30. GO
27-50
Cost to Produce.
Bushel
Wheat?
0.67
.66
.^o
77
.55
Bushel
Corn?
Bushel
Oats?
100
Pounds
Tobacco ?
.60
-75
.61
.70
.80
80
72
0.35
45
49
44
33
39
47
39
44
51
40
54
33
60
35
40
35
35
50
46
43
50
60
56
47
46
56
33
53
52
45
42
61
47
40
54
44
58
50
33
65
64
52
65
48
67
23
15
38
40
35
25
30
32
40
38
20
44
58
36
34
45
28
33
34
40
35
45
34
24
44
33
35
30
40
36
44
33
55
28
33
6. 00
10. GO
6. 40
4. OG
7.90
7. Sg
5-70
4. 00
9-30
7. 20
6. OG
5- 50
7. 20
6. 20
10. 00
10.50
20. 00
8.00
6. 40
5.00
5. 6g
5-50
8. OG
4. 20
14 North Caroli^sta Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. ^—Showing Market Price of Crops.
County.
Alamance
Alexander ...
Alleghany ...
Anson
Ashe
Beaufort
Bertie
Bladen
Brunswick...
Buncombe ..
Burke
Cabarrus —
Caldwell
Camden
Carteret
Caswell
Catawba
Chatham —
Cherokee —
Chowan
Clay
Cleveland—
Columbus ..
Craven
Cumberland
Currituck—
Dare
Davidson —
Davie
Duplin
Durham
Edgecombe -
Forsyth
Franklin ...
Gaston
Gates
Graham
Granville ...
Greene
Guilford
Halifax
Harnett
Haywood ...
Henderson..
Hertford
Hyde
Iredell
Jackson —
Johnston _.
Jones
"Present Market Price—
500 ib
Bale Cotton ?
56.66
"54.' 68'
50.00
55.00
50.00
55- 00
62.50
54- 00
50.00
50.00
55- 00
62.50
70. 00
50.00
52.81
40. 00
53-25
48. 00
53-33
45.00
50.00
40. 00
70. 00
50.00
52.50
62.50
48.62
50.31
54.50
50.00
50.00
47.50
55.00
50.62
49.00
50.00
51.25
49-75
52.50
50.00
54.25
59.38
Bushel
Wheat?
Bushel
Corn?
I. 00
.98
I. 00
I. 06
I. 00
.80
I. 01
I. 00
.98
.98
•50
.78
.94
I. 00
I. 20
I. 02
I. 00
•98
I. 00
.87
1. 00
•95
1. 00
.95
.85
•91
•93
1. 12
1. 00
I. 00
•90
.90
1.02
.90
.96
1.07
1.03
I 00
I 00
95
Bushel
Oats?
100
Pounds
Tobacco?
75
90
88
81
00
68
80
81
63
81
80
84
90
55
80
87
80
80
92
72
91
90
75
70
72
68
60
72
65
85
80
79
75
78
71
93
00
0.53
50
40
55
59
46
55
62
45
f5
41'
52
48
50
60
52
50
56
55
56
10. 00
9-50
10. 00
8.00
8.00
7. 00
10. 00
10. 00
7- 50
7. 60
6. 00
12.50
8.00
7-50
8.00
7.00
10.00
6.00
7.50
7.66
7.00
7.75
25.00
25.00
7.00
6.00
7.00
6.50
7.50
13.50
8.00
7.50
Condition of Fariniers. 15
Average Table No. 4
—
Continued.
County.
'Present Market Price—
500-ib
Bale Cotton ?
Bushel
Wheat?
Bushel
Corn?
Bushel
Oats?
100
Pounds
Tobacco ?
Lenoir
Lincoln
McDowell
Macon
Madison
Martin
Mecklenburg _
Mitchell
Montgomery --
Moore
Nash
New Hanover.
Northampton .
Onslow
Orange
Pamlico
Pasquotank
Pender
Perquimans
Person
Pitt
Polk
Randolph
Richmond
Robeson
Rockingham..
Rowan
Rutherford
Sampson
Scotland
Stanly
Stokes
Surry
Swain
Transylvania .
Tyrrell
Union
Vance
Wake
Warren
Washington ..
Watauga
Wayne
Wilkes
Wilson
Yadkin
Yancey
52. 50
56.50
1.05
1.00
1. 01
1. 00
1.03
54-35
53-75
53-12
51-75
I. GO
1.02
I. 01
1.02
.98
0.97
.87
.87
.87
.86
.80
-85
1. 00
.87
.85
-78
51.87
52.50
1. 00
,90
54-50
52.70
57-50
60.00
48.75
62.50
65.00
54-00
47-75
.85
-75
54-50
56.50
50.41
52.08
56.00
70.00
55.00
54-00
50-75
54.00
55.00
50.00
52.05
75.00
50.00
50.00
.96
1.05
I. GO
I. 00
liOO
•97
.92
.80
I. GO
1.02
1.02
1.05
I. 00
1.04
•94
.86
1.07
.95
1. 00
.90
I. GO
1.05
I. GO
I. 10
•93
1.06
.87
,80
.79
.75
,62
,68
.60
.79
.72
.96
.83
.75
.82
,8g
,62
83
.90
.62
•79
• 75
• 85
.69
1. 00
•91
•83
• 73
•77
1. 00
5-50
10.00
20.00
10. 00
6.75
7.00
6.33
8.87
6.75
5- 00
6.25
7-30
10.00
5-50
7.60
6.60
12.50
22.50
25. OG
7. GO
25.00
9.00
8. GO
7-15
= Period between July ist and October ist.
16 ]SroETir Cakolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. ^—Showing Cost, Price
County.
Profit. Cost. Price. Profit.
Alamance .
.
Alexander .
Alleghany - -
Anson
Ashe
Beaufort
Bertie
Bladen
Brunswick.
.
Buncombe-
Burke
Cabarrus —
Caldwell
Camden
Carteret
Caswell
Catawba
Chatham
Cherokee.
Chowan
Clay
Cleveland -
Columbus -
Craven
Cumberland
Currituck
Dare
Davidson —
Davie
Duplin
Durham
Bdgecome -
Forsyth
Franklin
Gaston
Gates
Graham - . -
Granville
Greene
Guilford
Halifax
Harnett
Haywood
Henderson .
Hertford ..-
Hyde -
Iredell
Jackson
Johnston —
Jones
36.66
33- 00
56.66
'54."68"
26.25
27.50
27-75
17-50
50.00
55- 00
50.00
55-00
30.00
31-65
35-00
25.00
25.00
35- 00
54-00
50.00
50.00
55.00
62.50
70.00
29-37
23.40
25.00
25. 66
30.00
24.00
25.00
20. 00
20.00
30.70
52.81
40. 00
53-25
48. 00
53-33
45-00
50.00
40.00
70.00
50.00
52.50
31.00 48.62
30.00
26. 60
34.00
50.31
54-50
50.00
25.00
28.00
t
47.50
36.26
22.32
50.62
49.00
26.25
21.50
22.50
51-25
49-75
52.50
33-30
24.50
50.00
54.25
21.68
23.75
27.50
27-25
37.50
24.00
18.35
15.00
30.00
37.50
35.00
25.44
29.85
23.00
27.67
15.00
26. 00
15.00
50.00
30.00
21.80
17.62
20.31
27.90
16.00
19.50
14.36
26.68
25.00
28.25
30. 00
13.70
29-75
o. 70
.81
-90
.96
-65
•63
-58
-85
-65
-45
.87
.56
.71
.60
.50
.79
.56
.77
1.50
.53
.63
.15
.67
I. 10
.81
.80
1. 01
1. 00
.98
.98
-50
.78
.94
1. 00
I. 20
I. 02
1. 00
.98
1. 00
.87
.00
.95
.00
.95
.85
•91
93
, 12
1. 00
.90
-90
1.02
.90
.96
1.07
1.03
1. 00
I. 00
-95
0.30
-17
. 10
. 10
-35
•32
.42
. 10
. 20
.46
.06
-56
.40
.40
. II
.46
. 12
^54
.54
.40
-33
1. 10
.14
CoNDITIOiSr OF FxVRMERS. lY
and Profit on Products by Counties.
Profit.
go. 45
•43
63
55
60
36
45
7f
42
42
70
54
58
43
50
45
36
35
57
43
39
50
46
21
50
40
40
50
40
45
55
73
55
42
46
34
41
50
43
47
50
58
43
45
50
28
32
60
65
30
|o. 75
90
88
81
I
00 i
68
80
81
63
81
80
84
90
55
80
81
80
80
92
72
91
90
75
70
72
68
60
72
65
85
80
79
75
78
71
93
00
80
98
78
74
86
81
84
80
62
88
81
82
87
,0.30
• 47
• 25
.26
.40
•32
•35
. 10
.21
•39
. 10
•30
•32
. 12
•30
•36
• 44
•45
•35
•29
• 52
.40
•29
•49
. 22
.28
. 20
.22
• 25
.40
• 25
.06
. 20
.36
• 25
•59
•59
•30
• 55
31
.24
.28
•38
•39
•30
•34
• 56
. 21
• 17
•57
Cost.
.0.29
,42
40
43
35
25
27
36
35
15
25
20
40
30
25
50
33
20
35
40
35
26
29
40
45
36
28
32
28
33
:o.53
• 50
40
55
59
Profit.
(O. 24
.08
46
Tobacco.
5^50
7^25
10.00
9- 50
12
24
21
, 21
25
, 12
.13
.02
•33
•29
.29
.45
. 20
4.00
6.00
8.75
5.00
10.00
10.00
8.00
*
8.00
7.00
10.00
7^50
,26
, 22
, 20
•43
. 21
.30
ii^50
6.90
5.00
7.00
7. 60
6.00
10.00
5.00
12.50
7^50
,27
15
, 22
,42
, 10
•25
. II
.26
.19
. 10
.15
.16
. 22
.24
• 27
•23
20.00
7.00
8.00
4^87
10.00
6.33
7.00
8.65
*
7.00
10.00
6.00
7^50
7.66
7.00
7.75
II. 20
8.00
6.80
5.60
9-33
6.25
7.00
7.00
25.00
7.00
6.00
7.00
6.50
7-50
13-50
25
24
iS
i9
.45
5- 00
10.00
7.40
5- 50
8.00
7^50
4- 50
2.25
4.00
t.75
90
,90
2.50
2.50
2. GO
1-13
2.50
••33
i^i5
13.80
.20
.40
t2.33
25
• 50
6.50
3.00
I
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
IX
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
^9
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
18 JSToKTH Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. 5-
County.
Profit. Profit.
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
6r
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
8r
82
83
84
85
86
47
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
Lenoir
Lincoln -.
McDowell
Macon
Madison
Martin
Mecklenburg .
Mitchell
Montgomery-
.
Moore
Nash
New Hanover.
Northampton .
Onslow
Orange
Pamlico
Pasquotauk---
Pender
Perquimans . -
Person
Pitt
Polk
Randolph
Richmond
Robeson
Rockingham-.
Rowan
Rutherford —
Sampson
Scotland
Stanly
Stokes
Surry
Swain .
Transylvania .
Tyrrell
Union
Vance
Wake
Warren
Washington .
.
