Annual report of the North Carolina Department of Labor

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SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT
BUREAU OF LABOR AND PRINTING
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
FOR THE YEAR
1902
H. B. VARNER, Commissioner.
W. E. FAISON, Asst. Commissioner.
RALEIGH
Edwards & Beotjghton, State Printers
1903
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
To His Excellency Charles B. Aycock,
Governor of North Carolina.
Sir:—Herewith I hand to you the Sixteenth Annual Report of
the Bureau of Labor and Printing. I desire to acknowledge the
efficient work of Mr. W. E. Faison, Assistant Commissioner, and
Miss Daisy Thompson, Clerk, in the compiling of this report.
Respectfully yours,
H. B. YARNER,
Commissioner of Labor and Printing.
January 10, 1903.
Of
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Agricultural Statistics.
II.
—
Miscellaneous Factories.
III.
Cotton and Woolen Mills.
IV.
Furniture Factories.
V.
Newspapers.
VI.—Trades.
VII.
Railroad Employes.
VIII.
Manufacturing Enterprises.
Bureaus of Labor.
INTRODUCTION.
The Sixteenth Annual Report for the Bureau of Labor and Print-ing
embraces statistical matter along the lines of former reports of
the Department.
After a careful consideration of the facts presented by correspon-dents
of the Department, and inquiry into conditions as they exist,
I would most. earnestly urge that the following recommendations
be enacted into law :
RECOMMENDATIONS
.
1. That a law be enacted providing that no child under twelve
years of age be permitted to work in any factory, unless a widowed
mother or totally disabled father is dependent upon the labor of
such child and has no other means of support; that no child'under
the age of ten be employed under any circumstances ; that no child
not so employed be permitted to remain in any factory, idle or at
work, in any capacity ; that no child between the ages of twelve
and fourteen years be permitted to work in any factory unless he
or she can read and write. (The provision of the latter clause
should be made effective at a stated time, in order that children
between the ages of twelve and fourteen might have an opportunity
to meet its requirements.)
2. That no child under fourteen years of age be permitted to
work in any factory between the hours of 7 p. m. and 6 a. m.
3. That a law be enacted permitting school districts, townships
or counties to adopt compulsory school law by a majority vote of
the qualified voters of such district, township or county.
4. That eleven hours shall constitute the maximum day's work in
the State for all manufacturing establishments.
5. I would also recommend that chapter 251, Laws of 189T, making
the Commissioner of Labor and Printing Inspector of Mines, etc.,
be>epealed, or sufficient appropriation made to carry out its pro-visions.
One great need of this Department is more room. I would there-fore
recommend that the "Hall of Records" now in contemplation
be constructed with the view of providing suitable offices for this
viii Introduction.
Department. We are now occupying a section of the Supreme
Court Building, designed for the use of the State Library, and of
which it is now sadly in need.
If possible, a law should be enacted providing a severe penalty
upon the father who puts his children in the factory and idles away
his time in drinking and creating dissensions among the workers,
and providing only the bare necessities of life out of the hard-earned
wages of his children that he may have the more with which
to gratify his depraved appetites and passions.
For illustrations appearing in this report, the Department ac-knowledges
the courtesy of the Seaboard Air Line and Southern
Railways.
CHAPTER I.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
The following average tables are compiled from blanks filled out by
representative farmers from every county in tbe State. The farmers
always respond promptly. In this chapter we also publish letters
showing the needs and condition of farm labor
.
The returns were received during the period from July 1 to October
1, 1902, which explains the difference in selling price of cotton and
other products shown in Table No. 4.
Table No. 1 shows an increase in value of land in sixty-five coun-ties,
a decrease in two, and no change in thirty. Eighty counties
report fertility of land maintained, and seventeen not maintained.
Sixty-nine counties report tendency to smaller farms, nine to larger,
and nineteen no change. Seventy-two counties report labor scarce,
twenty-two plenty, and three abundant. Ninety-three report negro
labor unreliable, two reliable, and two no negro labor. Fifty-six
counties report employment regular, and forty-one not regular.
Table No. 2 shows cost of living increased in ninety-five counties,
and no increase in two counties. Highest average wages of men
per month $15.49, lowest $9.72 ; highest wages of women $10.08,
lowest $6.61; wages of children $5.57. Fifty-seven counties report
increase of wages, and forty no increase.
Table No. 3 shows sixty-eight counties produce cotton at average
cost of $27.57 per 500-pound bale; seventy-five produce wheat at
sixty-eight cents per bushel ; ninety-six produce corn at forty-six cents
per bushel ; ninety-two produce oats at thirty-three cents per bushel
:
fifty-eight produce tobacco at $6.44 per 100 pounds.
Table No. 4 shows average market price of cotton $43.45 per 500-
pound bale; wheat, ninety-one cents per bushel; corn, eighty-eight
eents per bushel ; oats, fifty-five cents per bushel ; tobacco, $12.42 per
100 pounds. These prices make the profit on products $15.88 per
bale for cotton ; twenty-three cents per bushel for wheat ; forty-two
eents per bushel for corn ; twenty-two cents per bushel for oats ; $5.98
per hundred for tobacco.
North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Table No: 5 shows educational condition good in six counties, fair
in thirty-nine, and poor in fifty-two. Eighty-five counties report
improvement in education, and twelve report no improvement.
Eighteen counties report moral condition good, seventy fair, and nine
poor. Eighty-one counties report improvement in morals, and six-teen
no improvement. Five counties report financial condition good,
forty-six fair, and forty-six poor. Sixty-four report financial condi-tion
improving, and thirty-three report no improvement.
Eighty per cent answered the question, "Do you favor compulsory
school law V "Yes," and twenty per cent, "No."
Table No. 6 shows cost to produce, selling price and profit on the
different farm products by counties. It will be noted that there is a
fair margin of profit, and favorable conditions have made this an
unusually good crop year.
The letters following the tabulated matter in this chapter are of
especial interest, giving as they do the opinions of farmers from every
county in the State on the conditions prevalent among this the largest
class of our citizens.
Condition of Farmers.
Average Table No. i—Showing Condition of Farm Land and Labor by Counties.
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
Value of
Land In-creased
or
Decreased ?
no
increased,
increased,
no
no
increased.,
increased,,
increased.,
increased.,
increased.,
increased..
increased.,
increased.,
increased..
no
increased.,
increased.,
increased..
no
no
decreased .
increased.,
increased.,
increased..
no
no
increased.,
increased.,
increased.,
increased.,
increased..
increased..
no
increased.,
increased.,
increased.,
increased..
no
increased..
increased..
increased..
increased..
increased..
increased.
increased..
decreased
increased.
no
increased,
increased.
Fertility
of Land
Main-tained
?
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no _
no _
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no _
yes.
no .
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes_
yes.
no _
no _
yes.
yes.
no .
yes.
yes.
no .
no .
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no .
Tendency to
Larger or
Smaller
Farms?
smaller
smaller,
smaller
same ....
smaller
larger .
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
larger _
smaller
same __.
smaller
smaller
same __.
smaller
same ._.
same ._.
same __.
smaller
same ...
smaller
smaller
same ._.
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
larger _
smaller
smaller
same
smaller
smaller
larger _
larger _
smaller
same
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
Labor
Abundant or
Scarce ?
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce.
plenty
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
plenty
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
abundant
scarce
scarce
scarce-plenty
plenty
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
abundant..
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
scarce
plenty
plenty
plenty
scarce
plenty
abundant.
scarce
scarce _
Negro
Labor
Relia-ble?
no .
no _
no _
no _
no _
no .
no .
no _
no .
no .
yes.
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
yes.
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no .
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
Em-ploy-ment
Regu-lar?
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
no.
_| no.
-[ yes.
J no.
_ no.
_! yes.
North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. i—Continued.
County.