Watauga
Waj-ne -
Wilkes
Wilson
Yadkin
Yaucev--
30.25
35- 00
I 59- 38
52.50
40. 00
30.50 54-35
26. 40
28.75
22. 15
25.00
31.00
21.00
30. GO
25.00
32. 30
23-33
35.20
28.75
45.00
35-00
30. GO
29. 12
30.00
25.10
22.33
28.40
29. 20
53-75
53-12
51-75
51-87
52.50
54-50
52.70
57-50
48.75
62.50
65.00
54.00
47-75
54-50
56.50
50.41
52.08
56. GO
35-00
25.00
27.40
34.00
26.30
25.00
32-50
30.00
27.50
70.00
55- 00
54-00
50-75
54.00
55- 00
50.00
52.05
50.00
29.13
17-50
23.85
27-35
24-37
29.60
20.87
31-50
22. 20
29-37
22.30
20.00
17.50
30.00
24.00
18.63
24.50
31.40
2h.o8
23. 68
26.80
35.00
30.00
26.60
16.75
27.70
30.00
17.50
22.05
22.50
72
1.05
I. GO
I. 01
I. 00
1.03
I. 00
I. 02
I. 01
1.02
I. 00
.90
85
•75
.98
.96
1.05
I. GO
I. 00
I. 00
.97
.92
.80
I. 00
1.02
1.02
1.05
I. 00
1.04
•94
.86
1.07
•95
1. 00
.90
1. 00
1.05
1. 00
I. 10
•93
I. 06
0.38
-34
. II
•23
,40
27
40
32
.18
18
,60
.37
,26
67
,26
. II
.08
.23
38
,26
•31
.26
43
.27
•32
• 49
.06
35
45
30
.40
10
13
28
.55
20
15
Condition of Farmers. 19
Continued.
Cost. Price. Profit. Profit.
Tobacco.
Profit.
;o.97
.87
.87
.87
.86
.80
.85
1. 00
.87
.85
.78
*
.87
.So
•79
•75
.62
.68
.60
•79
.72
.96
•83
•75
.82
.So
.62'
•83
.Si
.88
.88
.98
.90
.62
.81
.79
•75
.85
.69
I. GO
•91
•83
•73
•77
1. 00
;o.62
,42
38
43
53
53
47
19
40
22
33
25
29
26
53
33
15
26
33
16
27
5i
35
29
43
46
37
43
22
27
35
17
35
36
35
27
31
08
29
33
;o.67
•55
52
48
44
io. 24
.28
19
.14
•19
25
22
,26
19
15
% 6.00 % 5.50 % 0.50
10.00
6.40
10. 00
6.75 .35
.28
• 45
.08
•15
. 12
• 25
. 20
.16
• 15
• 17
.28
.16
.14
.18
• 15
•29
•43
.18
.02
•23
•19
. 22
. 20
.08
•19
.18
. 20
. 10
• 17
. 12
• 17
• 15
.16
•15
4.00
7. 90
7.80
5.70
4.00
9-33
7. 20
6.00
5-50
7.20
6. 20
10.00
10.50
20. GO
8.00
6.40
5.00
5.60
5-50
8. GO
4. 20
7.00
6.33
8.87
6^75
5- 00
6.25
7.30
5.50
7.60
6.60
12.50
22.50
25.00
7.00
25.00
9.00
8. GO
7^15
3.00
ti-57
1.07
1.05
I. 00
3- 08
. IO
.40
.40
2.50
12. 00
5- 00
1. 00
18.60
3-50
95
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
49
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
8r
82
S3
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
* No selling price reported.
flvOSS.
20 ISToKTii Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. (^—Showing Educational, Moral and Financial Conditions.
County.
Educa-tional
Condition?
Is it
Improv-poor
-
poor
good
poor
poor
-
poor.
good
poor
fair.
.
good
poor
poor
Alamance
Alexander
Alleghany
Anson
Ashe
Beaufort
Bertie
Bladen
Brunswick -
Buncombe
Burke
Cabarrus
Caldwell good
Camden poor
Carteret good
Caswell poor
Catawba good
Chatham . . __
,
poor
Cherokee ; fair.
Chowan \ poor
Clay ' fair-
Cleveland fair-
Columbus ! poor
Craven poor
Cumberland poor
Currituck good
Dare- fair-
Davidson
[
poor
Davie poor
Duplin 1 fair-
Durham ^ fair-
Edgecombe \ good
Forsyth j fair-.
Franklin poor
Gaston ' fair-.
Gates — good
Graham . fair-.
Granville
Greene
Guilford
Halifax
Harnett
Haywood I fair
Henderson i fair-
Hertford
j poor
Hyde
j
poor
Iredell ! fair-
Jack'^on I poor
Johnston | poor
poor -.
good --
poor.-,
fair- -.
poor.-.
yes---
yes---
3'es--.
}'es
yes
yes--.
yes
no --.
3'es
—
yes
)-es
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes-..
yes
yes
yes
yes
j'es
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
ves
Moral I ,J^ *'^
Condition?; I'?P'"o^-
ing?
poor
-
good
fair--
fair--
poor.
fair- -
good
poor.
fair- -
good
poor-good
good
fair- -
good
fair--
good
poor
good
fair- -
good
good
fair- -
good
poor-good
fair- .
poor.
fair-no
' poor -.
fai
fair. .
fair- -
good
good
good
poor .
good
good
good
good
good
yes , good
yes_
yes.
yes.
yes-
J'CS-yes-yes.
yes.
)'es.
yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-
3'es-yes-yes-
3'es.
fair-fair-
-
good
good
poor,
poor.
no
yes
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
uo
no -.. .
yes
uo
}-es
yes
)'es
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
—
)-es
yes...
yes
3'es
no —
yes
yes—
no ,-.
yes
no —
yes
yes---
yes .-
j'es
yes
3'es
yes---
yes
3'es
3'es
yes
yes
yes
yes
Condition? ^'J'^P''?^-
poor
poor-
—
good —
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
poor
fair
good —
poor
good
fair
poor
fair-- . .
fair .
good —
fair
good
good —
good —
fair
good
fair
good —
fair
poor
fair
fair
fair
fair
poor...
fair
good -
fair
good .
fair
good -
good -
fair
good .
good .
fair
fair
poor...
poor..
uo.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
uo.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
J'es.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
Condition of Tarmees. 21
Average Table No. 6—Continued.
Countj-
Educa-tional
Condition?
Is it
Improv-
Joties poor--
Lenoir good -
Lincoln poor..
McDowell poor--
Macon poor--
Madison fair.--
Martin fair, _
Mecklenburg fair...
Mitchell fair---
Montgomery poor.-
Moore fair- -
Nash fair---
New Hanover ;
good .
Northampton --- fair.
Onslow fair---
Orange- . poor -
Pamlico --_ poor.-
Pasquotank fair. -.
Pender poor.-
Perquimans — fair- .
Person good -
Pitt fair---
Polk - --- poor-^
Randolph: fair-
Richmond poor.-
Roheson poor..
Rockingham ^
fair...
Rowan poor.
Rutherford , poor..
Sampson ; fair-
Scotland fair...
Stanlv : poor
Stokes
j
poor-
Surry [
fair-
-
Swain 1 poor-
Transylvania
1
poor
Tyrrell ! fair-.
Union i fair-.
Vance fair-.
Wake ' poor
Warren ' good
Washington • fair-.
Watauga fair-
Wayne poor-
Wilkes 1 fair--
Wilsou-
Yadkin
Yancey
poor-poor,
poor.
Moral
Condition?
yeS-.
yes-.
yes-.
yes-.
yes-.
yes-.
yes-.
yes-.
yes-.
yes-.
yes-no
-
}-es-yes-yes-yes-yes
poor-yes
I fair- .
yes ' good
yes ' fair- .
yes good
yes 1 good
poor _
fair
—
good -
poor.
good -
fair—
fair
fair
fair
fair
poor.--
fair
good - -
fair- —
fair
fair
Is it
Improv-yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
poor,
fair. .
poor.
fair-fair-
.
fair-
fair.
yes poor.---
ves fair
yes good —
j-es fair
yes fair
yes
I
good —
yes good —
yes fair
}-es good —
yes good _-.
yes j
fair- --.
yes .-! poor
yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-no
-
ves-fair-good
fair-
.
fair- .
fair- -
good
fair--
yes--
--I yes--
--j yes--
-- no --
.-j yes_-
-- no --
1
--: yes--
--I yes--
-.' yes--
yes--
yes--
yes
j
poor--
yes 1 good -
Financial
Condition?
good --
good --
poor--,
poor---
fair
good --
poor--.
fair
fair
Is it
Improv-ing?
poor
fair
fair-fair-
-
good
good
fair. -
fair--
fair--
good
good
poor-ves
good
yes-,
yes-.
yes-,
yes-,
yes-.
yes-.
yes-yes-.
yes-.
yes-no
-
yes-no
-
yes.
3'es-
)'es-yes
.
yes-
5'es.
yes.
ves-good
—
poor
fair
fair
good —
good —
fair
fair
poor
poor
good —
yes i good —\
yes. ; fair
yes
yes.
yes
no
no
yes
yes
5'es
no
yes
yes
good
fair--
poor--.
fair
poor.-,
poor.-.
fair
fair
fair
poor...
poor.-
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
3'es.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
22 ISToiiTH Carolina Labor Statistics.
SUMMAEY.
Table JSTo. 1 shows an increase in the value of land in eighty-nine
counties ; no change in eight counties. 'No county reports a decrease
in the value of land. Fertility of land is reported maintained in
eighty-eight counties; nine counties report that it is not. Nine coun-ties
report tendency to have larger farms, eighty-seven smaller, and
two report no change. Five counties report labor plentiful ; ninety-two
scarce. One county reports negro labor reliable ; ninety-six un-reliable.
Thirty-nine counties report employment regular ; fifty-eight
irregular.
In Table 'No. 2 ninety-five counties report increase in cost of liv-ing;
two report no increase. Highest average wages paid men,
$18.86, an increase of $1.09 per month over last year; lowest,
$11.07, an increase of 30 cents. Highest average wages paid wo-men,
$11.54, an increase of 54 cents per month over last year; low-est,
$6.16, a decrease of 84 cents from last year. Average Avages of
children, $5.50, 62 cents less than last year.
Table JSTo. 3 shows that sixty-nine counties produce cotton at
$30.36 per bale of 500 pounds; twenty-eight counties do not report.
Eighty-three counties produce wheat at a cost of 76 cents per bushel;
fourteen counties do not report wheat. ISTinety-six counties produce
corn at 46 cents per bushel ; one county does not report corn. Ninety-two
counties produce oats at 32 cents per bushel; five counties do
not report oats. Sixty counties produce tobacco at $8.63 per one
hundred pounds.
Table jSTo. 5 shows cost of production, selling price and profit on
cotton, wheat, corn, oats, and tobacco, upon each of which, with one
or two exceptions, it will be noted that there is a substantial profit.
Table No. 6 shows the educational, moral and financial conditions
of the various counties. Fourteen counties report the educational
condition good, thirty-four fair and forty-nine poor; ninety-three
counties report improvement, four counties no improvement. Thirty-six
counties report moral condition good, forty-one fair, twenty poor
;
eighty-three counties report improvement, fourteen no improvement.
Twenty-nine counties report financial condition good, seventy-three
Condition of Farmers.
fair, and twenty-four poor; eighty counties report improvement,
seventeen rej^ort no improvement.
Following will be found letters expressive of the sentiment of
farmers of various parts of the State relative to compulsory educa-tion,
and suggestions as to what they think would he beneficial to the
laboring classes.
24 ' IvToKTi-r Carolina Labor Statistics.
LETTERS FEOM FARMEES.
The following letters are selected from among the large number
received for publication
:
Wage-earners Must be More Reliable.—To better the condition of wage-earners
in my neighborhood the laborer must be more attentive to duty, more
reliable. That Avould enable the employer to pay better wages, and thereby both
would be benefited. I am strictly in favor of compulsory school law, or else
have no public schools.—M. W. Brown, Hallsville.