Lenoir
Lincoln
McDowell __.
Macon
Madison
Martin j
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
Value of
Land In-creased
or
Decreased ?
increased
increased
no
increased
increased
increased
increased
increased
no
no
increased
increased
increased
no
no
increased
no
no
no
increased,
increased
no
increased
no
increased
no
increased
no
no
increased
increased
no
increased
increased
increased
increased
no
no
increased,
increased.
no
no
increased,
increased,
increased.
no
increased.
Fertility
of Land
Main-tained?
Tendency to
Larger or
Smaller
Farms ?
yes.
yes.
yes.
no _
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.
no _
yes.
no .
no _
yes.
no _
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no .
smaller...
Labor
Abundant or
Scarce ?
Negro
Labor
Relia-ble?
same.
same
smaller
plenty.. _
plenty
plenty
no
no
no
smaller scarce
smaller scarce no
smaller
smaller
smaller
smaller
plenty
plenty
plenty
scarce . _
no
no
no
no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller plenty no
smaller scarce no
larger plenty no
smaller scarce no
same . scarce no
smaller scarce no
same . scarce no
same scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
same _ _ _ plenty no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce . _ no
larger plenty no
same scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
same _ scarce no
smaller
larger
plenty
scarce
no
no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
smaller scarce no
same ... scarce. _ _ no
larger _
smaller
plenty
scarce
no
no
smaller scarce no
smaller plenty no
smaller scarce no
smaller plenty no
Em-ploy-ment
Regu-lar?
yes.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
no.
yes..
no.
no.
no.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
yes..
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
no.
no.
Condition of Farmers.
Average Table Nc . 2
—
Showing Wages, Cost of Living, etc.
In-crease
Wages—
Wages
County. in Cost
of lyiv-
Highest Lowest Highest Lowest
Increased
or
mg Paid Paid Paid Paid Children ? Decreased ? ? Men? Men? Women ? Women ?
Alamance yes__ #15.00 $IO. 50 # 9- 5o l5-5o 14-75 no.
Alexander yes__ 15-35 7-30 7-85 5-15 4.85 increased.
Alleghany no __ 17-55 13.00 11. 70 6.25 6.50 increased.
Anson yes__ 13-35 8.75 9.70 6.85 6.75 increased.
Ashe yes_. 20.25 10.75 12.35 6-45 5-25 no.
Beaufort yes__ 19-95 13.IO 13-45 9-55 7.40 increased.
Bertie __ yes 20. 00 12. OO 12. 00 8.00 6. 00 increased.
Bladen yes .
.
15-95 IO.4O 9-45 7-45 5-35 no.
Brunswick yes__ 13.00 10. 40 9. 10 6.50 4-55 no.
Buncombe yes__ 12.75 8-95 7. 20 5-25 4. 00 no.
Burke yes__ 13.00 7.00 6.50 5.00 6.50 increased.
Cabarrus yes__ 12.65 7.50 8-35 5- 00 4.65 no.
Caldwell.—. yes_. 16.25 H.40 10.95 7-75 7-30 increased.
Camden __ . yes i3-5o 9. OO 8.00 4.00 3-75 increased.
Carteret yes_. 17-55 13.00 9. 10 7-15 6.50 increased.
Caswell __ _ yes_. H-35 7- 50 9-55 6.25 5.25 increased.
Catawba yes._ 15-50 9. 20 9.10 7.80 3-75 no.
Chatham yes 15-30 11.50 9. 20 4.90 4-75 no.
Cherokee yes__ 14-75 10.25 II. 00 9-5o 4.00 increased.
Chowan yes 16. 00 13.00 13-50 6.50 5- 20 no.
Clay yes_. 23-85 I5-I5 16.25 8.45 4-75 no.
Cleveland yes__ 13-35 8.00 8-35 5.00 5.00 no.
Columbus yes 18.20 11. 70 11.05 7.80 6. 20 no.
Craven yes 18.45 12.75 II; 60 8.50 7-45 increased.
Cumberland _ yes 11.85 7-45 7-30 4-75 2.80 no.
Currituck yes 16.50 9. 00 11.00 7.00 6. 00 increased.
yes_. 17. 25 1 8.25 6. 00 increased.
Davidson yes 15.15 10.00 II. IO 8.80 6. 20 increased.
Davie. yes_. J 9-5o IT -95 6.50
4. 20
increased.
Duplin yes 14-55 10.65 9.80 6.60 increased.
Durham yes 12.50 ! 7. 00 7.00 4.00 4.50 increased.
Edgecombe __ yes 17. OO : 9-50 9- 50 7-50 5-25 no.
Forsyth yes 12. IO 8.05 9. IO 7.15 4. OO increased.
Franklin yes_. 12.85
:
9-15 8.65 5.85 4.85 increased.
Gaston yes I2- 15 | 7-35 8.00 4-65 4-65 no.
Gates yes I5.00 10.85 10. 70 8.00 6.50 increased.
Graham yes
yes
8.00
19-75
5-50
6-75
no.
Granville 8.05 4-75 4.85 increased.
Greene yes 18.20 10.65 10. 60 6.80 7. IO increased.
Guilford yes__ 13.00 8-35 8.50 6.00 4.80 increased.
Halifax . _ _ yes 11.40 6. 00 6. 20 3-35 4. IO increased.
Harnett yes 15.60 10. 40 9. 10 6.50 5. 20 increased.
Haywood yes 29-25 14.30 13.00 7.80 7.15 increased.
Henderson yes_. 17.65 ; 9. 10 10.35 6.25 6.55 no.
Hertford yes 16.45 12.00 11. 20 8.00 5- 80 increased.
Hyde yes 16.50 15-30 12. 15 9. 10 7- 15 no.
Iredell yes 13-45 8.15 9-65 5- 60 4-95 no.
Jackson yes__ 14-50 1 8.90 8-95 4-55 5.85 no.
Johnston yes__ 13-50 9-50 11.00 6.50 5-9° increased.
Jones _ yes__ 18.85 1 12. OO 12. OO 6.45 6. 10 increased.
North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. 2— Continued.
In-crease
Wages—
Wages
County in Co*t
of Liv-ing?
Highest Lowest Highest Lowest
Increased
or
Paid Paid Paid Paid Children ? Decrtased ?
Men ? Men? Women ? Women ?
Lenoir yes.. $16. 25 $10. 40 $13- 65 $ 9- 10 $7-15 increased.
Lincoln yes_. IO. OO 7- 50 8.00 6.50 6.50 no.
McDowell yes
yes
I9-85
16.50
10.55
10.65
12. 00
10.45
7.80
6.05
increased.
Macon 4-35 no.
Madison yes__ 12. OO 9-65
10. 20
6. 25 4.25
5-75
no.
Martin __ yes.. 16.25 9. 20 6.50 increased.
Mecklenburg, yes_. 18. OO II. 00 12. 15 10. 00 5-35 increased.
Mitchell yes.. 24.70 13-65 14.65 7.80 8.45 increased.
Montgomery. yes l6. 90 8.65 12.30 8.20 5-25 no.
Moore yes.. 12. 60 7.80 10.85 8.25 4.85 no.
Nash yes.. II.25 6.75 6.85 3-95 5-25 increased.
New Hanover yes.. 19-15 10. 70 11. 70 8. 10 6.65 increased.
Northampton yes 16. OO 12. OO 13.00 9. 00 7.00 increased.
Onslow yes._ 18.15 10.95 11. 70 8.25 6.25 increased.
Orange yes_. 13.00 6.50 7-75 6. 10 5-45 no.
Pamlico _. __ yes.. 18.00 7. 00 13.00 4.00 5.00 no.
Pasquotank yes.. 14.65 10. 00 9. 00 6. 70 5- 5o increased.
Pender yes 13.00 10. 40 9-75 7-15 5- 20 no.