Schools Sufficient if Parents Would Send.—Wage-earners need to make
better time. The working men in this section don't average half of their time
at woik. Those who work regular are getting a good living and saving some
money. There are enough schools to give every child sufficient education to
vote under the Constitutional Amendment if the parents would send their chil-dren
to school. There are not more than fifty per cent, of the children who go
to the public schools.—B. F. Gregory, Jacocks.
Compulsory Education and Smaller Districts.—I favor compulsory edu-cation
and smaller districts. The present system of enlarging the districts is
bad. In this county they have enlarged the districts and made it impossible
for many of the poor children to ever attend school at all. I find those who
live near the new school-houses favor the present system. I thinlc it would be
wise for those who make our laws to look into this matter. While I belie\-e
our legislators did Avhat they thought best for the people, at the same time i
am convinced that our present school law is the worst one that has been in
force in the last twenty years. I have no children to educate, but as a tax-payer,
and one who wants to see the citizens of North Carolina as well educated
as those of any other State, I would say tax the people and have more schools;
then compel them to send their children.—J. R. Kenion, Tolers.
School-houses too Far Apart.—The present system of free schools is not as
good as the old way. The school-houses are so far apart that the children will
have to walk from four to five miles to get to school, and that is too far foT
children to have to walk in bad weather, or any kind of weather, as far as that
is concerned. We ought to have more school-houses and closer together. 1
think in this school district they abolished three schools and made one of the
three, Avhich I don't think is right, as they have to build a larger house and put
two teachers in it, and the poor children have the walk of four or five miles for a
little learning.—W. J. Freeland, Billsboro.
Negroes Don't Need to be Compelleid.—Our county has several logging con-cerns,
and what labor there is flocks to them. They get better wages there than
our farmers can afford to pay, consequently every farmer has to pitch his crop
COXDITIOX OF FaEMEES.
according to Ins own force. In regard to compulsory education, I am and have
always been in favor of it for the white people. It is not necessary for the
negro in this county, for they will send their children every day if they have to
live on bread alone, while the whites are careless about the education of their
children generally. While the white people are straining every nerve to make
money, regardless of education, the negro is working every way he can to get
his vote back, and I tell you a lot are going to pass in 1908.—J. B. Petteway,
/acksonville.
Compulsion Justifiable.—We have a class of people in this section of
country who do not and will not send their children to the free school; so we
think it justifiable to enact a law to remedy this negligence, which can only be
done by a compulsory school law.—W. A. Nelson, Jewel.
Negro Labor Worthless.—With reference to the condition of wage-earners,
I may state that it is steadily improving. The wage-earners are fast becoming
tenants—at first for a share of the crop, using the landlord's team; then for a
stipulated rental of either money or cotton, using their own team. There is
less money in this for the land owner; but also there is less responsibility and
less trouble mth inefficient labor. The majority of our laborers are negroes,
who are becoming more and more worthless and less and less trustworthy. In
this day of general prosperity, at least through this section of the State, instead
of saving their surplus and making permanent investments, they are spending
their money for flashy buggies and other luxuries with which to live the life of
the easy. It may be out of place to say it, but I believe and have been very
reluctantly driven to the conclusion that the negro farm hand will finally have
to be replaced by the immigrant, and that the South cannot expect any marked
agricultural development until that day conies. Of course I, as much so as any-body
else, am in favor of keeping the negro as long as possible; but his increas-ing
inefficiency will eventually drive us to make what now seems to be a revolu-tionary
departure from the path beaten hard by the past generations of our
ancestors. Concerning compulsoiy education, I am an ardent advocate of it,
provided it is restricted to the white race. Emphatically, I am not in favor of
compulsory education of the negro, because, in the first place, the little that he
already has is taking him from the farm; secondly, he appreciates most what
he works hardest for, and the negro does not appreciate what we have already
done for him* On the other hand, I am in favor of compulsory education for
white children, because the very foundation of a republican form of government
depends upon an intelligent ballot, and an intelligent ballot depends on a good
system of schools. And I hold that compulsory education is the best system
because it does not afl'ect the parent who will send his children to school any-how;
while the illiterate parent, without the education himself, does not realize
the need of it for his children and will not make the necessary sacrifice to give
it to them. And it is towards this class of people—not all of them illiterate,
however—that compulsory education should be directed.—J. Henry Stephen-son,
Pendleton.
26 JSToRTii Carolina Labor Statistics.
Compulsory Education.—We would like to say that negro labor is very
unsatisfactory because there is no dependence to be put in them. Negro labor
is very scarce, both men and women. We work from about eight to twelve men
and from ten to twelve women. We pay men from seventy-five cents to a dollar
per day; they pay their own house rent and board. We are in favor of com-pulsory
education because there are so many children that do not go to school
and ought to go.—W. H. Mills & Son, Wilmington.
Opposed to Compulsory Education Under Present Circumstances.—I am
opposed to compulsory education. If it could be arranged for each race to pay'
its OAvn taxes, then I would advocate compulsory education. When you educate
the negro it unfits him for farm work and makes him a fit subject for the peni-tentiary.
—
George B. Cooper, HiUiardston.
Wage-earners Should pe Eeliable.—Wage-earners must be more punctual
and more reliable, as we cannot rely upon our labor now. We know not how
to pitch a crop on account of labor being so uncertain. I favor compulsory
education for white people only. I favor special tax for the white race, and
tax each race to educate themselves.—G. Rice, Sprivghope.
Agricultifre Should be Taught—Three-months Term Compulsory.—Per-haps
a three-months compulsory school would be a good thing, for some parents
will never send their children to school unless compelled to. A three-months
term—say December, Januaiy and February—would not bother farm operations
much. Agriculture should be taught in all country schools. The condition of
our public roads is a great drawback to school attendance.
—
John Humphrey,
Clark.
Should be Misdemeanor to Break Contract.—We have great trouble here
with our wage hands; they will make firm trades and leave when the farmers
get ready to cultivate their crops. We would like to have some way to confine
them and make' them follow out contract; also tenants working on halves
will leave their crops. I would like for it to be a misdemeanor for any one
who will not follow his contract, verbal or wi-itten. Compulsory school law
would be a great thing in our county, for most of the laboring people will not
send their children to school as they could. The parents aroimd thS cotton mills
don't work any, but depend on their children to keep them up.—W. F. Logan,
Crocker.
Negroes Attend School Without Compulsion.—In this section we have
good high schools; we have five in a radius of seven miles, three in a radius
of three miles. The colored people do not need compulsory school laws, as all go
to school. The whites do need it—numbers of them never go that could. The
schools are better attended in this section than some adjacent ones with which
I am acquainted.—A. G. Gantt, Belicoocl.
Condition of Eaemees. 27
Wage-earners Doing Well.—There are few wage-earners in this part of the
county. The few here are doing well. Tlie people generally send their children
to school as much as tiiey can with few exceptions.—J. T. Hawkins, Lattimore.
Parents Do Not Realize Need.—I beg to make the following suggestions
relative to the needs of wage-earners: One among the greatest needs of the
wage-earners is a knowledge of how to economically spend a dollar after they
have made it. Many of them are utterly ignorant as to the laws of thrift and
economy, and ncne the less so as regards the laws of health—the strict observ-ance
of the hygenic laws. As to compulsory educatiou, I have always been in
favor of that, for the reason that nearly all parents who do not send their child-ren
to school are illiterate and do not realize the great importance of an edu-cation;
hence their utter indifferance in regard to sending their children to
school.—A. B. DoRSEY, Bebcood.
Forced Attendance Necessary.—There is not very much public work in
Clay county. I am in favor of compulsory education, as we are forced to pay
taxes to support public schools, and I think people ought to be forced or com-pelled
to give theii children the benefits of the public schools. Education has
been neglected in our county for the past three or four years, but there is being
quite an interest manifested among our people at this time.—R. R. Alex-ander,
Hayesville.
Compulsory Education Greatest Need. — The greatest possible need of
North Carolina to-day is compulsory education. If the State A\dshes to keep
abreast of her sister States, she must educate her boys and 'girls, and I see no
way it can be done short of a compulsory school law. Tlie working class of peo-ple
are becoming more and more neglectful concerning this particular duty
which they owe their children. They should be compelled to send them to
school from six to sixteen years of age, six months in the year, and no child
should be allowed to work in a mine or factory under fourteen. If the next Leg-islature
will enact such a law the State will soon be filled witli brighter,
smarter and more intelligent people, and the State's illiteracy will not be the
target of outside criticism.—W. D. WeTuCH,' Mintonsville.
Reason for Approving Compulsion.—The adoption of the amendment to the
State Constitiition places the youth of the State at the mercy of the interest
taken by the parent in his education, and unless the parents of some of the
children are compelled to send their children to school, those children who
have ignorant and prejudiced parents mil not be sent; therefore, the innocent
child is the sufferer and not his parent. I find that all of the school preju-dice
is with the very ignorant and not with the intelligent classes, hence my
reason for approving compulsion. I recommend larger school districts and
longer terms with good teachers.—J. E. Bryan, Moncure.
28 jSTokth Carolhs-a Labor Statistics.
Igin'ORANT Parents Responsible.—With the blessing of an abundant wheat
crop we feel encouraged as regards the condition of the working class. We
are getting on a more solid foundation since we quit raising tobacco and cot-ton
and turned our attention to wheat and corn and to forage plants, such
aa peas and grass. But there is much yet to be learned by our farmers in the
way of practical farming. Farmers are beginning to wake up and to quit using
so much commercial fertilizer, and to turn their attention more to making
manure and sowing peas and such crops as will tend to improA^e instead of
impoverish their lands, and by improving an acre instead of working over five
or more for what one will produce. A compulsory school law will benefit that
class who are entirely dependent upon public schools. I know several families
who do not send their children to school because they themselves have bat-tled
through life with no education. They think that their children can do
the same. Shame on such parents. Let the Legislature this winter give us a
compulsory school law to operate at least three months in the year upon all
children from eight to fifteen years. This we think will suffice to place chil-dren
through the common school course. It is a duty parents owe their chil-dren,
and thev should be made to do so.
—
W. H. H. Hautdey, Hudson.
Fourteen Weeks Every Year.—In regard to making anj- suggestions in
regard to wage-earners, I am at a loss as to what to suggest. I am trying to
hire a good hand for another year, but I cannot find one. I am satisfied I could
start out one morning and covild borrow one hundred dollars easier than 1
could find a good farm hand. In the first place, if farmers could control the
prices of farm products to some extent they could afford to pay better wages,
and tliat would be some inducement to keep wage-earners on the farm instead
of going to town and working in the cotton mills. As to compulsory education,
T would say amen ! I think every child of school age should be compelled to
attend a public school at least fourteen weeks every year, unless the parents be
in very needy circumstances and dependent on their children, but such cases
could be remedied by the county eom,missioners through the school board of
education giving aid to all such.—W. C. Klutz, Concord.
Families Unable to Clothe Children.—We need more men on the farms.
We have numbers of laboring men, but the most of them are at sawmills and
other public works where wages are better. The public works pay more for
labor than farmers can afl'ord to pay. as men expect as much and board on
farms as they get at the public works. Acres of our land, and even farms, are
neglected for the reason that the men go to public works; they get their pay_
regularly and most of them spend it as fast as they earn it; indeed, they are
forced to spend it to live. As regards compulsory school law, I am not in
favor of it, for the reason that there are a number of families who are not able
to clothe their children decently and buy books for them. I have known chil-dren
who could not go to school for the reason that they did not have the
books. I think doing away with the old school books and endorsing new books
has kept more or less children out of school. It seems to me that if the princi-
CoXDITIOIs OF FAiniEPvS. ' 29
pies of mathematics were correct the old arithmetic Avould answer a good pur-pose,
and if our language was correct the old grammars would answer where
people are too poor to buy new books. I am bound to think it an unfair law
toward the poor of our State.—L. M. Simmons, Bridgeicatc)-.