Perquimans yes 20. 20 n-95 16.15 13-55 7-3o increased.
Person yes.. I3-50 7-75 6. 00 6.00 4. 00 increased.
Pitt yes
yes.,
yes..
I3.7O
16.45
17-35
8.35
9-45
12.45
8.25
9-50
12-95
5-85
6.50
10. 15
4-45
3.65
4-35
increased.
Polk. . . increased.
Randolph no.
Richmond yes__ 14.50 7.85 10. 40 5.85 6.15 increased.
Robeson yes 12.65 7-75 9. 60 6. 00 5-3° no.
Rockingham _ 5
7 es i9-5o 10. 25 13-25 6.25 7.85 increased.
Rowan yes.. 16.45 10.00 9-3o 6.25 5- 10 no.
Rutherford _. yes__ 12. 00 7- 15 7. 00 4. 00 6.30 no.
Sampson yes 15-15 10. 00 io.35 7.05 6-45 no.
Scotland yes__ 14. 00 8.85 9-85 6. 25 5- 20 increased.
Stanly yes 13-95 9-65 8.05 5.65 5-75 increased.
Stokes yes 18.75 9-95 10. 80 7-05 6. 05 increased.
Surry yes.. I5-50 9-5o 11.25 8.00 5.85 increased.
Swain yes.. 16. 00 10.65 11.00 8.00 8-95 no.
Transylvania. yes 17-75 9. 20 H-75 5.25 6-55 increased.
Tyrrell yes__ 17-35 13.00 10. 40 5.20 5- 20 increased.
Union _ yes.. 11- 35 8.15 9.00 5-75 5-75 no.
Vance _ yes 13.85 H-35 13.00 9. 10 6.50 increased.
Wake. .. .._ yes.. 14. 10 9-95 10.50 6.95 5- 60 no.
Warren yes.. n-95 7. 10 8.35 4- 50 4-50 increased.
Washington.. yes 15-15 io.35 12.55 6-95 6.50 no.
Watauga yes.. 14-75 9. 10 9-25 5-25 5-55 no.
Wayne . _ yes.. 13-45 9. 00 7.70 7. 20 3-85 no.
Wilkes yes.. 12. 40 6.60 7-25 3.85 4. 20 increased.
Wilson yes.. 10. 00 8.00 7. 00 5.00 4.50 increased.
Yadkin no __ 10. 00 5- 20 5-25 4. 00 4. 20 no.
Yancey yes.. '9-25 n-55 n.85 6.65 6.15 increased.
Average 15-49 9.72 10. 08 6.61 5-57
Condition of Farmers.
Average Table No. 3—Showing Cost of Production.
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
Cost to Produce—
5°°-ft
, j Bushel
Bajeof , wheat?
Cotton?
27.8;
$0. 79
.80
• 75
•79
1.03
Bushel
Corn?
22. OO
30. OO
25.OO
25.OO
33-35
40. OO
23-35
30. OO
27.50
20. OO
30. OO
31-25
27.50
2L65
25.00
23-50
23-65
25.00
30. OO
20. OO
25.00
27.50
21.25
31-65
25.00
3i- 85
25.80
25.00
25.00
27.50
21.65
23-15
30-75
24.80 I.
58
63
77
73
50
45
70
33
96
62
68
40
80
58
55
62
70
40
53
63
40
63
63
63
,60
.70
.68
Bushel
Oats?
£0.38
47
49 !
49 I
30
j 40 I
40
j 30
40
52
45
40
45
30
45
20
61
5o
3i
45
4i
4i
68
40
50
43
34
40
£0.30
35
35
35
25
25
100
Pounds
Tobacco ?
25
40
30
25
49
31
35
32
43
30
18
46
4. 00
8.50
6. 25
6. 00
7.25
7-50
6.50
7-50
4. OO
7. OO
5.00
5-50
4.85
5.25
3.00
10. OO
7. OO
7. 00
7-50
8. 00
6.25
6. 00
6.80
5-50
4-50
7. OO
5.00
11.50
7. OO
3-45
North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. 3
—
Continued.