^YAGE-EARNERS Won't Take IxTEREST. — As to the needs of wage-earners,
they need to take more interest in their labor and not to be so shiftless and
unconcerned about their employment. Tlie majority of farm laborers take too
little interest in their work or whether it benefits their employer, and in most
instances are improvident and disposed to spend more than they earn. Of
course, there are some exceptions. As a general thing they need to work more
regularly and lay by something.—J. H. Doighton, Laurel Springs.
CoMrEi> Six ^Months' Attenda>-ce.—The need of wage earners is for them to
make all time. It is seldom we can get them to make over half time. Every
child in the South should go to school six months out of every year, and unless
we have compulsory education the South will be still farther behind in edu-cation.—
H. B. Jones, liockyhock.
Should Attend Four Months, or Longer.—I favor a compulsory school law,
from the fact that people as a rule will not pationize the schools in their com-munity
as they should, especially the farming class. I think all children from
six to fifteen years, anyway, should be compelled to attend school four months,
if no longer, in each year.—G. H. BaivER, Tyner.
Let Each Race Educate Its Own Children.—First of all, divide the school
fund: let each race educate its own children and have compulsory education.
The law that makes a man become responsible for a hand's debts if he hires
him from another inan before his time is out is a good one, and it is making-labor
moi'e reliable in this section.—A. B. Walker, Anderson.
Wants Every Man to Have to Send.—I favor a compulsory school law. as
there are some of my neighbors Avho don't send their children to school, and
the free school close to them. I Avould like to see the time when every man
will have to send his children to school at least four months in the year. I
have nine children myself, and I think the graded school is one of the best
things that has ever been in the way of educating the children, especially the
jjoor class.—P. B. Bush, Lenoir.
Compulsory School Law Would be Good.—Our farming lands are certainly
not diminishing any in value, but at the same time I can"t say they are on an
especial boom. I think the farmers are becoming more appreciative of their
homes, and in many instances the farmers are in touch with all the modern
methods of farming- while manv of them are clinging to old methods and con-
30 ISToBTii Carolina Labor Statistics.
sequently are doing very little good. Labor is somewhat scarce of late and
prices for same have advanced to what they used to be. The G. W. Vanderbilt
estate and other public works have influenced the price of labor in this county;
they give one dollar per day usually and often more, but farm hands among the
average farmer aie about as I have quoted. There are not many negroes in our
county outside our city limits, our hired help being mainly white people. Our
farm hands usually have their houses and wood furnished free of rent. I
think a compulsory school law would be good for our section. There is too
much indifference about sending children to school, especially in the rural dis-tricts.
Our county, taken as a whole, is enjoying great improvement along the
farming line.—R. C. Crowell, Acton.
Opposed to Compulsory Education Except as a Last Resort.—I had
hoped the Constitutional Amendment would solve the problem of education, and
still believe when it goes into actual operation in 1908 that it will compel men
to educate. I am opposed to compulsory education except as a last resort. I
think that people are best governed who are governed least. There is a class
who are indifferent about the education of their children, but, as stated above,
I think that indifference will disappear when their right to vote is taken away
by reason of their ignorance. A compulsory law would create great friction
and big expense to tax payers.—C. P. Weaver, Weaverville.
Should Have Four Months of Compulsory Attendance.—It seems to me
that the white people are not interested in education as they should be. I
think the State should take hold of this matter and devise better legislation
whereby the uninterested shoulcT be comi>elled to do something on their part.
Let the State furnish those who can't get books for their children^ and then
compel them to send their children at least four months in the year, and if you
get them interested by sending four months they will want to get a six-months
school. We need a better school system than we have now. It seems to me
with the improvement in the country there might be some improvement in the
public schools of our State. People are living better now and are improving
every year. Why- not improve the schools'?
—
Elisiia Sellers, Supply.
Reliability Necessary.—With my experience of three years in the school-room,
fifteen as a wage-earner, one in the army, and four as a farmer, I think
the greatest need of the wage-earner is reliability. Teach them to be truthful,
so their employer will believe what they say; then to be prompt and obedient;
then they will never lack Avork. If it's right to force men to pay the tax, then
it's right to force them to get the benefit of it. Sixty per cent, of the money
is wasted on account of non-attendance. I quit teaching on this account, and
wages—I could make more at something else. Our teachers are nearly all
women. I am in favor of a constitutional amendment giving the negro what
he pays and no more. Raise the standard and price of teachers and force the
children to go.—F. D. McLean, Bladenhoro.
CoxDiTiox OF Farmers. 31
Knowledge Necessary to the Wage-earxek.—I think if wage-earners could
see the folly of trying to beat the one who employs them, and learn that to do
good, honest work that would benefit them, they could improve their condition.
The way our public schools are governed now is a sliame. We are paying double
taxes, our school terms only ten weeks, and not more than one-fourth the chil-dren
attend school. But just how a compulsory school law could be enforced
without injury to farmers and wage-earners I cannot see. Farmers as a rule
have to work their children on the farms ; so if white and black are both forced
into school, who will gather the crops?—I. F. Hilbubx, Bladenboro.
Mild Compulsory Law Necessary.—I deem a mild compulsory educational
enactment to be absolutely necessary, else we will have right many white boys
who will become of age after 1908 who will be unable to vote under the Consti-tution.—
T. H. Smithwick, Merry Hill.
Farm Labor Scarce.—In the country, owing to the scarcity of farm labor
many farmers could not spare their children. This would be my only objection
to the compulsory school law. If our Educational Board and School Committee
always looked to the best interest of the children I would favor a compulsory
school law for a term of four months each year. Negro labor is not at all reliable,
owing to scarcity, and of very poor grade. The saw-mills and timber firms hije
the best negro labor and pay more than is paid for farm labor.—N. A. Pursser,
Chocowinity.
Compulsory School Law.—I think a compulsory school law is just what we
need. There are plenty of sorry people in my community who don't pretend to
send to school who could send, nothing to prevent. They have clothes and tuition
costs nothing, and not far to go, and I think they ought to be made to go.—T. S.
Majxwell, Fig.
Compulsory Attendance.—If the State forces money from its citizens to school
all its children, it, in justice to the children, should compel their attendance upon
a majority of the term each year, until they reach a proper stage of proficiency
or their educational welfare be cared for in private schools. Compulsion in
attendance is as fair as compulsion in providing.—H. A. Eller, Berlin.
Laboring Classes Need Education.—I am quite sure if wage farm hands
would study to farm in a systematic way they could command better wages, as
many of the farmers are not with the laborers, having other occupations and pro-fessions
to which they themselves give their attention, leaving to the farm hands
the management of the crops, etc. I favor compulsory education from a general
standpoint. Many of the laboring classes are illiterate and cannot appreciate the
advantages of an education. The rising generation would be better fitted for all
the vocations of life, making a better representative people for our Common-wealth,
and have a capacity for thinking and acting for themselves. Education
inspires confidence. Once attained, we have a higher class of citizenship. Those
32 XoRTJi Cakolixa Labor Statistics.
who fail to meet the requirements of the qualification clause of the Constitutional
Amendment will naturally feel demoralized and will become discontented. Let
us have better schools, and a better class of voters will follow.—W. C. Greer,
Grassy Creek.
ISToTiiixG More Needful thajs* Compulsory Education.—In discussing the
question of compulsory education, to my mind there is no one thing more needful
in this grand old State. Most of the wage-earners are very illiterate; they will
not do to depend upon; they can't work machinery, and they depend wholly upon
physical strength to sustain their livelihood; so, in my opinion, if they were edu-cated,
even in the public schools, they would be more in demand, bring better
wages, and do the* same work more easily. In my covmty there are several who
can neither read nor write, who live a very short distance from the school-house.
In the fall and winter, while the opportunity is given them for attending school
they are off hunting rabbits, etc.: and since this is the case ^^dth most "renters"
and "croppers," it would be better to have a law that would compel them to
attend school at least three months in each year. In my opinion it would be bet-ter
to restrict the law so that the child Avould be compelled to attend two-thirds
or three-fourths of his time; and as to age limit, it should be about fifteen or six-teen
years; by that time the child can get some idea of the good derived from an
education, and will willingly and freely attend longer. It is the opinion of most
of the 3'oung boys who are growing up in gross ignorance that they will by some
mysterious way be allowed to vote in 1908, eA^en though they cannot read or
write; and they have not a sufficient amount of reason to convince them to the
contrary. So I think a compulsory school law would be the very thing to teach
them to read and Avrite, until their reasoning faculties become developed; then
will we have the youth trained up in the knowledge of the law, and he will make
a better citizen than he otherwise would, and will be an honor to himself, his
parents and his country. In conclusion, let us by another year have a compul-sory
attendance school law, for the State is suffering for the want of it.—J. P.
Wagoner, Elon College.
Can't Suggest the Remedy.—I can hardly say what I think in regard to
laborers. The trouble (or one) is, they all scorn to pay any attention what-ever
to anything but the time they get in at their work. They let their daily
work run them alone, or go into debt—and they generally get into debt pretty
soon after they gio to public works, and live out of the company's store and pay
a higher price than other merchants sell at. They will not even try to make their
garden truck in the evenings after work hours, but depend on the company's
store for their meat, bread, etc., and, as before, generally come out in debt. This
needs regulating; but just what or how I can't say. As to compulsorj^ education,
I say yes, let it come, and come in a waj' that all these careless parents about
their children will be forced to send to school during the free school six or more
months in each year. We have our school tax to pay, and, to save me, I can't
see how it's harder on the "poor people" to send to school than on us to pay the
tax. GiA'e us a compulsory school law and make it binding, so that in 1908 all
(white boys especially) can read and write and be entitled to vote without any
questions.—T. M. Frizell, Beta.
Condition of Farmers. 33
Favor Mild Form.—I would favor compulsory education in a mild form, giving
such protection to the more unfortunate who would be unable to withstand the
full force of compulsion without protecting provisions. It is a query with me
what to suggest for the betterment of the condition of the rising generation. I
have heretofore suggested that some kind of manufacturing establishment that
would give employment to women and girls might help some in this section, as
this is a mountainoiis section and not a large grain-making section, as there is
but a small per cent, of the land susceptible to cultivation, but by the original
methods fruits, vegetables and grains all grow well here. The lumber business
and bark is giving employment to a great many.—J. B. Raby, Wilmot,
Compelled to Favor It.—It seems since the adoption of the Constitutional
Amendment we are compelled to favor a law that will constrain parents of some
children to send them to school ; otherwise they will never be able to read and
write.—J. M. Kennee, Scroll.
Increased Attendance.—Compulsory school law increased attendance in our
schools last year twenty per cent. It will be a great help to the cause of educa-tion
if the law is put in force. If not, it will become a dead letter
—
Wiley
Hickman, Leatlierman.
Wage-earners Need Libraries.—As to Avage-earners, they need regular em-ployment
all the year round and access to a good library and reading-room.
Compulsory education is necessary to make legal voters of our boys under the
Amendment Avhen they become of age. Let us have it by all means.—Z. M.
Leatherman, Leatlierman.
Favors Compulsory School Law.—I favor compulsory school law. Our pub-lic
school district has been consolidated and a local tax levied of forty-five cents
on poll and fifteen cents on one hundred dollars worth of property. The school
is in session now, and they have sixty-two scholars out of one hundred and
twenty-five. It is the poorer class that do not send to school. We are compelled
to pay our school tax and the children it is intended for do not get the benefit of
it.—J. M. Haney', Nealsville.
Believer in Compulsory Education.—I believe in compulsory education. It
looks hard, and yet it will eventually have to come, for, as you will see, we have
a great number of people who care nothing for education, and these people have
families and care nothing about educating their children; hence I favor compell-ing
these people to school their children. As for farm labor, it is scarce and
high, and if we people have to pay farm hands any higher wages than we now do
it will pay us best to turn our lands to grass farms instead of cotton, wheat and
corn.—H. A. Gilleland, Lowesville.
Parents' Neglect Responsible.—Since the passage of the Constitutional
Amendment I think that we should have a system of compulsory education to
3
34 ^OETii Cakolika Labok Statistics.
educate the poor children of the country. Their parents are in a large per cent,
ignorant and are neglecting the education of their children -where a compulsory
system would learn them to read and write^ if no more.—J. F. Killiaji, Denver.
Whites Take Advantage of Schools.—The whites all give their children a
common school education. There is not a white child here of school age who can-not
read and write. We are opposed to the education of the negro except in indi-vidual
cases. To educate the masses makes them unfit for farm work. They con-gregate
in the slums of our towns and cities and usually become criminals. An
educated negro will not work as a farm hand, and usually fails as a cropper.
The whites here are getting bitterly opposed to the system of being taxed to edu-cate
negro children at the expense of their own, or, in other words, in taking the
mioney paid by the white people and using it to educate the negro. The negro
here gets a longer term than the whites under the present system. There must
be a change, or else there will be trouble ahead for the party that persists in
keeping this system of taxation upon the statute books. Let the whites receive all
the money jDaid by white tax-payers for the use of white schools only, and all will
be well.—J. W. McIxtosh, Loicesville.
Constrained to Yield to Compulsory Education.—My views as to compul-sory
education have somewhat changed during the last twelve months. My expe-rience
as a school committeeman has brought about this change. It seems to me
that the State is doing her part in the way of furnishing educational opportuni-ties
to the children of the State, and we are not reaching a certain class of chil-dren
who, above all others, need the help that the State is offering. All efforts
made by the committee, the teacher and the best element of the neighborhood to
get them to attend school, so far, has been a complete failure in this section, and
I presume that other sections have the same trouble. Therefore I feel constrained
to yield to the plan of compulsory education that will accomplish more good and
less waste of the people's money. As to wage-earners, they only need honest pro-tection,
and I think the laws at present are sufficient for that. It is an unusual
occurrence that an honest laborer has any trouble with the one who has him
employed. I believe most men Avho hire labor really take pleasure in paying and
protecting the laboring class who try, or even half-way try, to deal honestly with
their employer. On the other hand, none of us are willing to pay full wages for
half work.—J. H. Smith, Svnthfield.
Public Libraries Necessary.—A well-selected public library in every school
district would be beneficial to the wage-earners. We have a mild compulsory
school law in this county, which is already giving our children an opportunity for
an education. The law compels our citizens to pay tax for the support of the
government. Why not compel them to send their children to school so as to
enable them to become better citizens?
—
John E. Eickman, Leather-man.
Condition of Faemeks.
Compulsory Education One of Greatest Needs.—I think that more regular
employment, with better tenant-houses and more opportunities for mental and
social improvement, even at the present wages, would greatly improve the wage-earner's
present condition, provided that the prices of commodities upon which
he has to live were not increased from their present ratio. Compulsory educa-tion
is one of the greatest needs of the laboring classes, from the fact that this
class of people have to live by their labor, and, if not restrained by legislation,
^\^ll sacrifice mental improvement to the promotion of manual labor, much of
which is wrongly directed and misguided; all of which amounts to little or noth-ing.
We shall never, in my opinion, have a universal educational system until
we reach the point of compulsion, and it Avould not only benefit the laboring
classes, but the whole people. I think that any State owes this system of educa-tion
to its citizens.—M. J. Green, Whitford.
Compulsory Education—Strenuous Temperance Law.—The educational con-dition
of the working people has improved greatly under the present administra-tion
of Governor Aycock. The moral and religious condition has improved be-yond
all expectation under the Watts law; and with a still more strenuous tem-perance
law, removing the entire liquor traffic from the State, if possible, and a
compulsory educational law, in a fcAV years we would have the best State in the
Union; all of which I favor very much.—I. R. Self, Lincolnton.
jSTeed System of Compulsory Education.—I think we need a system of com-pulsory
education. It would be a blessing to the little children if they could be
kept out of the cotton mills three or four months in the year, even if they didn't
learn anything.
—
Thomas F. Cornwell, Lincolnton.
Favors Compulsory Education.—I favor compulsory education. If notliing
happens to change present conditions, in ten or fifteen years the negro boys will
be voting and whites will be disfranchised. Now on my farm I have six white
families and twelve children of school age, and not more than four went at all,
and most of the term only one. There are nine colored families, and not a single
child stayed at home. If they went hungry or unclothed, they every last one
went to school ; could not hire any of the larger ones to get them to work, but the
white children would Avork for you every day. So you see from this that it is
only a question of years, under the present system, until the white children will
not be in it. Make them all go by compulsion; and then, as to hands—they will
not make regular hands��stop every Saturday, or a part of it, and lots of days
when you need them most; "grass a-groAving"; they are out fishing or off killing
time at something.
—
William D. Avera, Smithfield.
Opposed to Compulsory Education.—In regard to compulsory education, I
would say that I am opposed to it, or to any compulsory law that is not really
necessary for good government. As to suggestions relative to wage-earners'
needs, I would say, as I understand the law as it now is, we have about all we
36 ]S[oRTii Carolina Laboe Statistics.
need along this line for honest laborers and honest employers to get along wath
smoothly, and don't think that any law could be enacted that would govern the
dishonest man better tnan what we have now, whether he be a laborer or an
employer.—M. P. Lassiter, Smithfield.
Favor Modified Compulsory Law.—I certainly favor a modified compulsory
school law, and unless we get something of this kind soon Ave will have failed to
do our duty in solving the educational problem that confronts us. The educa-tional,
moral and religious status of our people is improving some, I believe, but
it is so little that it is almost imperceptible. The question as to wage-earners is
too wide, too long and too deep for me to say anything intelligently in regard to
it, but I believe there is "something" that ought to be done along that line, and,
hoping you will find that something, I am—A. L. Ensley, Syhm.
No Other Way.—The labor in this section has diminished until farmers can
only rely upon their own force, themselves and children. In case of a little grass
during the summer months, what few hands are left command from seventy-five
cents to a dollar per day. People have been forced to reduce the acreage, as they
cannot rely upon floating labor. As to compulsory education, I am satisfied the
majority of children will never be benefited by the public or any other system of
schools until they are compelled to attend them. Most of the illiterate parents
say: "Well, I had no education, and my children must do as I have, and I must
keep them at home to work like I did when I was a boy." As the law now
requires every voter to read and Avrite after 1908, I see no way to save our poor
Avhite boys from disfranchisement but to educate them and the sooner this step is
taken the better for the youngster.
—
Joseppi J. Foster, Centerville.
Schools Much Improved.—I cannot see why avc should be taxed to pay a
teacher to sit in a school-house half of his time with but few of the children.
We are in need of more mind power throughout my section. I must say our
schools have been very much improved, but there is room for a good deal more.
My price for men hands is tAvelve dollars in money; then they have a good three-room
house, yard, good garden and potato "patch which I have them to plow when
plowing my crop. I give twelve dollars and twenty-one pounds of meat, one
bushel of meal, and pay at the end of the month. Women living in these houses
work by the day; come out after breakfast, have two hours at dinner, and get
forty cents a day. Children get twenty cents and work on the same basis.
—
M. H. Smithson, Battlehoro.
Would be Great Thing.—As to wage-earners, there is but one thing to be
done—that is to make them keep at work; all loose labor don't seem to Avork more
than two days in the Aveek. I am only speaking for my own section of the
county, especially among the colored people. Compulsory education would be
a great thing for good, as there are some families that do not send at all; they
Avould rather loaf around. I say let compulsory education come with this next
Legislature.—C. A. Kiser, Cherryville.
Condition of Farmers. 37
Nothing but Compulsion Will Do.—I don't see any remedy for the wage-earner
in his and the land owner's present conditions—the future looking for low
prices and the farms run down to small yield per acre. If the wage-earner could
be induced to become more interested in favor of the employer he w^ould be more
able to get better wages. As to compulsory education, I can't suggest in my
experience as a committeeman for four years anything that will be very effective
except a compulsory law and it enforced.—-H. F. Foebes, Croicdei-'s Creek.
Need Better Education.—I can't say what about labor, but I know we need
better education. We need more money, better school buildings and longer terms
of school, and I think it would be a good thing to make a man pay a small fine
when he can and won't send his children to school.—A. H. Baker, Lucia.
Compulsory Education.—I think compulsory education—any way so far as
our free schools are concerned, which do not amount to more than four months
in tlie year—should be established. As for wage hands, we have no way of
holding them responsible for favors or advancements made on crops without a
good deal of litigation, which usually leaves the landlord in worse shape than
when he started. If there could be some means by which we could force them
to abide by their contracts mthout so much litigation^ the labor problem would
be very much improved.—W. I. Warren, Lucia.
Labor Question Serious.—The labor question in our section has become to be
a serious problem. The cotton mills have been built so fast for the last few
years, and the times so hard on the farms, and prices for labor so low that the
larger per cent, of the intelligent white farm laborers have quit the farms and
gone to the mills, and most of the best negro workers have left the countrj^, leav-ing
behind the lower class of white people and worthless negroes to do our work,
and they, seeing the situation as it is, demand high prices for the kind of work
they do. So unreliable is the labor that many of our farmers have abandoned
hiring altogether, and many that once did not work their families have put them
to work in fields, and it works so nicely vsdth them that they would not return to
the old system of hiring, as they have found that with their own folks and im-proved
tools they can live better and have more than when they employ the kind
of labor they can get. But still there is good demand for all the labor that is
here, even if it is inferior. Now, as to compulsory education, ^\dll say that I
am opposed to it, from the fact that it will make bad matters worse with a great
many of our people. We favor educating everybody who wants to be educated,
but we cannot see the propriety or justice or necessity in making people go to
school if their parents don't want them to go. But the main reason we oppose
compulsory education is that we have many widows who have children that they
are dependent upon for a living, and to compel them to go to school would make
it hard on them. I don't think we need to bother ourselves about educating
them on account of the Constitutional Amendment. People who don't care
enough for themselves to try to get an education are not, in my opinion, the kind
of folks to say who shall be our servants (or rulers, as some call them). And
38 I^OETii Carolina Laboe Statistics.
again, I think it a slim argument in favor of education to say that by so doing
it will enable a fellow to vote ; it would seem by that that all our politicians
want them educated for is to get them qualified to vote. I favor educating people
in order to make them more intelligent citizens, and favor it so as to enable him
or her to live in this world with more ease.
—
Egbert L. Abernethy, Mount Holly.
Wage-earner All Right.—The wage-earner is well cared for on the farmj he
can get regular employment; a house and enough land for a garden is given free
of cost, and if he meets misfortune in sickness or anything else money is ad-vanced
him. In my opinion the laborer who has enough education to read and
write a little is of more benefit, both to his family and employer, than one who
has a little more; the former one is satisfied on the farm, while the latter is only
content at trying to cast the farm life aside. He tries politics to secure an
office, or relies on his education in buying and selling to earn a living, and the
most of them fail, so far as making a success is concerned. As a rule, the negro
with a little education is more apt to get into the toils of the law. I don't
believe in educating the negro beyond a certain point, for many of them go to a
city thinking to get some light job in which their education will help them and
often return in a Avorse condition than their brothers whom they left behind on
the farm. I don't know that the enforcement of the law requiring all voters after
1908 to explain any part of the Constitution to the satisfaction of a judge to be
of benefit both to the laborer and employer, for the reason stated above. With
regard to the farming interest in this section, it is confined to trucking, raising
potatoes, melons, beans and peas and corn on a small scale.—N. C. Newbern,
Jarvishurg.
Should be for Six Months.—Compulsory education should be so arranged
that the children could go to school six months in the year, beginning with Sep-tember
and ending with February. This would not conflict much with the crop
season, since people are compelled to work their children to make support. There
is no labor in this section of the State to be hired under any circumstances.
What there was has gone to public works. The education of the negro is of the
wrong kind; they should be taught to read and write and the methods of labor
and farm work in connection. I have had much experience with the negro during
m.y life. My father owned many of them before the war, and, being the only son,
I was reared on the farm with them and learned to know much of them and their
habits and natures; also since the war I have worked many of them and have had
many dealings with them and think that I know them well. Educated negro
labor as it has been since the war is a mere farce. If I want an honest day's
labor from a darkey I always try to get an ex-slave to do it instead of the new
negro. If the negro could have been taught and his life planned and character
shaped by the white Southern people, the race question would have never been or
existed as it does to-day. He is taught from his grave to hate and strive against
his best friend, the Southern white man. The new white man and the new negro
are at variance, and it will continue unless the mode of training be changed and
both taught the head and hand in their training. The negro labor is the best the
Condition of Fakmeks. 39
South can get if the training could be in agriculture along ^\dth his mental
teachings. High-priced labor is detrimental to the negro wage-worker in this
section, for just as soon as he gets a few»days' labor in hand he is disposed to
loaf about until he needs something that will force him again to work. This
makes labor very unreliable, and one other objection is that the white man will
not hesitate to influence hands from his neighbor by offering more wages,
especially in the harvest season, such as cotton and peanut picking. I have
many times had to advance the price or lose my hands. Such is wrong and
against the wage-earner, for it makes him unreliable, and you cannot depend on
him, for he will go where the most money is to be had.—K. R. Maddrey, Pen-dleton.
Compulsory Lavp, with Exceptions.—I would favor a compulsory educa-tional
law, except in cases where the parents are so poor that they are obliged to
have the labor of their children the whole year round. I think the government
should provide food and clothing for the very poor children whose parents are not
able to furnish the same.
—
Jacob Kiser, Bessemer City.
Lack or Interest Responsible for Present State of Schools.—I favor a
compulsory school law in general in this county. Graham County schools are
run up to the requirements of the law. We have four months' school in all of
the districts, but on account of the parents the average is very small. It is
dilatoriness and lack of interest in school, and their ciiildren -will have good
schools, good teachers, schools conveniently located as a general rule. The law
forces the County Board of Education to have four months' school the county
over; then if the parents won't send, make them send. I have been connected
with the public schools of this county for six years. I think that a compulsory
school law would be the best for the children of dilatory parents, and it won't
hurt those who have a desire to educate their children.—W. H. Garrison, Yellow
Creek.
Not Ready Yet.—Just so soon as the State will afford sufficient aid to run
schools from eight to ten months, then we are ready for compulsory school
law.—P. C. Sawyer, Brock.
Compulsion the Only Remedy.—Since the new laAV has been passed I am in
favor of compulsory school law. It is the only remedy for educating our people
I see at present. There are a great many people who don't know what education
is; therefore they don't send their children to school.—O. R. Crisp, Japan.
Compulsory Education.—I am candid in saying I favor compulsory educa-tion.
I have had quite an experience in the affairs of our public schools, and I
feel that this is the only means by which we can get all of our children in school.
I think our people are somewhat on the up-grade socially, intellectually, finan-cially
and religiously. Our people are trying to economize and live within their
means. Some young men are striving for an education. There is some improve-
40 ISToKTH Oaeolina Labor Statistics.
ment among the colored people since they cannot vote. While many have left
the county, those here are more orderly, more respectful and easier to deal with.
—
D. N. Hunt, Oxford.
Educated Negroes No Good.—Compulsory education might do if not for the
negro race. We people down here do not believe in the education of negroes. The
Southern white people do not need the educated negro. Let him go where he is
wanted and needed. We do not care for the negro only as he cares for us; the
negro's work is all Ave want from the negro. The white people's money is all the
negro wants from the white people. An 'educated negro is no good for work.
H. F. Haedy, Jason.
Not for Negroes.—I am not in favor of compulsory edvication. It might be
all right for the white race, but I am not in favor of negro education in any way,
as I have noticed all my days that education was a great disadvantage to the
negro, for when they begin to have the least education they are worth but very
little to the white race as laborers, and the Southern whites have but very little
use for the negro except for his labor. I long to see the day come when the
whites shall pay the tax to educate the whites and the negro pay the tax to
educate the negro. I am not in favor of educating the negro in the South, as
such are no good as laborers. We would not need any compulsory school law if
it were not for the negro. Our people down here are fully disgiisted with the
education of negroes.—W. D. Mewborn, Jason.
Opposed to Compulsion.—I do not favor compulsory education any more than
I do compulsory religion. People do not take kindly to anything of a compulsory
nature. If we have a compulsory school law that means that we are going to
compel the negro to again become a voter; to that I am unalterably opposed.
Let the negrb educate his own children. I do not want to see the white man
taxed to educate the negro. We educate the negro and he lands in the peniten-tiary.
There is not one in fifty that is not ruined by an education; as soon as
he can read and write he wants a position, and if he can't get it he becomes a
loafer and a thief. The negro is an inferior being, and was created for a servant,
and when we try to change any of God's plans we make a failure, and we cer-tainly
make a grand failure in educating the negro. Compulsory education means
his re-enfranchisement; that we do not want. The Anglo-Saxon must control;
we are in proper shape now to rule, and we must do it. Then let us have a
division of the school fund. As to the wage-earners, all the majority of them
need is to practice economy. Some men soon save enough to have a little home,
while others getting the same Avages are always behind and are the first to find
fault Avith their employers.—C. A. Tickle, Gibsonville.
Decidedly in Favor of Compulsory Education.—I think if Avage- earners
Avould do better and more Avork and be more trustAvorthy it Avould aid them to
get better Avages. I am decidedly in favor of compulsory education. We have
to pay school taxes and I am in favor of a compulsory attendance.—F. G. Chil-cutt.
Brown's Suvumit.
Condition of Fakmees. 41
Wage-earners Shovld be Bound to Fill Contracts.—Tlie school question in
the negro belt of North Carolina is a difficult problem. The whites pay largely
the school tax and the blacks seem to make the best use of it. There is more
Ignorance in the wliite race that is growing up than there is in the black. The
whites do not make the best of the opportunities afforded them, while the blacks
use it to the very best advantage. The result will be in 1908 there will be a
larger per cent, of whites disfranchised than blacks. If there could be an
effective law enacted that would bind the wage-worker to stay his time with his
employer it would be to the advantage of both the wage-worker and his em-ployer.—^
D. S. Moss, Moss.
HoNESTT Wage-earners' Greatest Need.—I believe if those who work for
Avages would come up to the plan of doing good, honest work and not try so hard
to beat those who employ them, that they would soon see that this would improve
their conditions very much. I notice that whenever you find a hand that will go
out and do an honest day's work and not have to be followed and watched all day,
he can get all the work he can do, and that those who have to employ hands are
quite ready to employ him and pay good wages. As to compulsory school law,
I have come to believe that some measure of that kind will necessarily have to
be enacted, but am not prepared to say what the strength of such a law should
be.—-W. P. Raiford, Princeton.
Strongly Favors Compulsory Attendance.—I am so strongly in favor of
compulsory education and the no-fence law, or stock law, that I am an exponent
of the doctrine. The more observation and experience I have the more convinced
am I in these theories. I have had over fifteen years' experience as superinten-dent
of schools in some of the best cities in the South. It is in my opinion farci-cal
for the State to provide public free schools to protect itself against illiteracy
and ignorance and not force attendance at said schools.—H. V. Moulton, Dunn.
Wage-earners Not Reliable.—As to wage-earners, they are not reliable;
if more of them should settle and go to work. If we credit the most of them we
get beat, so the farmers in this country try to do most of their work. As to
education, I am in favor of some kind of compulsory law in our mountain coun-try,
the poor class won't send their children to the free schools.—C. E. Clark,
Clyde.
School System a Failure Without Compulsion.—^I am strongly in favor
of a compvilsory school laAV and the greatest blessing that could come to the
laboring people of this mountain country would be a law that would compel
them to send their children to the public schools. In some communities up here
the free school system is a failure without a compulsory school law.—L. N. Pin-ner,
Canton.
Compulsory Education for Wage-Earners.—I favor compulsory education.
Think it would be a great deal better for the wage-earners, and also thinlc that
42 I^OKTH Oaeolina Labor Statistics.
agriculture taught in the public schools would be very beneficial to them, think
it would interest them in their work and make them try harder to make farm-ing
a success.—T. E. Osborne, Hills River.
Would not Be Best.—I don't think that compulsory school law will be very
good in our county, as we are most all farmers and we can't spare our children
more than four months, and we already have four months of free school.—J. J.
RussEL, Boomer.
Should be Compelled.—I believe it would be proper to compel people to send
their children to school a fixed number of months during the year.—J. J. Lank-ford,
Bhtff.
Nothing Better than Education.—I am in favor of a compulsory educa-tional
law. I think it would improve the morals and greatly improve the lower
class of people. We are far behind in point of education in this county. I can't
say what would benefit the wage-earners in this county unless education.—D. M.
Young, Clarissa.
Good for Whites.—Our class of wage-earners are of the lowest type of the
negro race and they would appreciate nothing on earth that could be done for
them. I am satisfied that the_ day is not far distant when a radical change
must happen in our county as the negroes are moving to the towns and what
few are left are not worth the powder and shot it would take to kill them. We
have a little white labor which is all right and seems to be getting along well.
As to compulsory education, I believe in it so far as the white race is concerned,
and as to the negro the more education you give him the more trouble he will give
you. Our school system has improved very materially since the adoption of the
Constitutional Amendment.—E. L. Gibes, Middletown.
Would Force Hardship.—As to my views on compulsory education, I have
this to say: It would force quite a hardship on the poorer class of people to
compel them to send their children to school as they are most dependent upon
their children for farm labor during spring season, lasting about five montha. I
am in favor of compelling the parents to send their children to the free school,
making the session six months in the year, summer and fall.
—
Geo. P. Carter,
Fairfield.
Better Teachers the Neeid.—I think it would be well if we had more houses
and better houses for the Avage-earners, also if we had better teachers in their
public schools; teachers that would take more interest in learning them manners
and politeness as well as books. I think it advisable that the children be com-pelled
to attend the public schools that they might be able to read and write the
Constitution.—J. W. Gibbs, Middletotcn.
Negroes Making Most Rapid Strides.—I have often felt the need of an edu-cation,
especially so the older I get. My education being limited, I am in favor
Condition or Farmers, 43
of compulsory education—for, really I think the negroes are making more rapid
strides along educational lines than the Avhites. It is a sad fact, but I think
it nevertheless true. Our Governor has done much for education in North Caro-lina.—^
0. P. Shell, Dunn.
Ix Favor of Compulsion.—I am in favor of compulsory education. I believe
it would be a good thing for the people for there are some who will not send
their children to school unless they are forced to, and I believe that we ought
to have a way to make them. Tlieir fathers and forefathers have no education
and they think just because they have gotten along all right that their children
can, and I think it is time for that to stop. If the wage-earners will go to work
their wages will be raised high enough, for they are raising every day. In the
spring a hand could be hired for sixty cents a day and now there can't be a hand
gotten for less than seventy-five cents and a dollar a day. They are so lazy they
Avon't work regularly, they will work just long enough to get something to go on
and then quit.—J. A. Piiarr, Canton.
Nothing Necessary in Legislation for Wage-Earners.—I can't conceive
anything that is necessary to improve the condition of the wage-earner at this
time. He receives good wages and can get all the work he wants to do. I cannot
recommend compulsory education (among the whites) too strong; they do not
avail themselves of the advantages they have, they do not use their opportuni-ties.
Unless something is done to awaken the masses 1908 will find many of
our people disqualified. The negro needs nothing to stimulate him, he uses
every means that comes his way. The less education he has the better laborer
he makes. Education with him is no failure.
—
John M. Clayton, Engleha'rd.
Don't Want Compulsory Education.—We are in pretty fair condition gen-erally.
There are plenty of hands. The tendency of oiir farmers is to get the
improved machinery to work the land, so that hoe hands are all that are wanted
now. The most of our people are working on the tenant system, and that will
soon give way to hard labor. We have found that our farms will run down on
the tenant system, for we cannot get them to work in the winter. The negro will
go to school the whole time if there is a school for him to go to. The educar
tional conditions are pretty good. There is no danger of the negro getting ahead
of our race of children, for they take double the schooling the whites do; there
are a few cases where the negro is quick to learn. We as a people generally are
not in favor of compulsory education; it might do some good, but do much harm.
The people are in good financial condition, generally speaking—some pocket
change on hand—^well, you know some people will never haA^e anything but a
scant living. The most of the people have a broad smile on now ; crops have
worked out good—corn, very good; wheat, fine crop; cotton, the very best; oats,
very good. All things point to success.—P. W. Eagle, Statesville.
Impossible for Some.—It seems to me that if we had a compulsory school law
it would almost be impossible for some people to send their children to school.
44 JSToETii Caeolin-a Labor Statistics.
We have some poor people who live three or four miles from any school-house and
are not able to board their children away from home, yet it seems that there must
be something done to educate them^ since the amendment requiring them to read
and write the Constitution correctly after 1908. If we had a compulsory law
not to exceed four months in the year it might be of some benefit to us. I don't
think longer than that would do. The people are obliged to work out a sup-port.—
J. P. Reed, Beta.
Compulsory School Law.—I favor compulsory school law. Laborers should
live more economically, making more garden, etc., to eat, and buying less in the
commissary store. I hope all laborers will try this way one year.—S. W. Ens-ley,
Beta.
Education Would Improve.—I do not know what to say about what would
benefit Avage-earners ; only I can say this much, and that is to give them better
education and it will improve the wages of the people. I am in favor of a com-pulsory
school law and think it would be a good thing for our people in our sec-tion,
as a lot of them live in a short distance from the schools and do not send
but part of the time and some of them don't send at all.—W. V. Davis, Beta.
Wage-earners Should be Moke Punctual.—Tlie wage-earners need to be more
punctual and work more to benefit their employers. As to compulsory educa-tion,
as school-houses are now situated in some localities it would be a hardship
on some. If houses were more conveniently located I might favor compulsory
education.—V. B. Knight, Lawrence.
Compulsion Absolutely Necessary.—Judging from my own school district,
I am highly in favor of compulsory education. Some families take no interest in
the schools at all. A man in this county who has five children of school age
—
three boys and two girls—says the school is all right, is satisfied Avith the teacher,
but refuses to send any of them to school. None of them have been to school a
day in their lives. There is no Avay for some children to get their rights except
by the passage and putting into eff'ect a compulsory school law.—P. E. Head,
Decatur.
Favors Education.—I favor education in any way that it may be brought
about, and am very proud indeed to see the advance that has been made in recent
years along this line. I have served four years on the school board of our
county and am convinced that compulsory education is the only thing that will
over get proper attendance on our public schools. We have in our home district
eight months of free school maintained by those of us who feel able by voluntary
subscription, and yet the attendance is poor, so far as the tenant class goes.
They are treated nicely at our school and we visit them and insist that they go,
and yet some of them Avill not attend more than one or two months. I hope I
have a liberal and broad view on educational lines toward all classes, but I must
say that I think the education of the negro under the present system is unsatis-factory
and in a large measure a useless expenditure. The whites of the South
CoNDiTioisr OF Faeimers. 45
will not teach them, and the negroes have no teachers in our county woithy of
the name. I am informed by our present Superintendent, and his predecessor
also, that they are forced to accept men and women to take charge of the work
who are not fitted in any capacity for the job.—W. A. Bizzeix, Neicton Grove.
Compulsory Education Needful.—As to compulsory education, I think it
very needful. So many of our people let their children stay at home when they
should send them to school. Others hire them out for a small sum, when they
could easily get along without it. Tlie demand for labor is so pressing that
people keep their children out of school to Avork, while a goodly number of men
folks walk around.
—
James N. McLaueix, Stewart.
Favors Stringent Vagrancy Law.—I am in favor of compulsory education,
especially the poor laboring class of white children. They are very much in need
of help along this line. Further, I favor some stringent vagrant law passed to
force the lazy, loafing class to work, and we would have less crime and judicial
expense on our State and less cause for lynchings, riots, etc.—D. D. Gibson,
Gibson.
Xo Law Will Help Wage-earners.—There is no law that will do the wage-earners
any good unless they try to save Avhat they make. My view on compul-soiy
education is that we should send our children four months in the year, and
from seven to fourteen years of age, any way; then those who will not send
should be compelled to send.—J. W. Veach, Thomasville.
Xeed More Education.—It seems that wage-earners need steady employment
and more economy and a good education. I am highly in favor of compulsory
education. Our people need more education worse than they need better wa^es.
I sometimes think that wages are too good and the temptation too great to make
money, and that is A\hy there are not more young men and women in school. If
wages were less and professional wages higher, more people would educate them-selves.
Pass a law that all children shall attend school at least four months in
each year, from six to sixteen years of age, and when they become reconciled to
that, make it six months, and so on, until our people are educated.—A. S. Mil-ler,
Mannersville.
Good Thing if Books are Furnished.—I think compulsory education a good
thing, provided books can be furnished the children; otherwise I don't favor it.
—
G. W. HowAEiD, Hallsville.
Compulsion the Only Way.—I think that compulsory education is the only
way that the children in the rural districts will ever be educated. Force them
to send to school, say one-third of the year.—0. P. Grifton, Centreville.
Education Ruins the Negro.—Education is ruining the negro as a farm
laborer. The women work very well by the day, but they are not certain. Any
46 IToKTH CaeolijSta Laboe Statistics.
farmer Avho depends on hired negroes to run his plows is liable to find his hands
absent any Monday morning after pay-day. We need a good class of white labor,
but the Greek and Scandinavian won't do.—W. S. Parkek, Henderson.
Labor Question Serious.—As a general thing our people are opposed to com-pulsory
education. The labor question is a serious one with us. The labor is
trifling and unreliable^ and on a whole it is unsatisfactory. We seem to need
some legislation along the line of compelling a laborer to stick to his contract.
A good many of them don't regard it at allj and we don't seem to have any way
of reaching them.—D. D. Peele, Fremont.
Lumber Business Takes Farm Hands.—The lumber business is carried on
extensively in Wilkes County; so farm hands are scarce. Fai'mers are doing
well in this neighborhood. Most of them have money to pay for what they do
not make on the farm. There are very few idle people in this community. As
to compulsory education, I know of several men that voted for the Amendment
to the Constitution that are not sending their children to school. Compulsion or
no compulsion, there are going to be a good many young men deprived of their
right to vote after 1908. I have taught for the last five winters and have
endeavored to get all the families to send. Some tell me they are not able to buy
books and clothing for their children. Some, no doubt, are not; others make that
for an excuse. If our State's financial condition was able to provide for the very
poorest, I would favor compulsory education. We need more enthusiasm in
education, especially in public schools. Most people want their children edu-cated,
but are more interested in their own financial condition.—I. M. Crouch,
Moravian Falls.
Compulsion for Teachers as Well as Pupils.—I am in favor of a compul-sory
school law that would compel parents to school their children, and a law
that would compel teachers to do their full duty. My observation has been that
both parents and teachers are at fault. Parents are in some cases negligent, and
there are teachers that are failures. In my opinion about fifty per cent, of the
teachers are worthy of their profession; the balance are not.
—
Martin DeHart,
Sicain.
More Education—Less Use for Farm Labor.—My observation is that the
more education a negro gets the less use he is for farm or other labor.—W. J.
]\IiERCER, Skinnersville.
Better Houses and Teachers.—I cannot advocate compulsory education until
we have better houses and better teachers. It would be next to criminal to com-pel
children to be crowded into some of the houses Ave have, in the care of some
of the teachers we have in this and adjoining counties.—E. L. Wolf, Pinnacle,
R. F. D. No. 1.
Educated Laborers Always in Demand.—I am of the opinion that the only
thing necessary for the general building up of the masses of the people is that
Condition of Farmers. 47
they be better enlightened, and as they improve intellectually they will improve
morally and financially. Then to educate the wage-earner it is necessary that we
have compulsory school laws; and of course many will oppose such a law, but as
the people become more advanced in literary and scientific training they will
eradicate all opposition to a compulsory school system. Educated laborers are in
demand, and all who employ seek the better class and are willing to pay higher
wages. My opinion is that we could do nothing better for the wage-earner than
to compel him to qualify himself for earning a living. Then his service will be
in demand.—T. M. Burrus, Jr., Rockford.
Eis^FORCE Vagrancy Law.—I thinlc the best thing to better the condition of
the wage-earners in this section would be the rigid enforcement of the vagrancy
laws, thereby preventing such a large number being drones and lying around
in idleness. I would venture the opinion that fully thirty-three per cent, are
principally supported by their wives and children, while they are in idleness.
I am in favor of the compulsory educational law, if fully enforced. I believe by
educating the rising generation morally and mentally the idleness and depend-ence
on wife and children would be overcome to a great extent.—G. E. Greenlee,
Mica.
Laborers Won't Stick.—I am at a loss as to what to say that would be of
benefit to the landlord and tenant. As to the laborer, he will not stick, except on
the chain-gang, where he does good work and makes excellent roads. It does not
make any difference whether he is working for wages or part of the crop, if he
takes a notion to move he moves. Tlaere are exceptions.
—
James A. Wilson,
Huntersville.
Compulsory Education for Whites.—I am in favor of compulsory education
for the white race only. We do not need it for negroes. They will go to school
all the time if the white man will feed them. I think all white children should
attend school at least four months in the year. Our land would increase in value
right along if we had plenty of reliable labor. I think the best thing to do for
the laboring class is to make them stand up to their contracts with employers.
Pay him fair wages and make him send his children to public school.—W. M.
Long, Charlotte.
Wage-earners Change Places too Often.—There may be some who would
press the wage-earners, but as a rule our farmers are willing to pay all their
crops will allow. Tobacco is our main money crop. That has sold so low for
several years that the producer cannot afford to pay high wages. The wheat
crop for the two years previous to this cost more than the market value. This
year the crop is a good average. One trouble with wage-earners and tenants is
that they are disposed to change places, or work, too often. When doing well
they often become dissatisfied and change, if only for the worse. I am unable to
suggest any legislation that would improve their condition.—P. Oliver, R. F. D.
No. 1, King.
48 ISToETir Caeolina Labor Statistics.
Lack of Ambition Responsible.—It seems to me that the great need of the
wage-earners of our section is ambition, in order that they may give the necessary
attention to their calling. They don't seem to look any further ahead than pay-day;
consequently there is nothing mutual between employer and employee. I
think it is impossible for a wage-earner to have any permanent success unless he
has some sympathy and has some interest in the success of those who employ him.
I favor a compulsory school laAV, as I thinlc that is the only way for the State to
prove that it was in earnest in passing the Constitutional Amendment.—E. J.
Farthing, Hattie.
Labor Gone to Cotton MIlls and Public Works.—The advance in the price
of farm products has advanced the value of farming land, and the demand for
timber has increased the value of timbered land. The fertility of land is decreas-ing
by continual cultivation in cotton. White labor has gone to cotton mills and
negro labor to public works. No negro considers a contract for labor binding,
nor does he consider the necessity of regular employnient. Many of the white
laborers are no more reliable than the negroes.—H. G. Scarboro, Mt. Gilead.
Negro No Good as Skilled Laborer.—The labor problem at present is more
serious than we have ever seen here. The greater per cent, of farm laborers are
negroes, and they have become so unreliable and treacherous that dealing with them
is very unsatisfactory. Most of the white laborers are in the cotton mills and
lumber plants. For the white race I am highly in favor of education, but do not
favor the compulsory school law. I believe that it would be best for both the
white race and the negro for the school tax to be taken from the negro. The
negro, or the greater per cent, of them, is fit for nothing except common labor.
He is no good for skilled labor. When they attend the public schools they become
more worthless and treacherous than ever.—R. E. Andrews, Allenton Ferry.
Favored Compulsory Education for Twenty Years.—My views on compul-sory
education have been for twenty years favorable, notwithstanding I have
read what has been said for and against it. I have given it a great deal of study,
and I am sure that nothing but compulsory education will ever make our people
what they should be. I know that those who oppose it can make some fine argu-ments
as to the poor not being able to send or spare their children, and the poor
widows, etc. These we will always have with us, and I know there is not a man
in the State that sympathizes with them more than I do. If you expect your
sons and daughters to be more than hewers of wood, you will have to educate
them. You say you can't dress them. Pshaw! Send them in their rags and
educate them. Afterwards they will leave their rags behind.—W. T. Mayo,
Messick.
Cause of Non-attendance.—The low average attendance of our schools is due
to several causes—bad school-houses, the lack of interest on the part of the
teachers, also incompetence of teachers. I think if our schools were what they
should be we would not need a compulsory school law.—W. G. Harris, Island
Ford.
Condition of Farmers. 49
Wants Wage-eaeners to File Contract.—We want a law to bind wage-earners,
so when they start in with a man to compel him to work out the time
and forbid all others employing him.
—
Martin S, Beam, Ellenboro.
Wage-eaknees Thriftless.—It is difficult to suggest just what wage-earners
most need. They, as a rule, are somewhat thriftless; they seldom even attempt
to save any part of their wages for investment in property, being satisfied with
the idea that every day will provide for itself. Tliere are, of course, many excep-tions
to this general rule, and many wage-earners have comfortable balances in
our banks and have their homes and yards beautifully but not luxuriously fur-nished.—
A. L. RuCKER. Rutherfordton.
CoMPULSOEY School Law Would Benefit.— I think a compulsory school law
would be a benefit to Yadkin and adjoining counties, and make every parent send
his children to school if he is able; if not, make the county send them and have
some way provided for them to go comfortably.—B. L. Sizemobe, Einshaw.
Favors Compulsory Education.—I favor compulsory education, and am op-posed
to boys and girls who only teach in the free schools in order to get a little
money. We have too much of this class of teachers. I favor a free school sys-tem
that will not allow extra charges for extra studies. I am in favor of paying
more for teachers who employ their whole time in teaching school, and I am
opposed to the little four-months teachers receiving as much per month as a man
or woman who teaches nine months in a year.—R. J. Ross, New London.
Wage-eaenees Unreliable.—The wage-earner is on top of the fence. All
that is needed is reliability and faithfulness to duty. Few farmers can afford to
start a crop with the uncertainty of labor. If the destitute can be provided for,
I favor compulsory education.—J. C. Millee, Salisbury.
PovEBTY Great Deawback.—In regard to compulsory school law, I would only
favor it if the State would furnish books free; also, many of our people can
scarcely afi"ord the time for their children to be at school, much less the cost of
books. I mean by this that in many instances children are almost necessarily
compelled to help support themselves and the family. Poverty is the great draw-back—
not the disinclination of the people to education. Decrease in the cost of
living and increase in the price of the products of the farm—and this includes
decrease in transportation rates, etc.—are things that will make it possible for
our poor to get an education free or otherwise.—H. G. Peatt, Madison.
Wage-earners Need Education.—I thinlc that wage-earners need better educa-tion
and, above all, more religion. My reason for not liking the compulsory
school law is, there are so many poor people who must keep their children at
work to earn bread.—A. S. Tyner, Moss Neck.
4
50 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Moral Suasion a Failure.—If some plan could be originated to make "all
men honest," not only the laboring classes, but others as well, would be benefited.
If people were educated to give full value for what they obtain from their fellow-man,
whether it be in labor, kind or money, the country would be made better.
"An honest man is the noblest work of God," is not only true, but one of the
greatest necessities of the day. When I hire a man to do a day's work at the
usual price, and he is not honest enough to do the work unless I stay in sight,
why he is not worth the price; while on the other hand a man gives me a full,
honest day's work and I refuse to pay the usual price, I am equally as dishonest
as the other man. I try to impress upon all my hands the principle of giving
"value received." Compulsory education is a knotty problem, but after a year's
connection with the public school work in our county I am almost persuaded that
a compulsory educational law, with proper safeguards, so as not to work a hard-ship
on any one, would be an untold blessing to the rising generation. It is a sad
truth that only about thirty-three and a third per cent, of the white and colored
children are in attendance upon the public schools even for four months in the
year. "Moral suasion" seems to be a failure with both parent and child.—E. F.
McRae, Maxton.
Would be Time Lost.—I think to raise money by taxation and let the money
be divided between the whites and blacks, so that each one would get a share
according to the tax he paid, would be right, or about in that proportion. I think
to compel some children to go to school would be time lost, but make every man
pay a school tax enough to run a good school eight months in a year; then those
who want an education will get it all right. But, I am sorry to say, some people
don't want their children to have any.—J. E. Carlyle, Lowe.
Compulsory Education, with Exceptions.—^As to compulsory education, I
mil say that when I see a certain class of young men inclined to loaf and hunt
when there is a public school in session in easy reach of them, I think they should
be compelled to go. On the other hand, when I see parents who are dependent
on their children's labor for a support, 1 cannot say which I favor strongest. I
think the first should be made to go to school; the latter should be allowed to
stay at home.—E. L. Odum, Mossneck.
Can't Send More than Four Months.—In regard to compulsory education,
there are a great many farmers whose children are the only help they have to
make the crop, and for this reason this class of farmers could not send their
children more than four months a year. Should we have longer terms of school,
those who were able would send their children.—T. F. Stanback, Mangum.
Vagrancy Law Would Improve.���I think that we ought to have a law to com-pel
all parents to educate their children as far as possible, but I do not believe
in educating the negro race; to educate a negro is to make him' worthless. I
believe a vagrant law would improve the negro race more than all the education
Condition of Farmees. 51
ever could^ and many whites ought to be under the same law; some of them,
strong, able-bodied men, are worthless and ought to be made to go to work.—N. A.
McNeill, Roherdell.
Favors Compulsion if Law Will Peovide Books, etc.—I favor a compulsory
school law if it is a way to enable the poor to go to school—that is. that the law
furnish funds to supply clothing and books where it is necessary; this to be
decided by a man appointed for the business.—J. I. Branscom, ColUnsville.
Educated Negroes No Good.—The farmers' troubles are growing greater
yearly, owing to the scarcity of negro labor. Our effort to educate him has les-sened
his will to work, has made him four times as likely to become a criminal;
in fact, when a negro gets a fair education in the South there is one of four
things he is going to do—preach, teach, commit some crime and get in the peni-tentiary,
or go North. Our large appropriation for negro education has greatly
decreased our supply of labor in the South. It is the educated negro that emi-grates.
The Solicitor in my district tells me that over eighty per cent, of his
convictions are among the young educated negroes. Out of twenty-seven negro
men on my plantation three can read and -write, two of the three have served a
term in the penitentiary; of the twenty-four illiterates not one of them have ever
been in prison. There have been a great many young negroes to learn to read
and wi-ite while being reared on my plantation, but not one in the county now
—
all gone North. Wages are ten to twenty-five cents per day higher than in
former years, and this seems to decrease the supply of labor. When they get
higher wages they work fewer days in the week. The lumber and mill men hire
to settle but once a month, as the negroes have got to have a few days to get
clear of their earnings before renewing their work.—J. J. Laughinghouse,
Grimesland.
Opposed to Compulsory Education.—In regard to compulsory education, I am
opposed to it. It would be good for whites under the present law, but it would
prove a curse to the negro, because when a negro gets some education it ruins
him. He is no good for a laborer. I don't see how our coming Legislature could
hardly make that law without ruining farmers and the negro.—W. C. Clark,
Blackjack.
Compulsory Education Not Yet.—I am not in favor of compulsory education
until we can have the money paid by the white race go to the education of the
white children only. When this can be done I am in favor of taxing all the
property in the State to an amount sufficient to keep a school in every district at
least six months in every year.—W. A. Nichols, GreenviUe.
Division of Taxes, then Compulsory Education.—The people who work for
wages are in better condition today than ever before. There is plenty of work
at good prices; therefore no need for idleness; but such labor here is very unrelia-ble,
being nearly all negroes, who pretend to work two or three days in the week;
the remainder of the time is spent in attending lodge meetings and attending
52 I^ORTH Carolina Labor Statistics.
church and loafing and stealing at night. The only thing that can benefit them
is to teach them to work six days in the week and be honest, which is hard to
do. I am not in favor of compulsory education until the taxes paid by the white
race can be appropriated to white schools only. Experience has taught me that
it is worse than useless to educate the negroes, as nearly all of them who can
read and write are either in the State's prison or loafing on the street corners,
which is one reason for the present scarcity of labor. When the school taxes can
be properly divided, giving each race what it pays, then I am in favor of such a
tax levy that will keep a public school in each and every district in the State for
at least six months in the yearj and perhaps it would be better to enact a law
to compel each healthy child of school age to attend at least eighty days in every
year.—J. W. Smith, Greenville.
Vagrancy Law Necessaey.—In regard to compulsory attendance of public
schools, I think it would be of great benefit to the educational advancement of our
State. I think, a vagrant law should be enacted that would give magistrates
jurisdiction to put criminals on the public roads for thirty days.—J. Maeshall
Cox, Winterville.
Compulsory Education—Compulsoey Labor.—Any law that would tend to-ward
benefiting the wage-earner morally, that would teach him to do honest work
for an honest dollar, would inspire confidence in his employer, would be of great
benefit to the wage-earner. Compulsory education won't do unless we have com