County.
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
Average cost
Cost to Produce-
500-ft
Bale of
Cotton ?
$28. OO
18. OO
37-50
38.OO
32. OO
30. OO
25.00
30. OO
23-35
35- 00
22.50
31-65
29. OO
26.25
28.35
31-75
35- 00
31-65
25.00
30. 00
32.50
27.50
28.50
28.50
23-75
24-45
34- 15
26.75
23.40
27. OO
23. OO
30. OO
27-57
Bushel
Wheat ?
pa- 55
•74
•95
• 57
.90
1.07
.68
.68
•77
•45
• 75
\~68~
• 75
.60
52
• 77
.62
•55
• 54
.72
-78
1.05
•83
.70
.66
.66
•53
.92
•53
65
92
60
53
43
Si
56
58
"58
66
Bushel
Corn?
go. 40
40
40
6l
40
48
42
40
52
70
45
38
45
39
58
30
42
5i
39
45
37
42
60
60
5i
47
40
63
70
5i
61
44
33
50
43
40
55
53
42
48
49
48
50
41
50
45
39
46
Bushel
Oats?
100
Pounds
Tobacco ?
34
25
36
36
23
32
6S
26
38
45
22
27
25
30
38
30
37
32
23
28
30
35
33
30
33
33
40
43
40
30
4i
35
23
45
35
30
45
42
32
28
32
29
26
20
30
33
23
•33
$4-75
6. 00
7-5o
5.00
8.00
7. 00
5-35
7-25
7. 00
7-35
4.85
6. 25
6.50
6-75
5-5o
9. 00
7-15
6-75
5-90
5.00
4-15
5-65
6.00
6. 40
4.00
6.44
Condition of Farmers.
Average Table No. \—Showing Market Price of Crops.
•Present Market Price-
County.
Alamance
Alexander
Alleghany
Anson
Ashe
Beaufort
Bertie
Bladen _
Brunswick
Buncombe
Burke
Cabarrus
Caldwell
Camden
Carteret
Caswell
Catawba
Chatham
Cherokee
Chowan
Clay 1
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
500-Ib Bale
of Cotton ?
W- 25
42.45
Bushel
Wheat ?
37-9°
45.OO
43-45
44-35
44-55
38.95
41.65
42.50
Jo. 88
.90
I. 00
.88
1. 01
Bushel
Corn?
44-35
48.15
46.25
42. IO
41-85
42.50
44. 10
45- 00
.92
.90
.89
.92
.90
.88
92
42. 80
45.00
40. 40
45- 00
42.50
1. 00
.83
1. 00
1. 00
•95
43-75
45-25
44-5°
40. 00
42.50
41-75
43-75
50.00
45- 00
41-25
44-50
44. 00
43- IO
90
93
80
90
75
90
96
85
96
93
Bushel
Oats?
?o.83
.90
I. OO
.78
1.00
• 75
1. 00
•94
.85
•90
.90
.92
• 93
• 73
.98
• 77
•90
• 93
90
.80
• 75
• 90
.81
.85
.89
.78
.88
.»5
.88
95
.90
£0.58
47
•63
•53
42
• 45
•83
•98
9i
.88
1. 00
• 95
1. 00
.70
• 92
.80
.83
.98
1. 00
• 70
>3
•92
•98
• 45
100
Pounds
Tobacco ?
$IO. OO
II.OO
18.75
25.OO
.67
.70
• 47
• 50
.56
• 53
• 55
• 72
• 73
• 55
.63
.56
.40
.62
50
• 42
.56
• 50
.65
• 49
• 50
.65
• 55
30. 00
8.00
15.00
9-75
IO. OO
20. OO
I7-50
13.00
I5.00
45
60
61
40
8.15
10.25
10. 00
15.00
10.50
9.00
10. 00
55
59
50
59
50
• 50
.58
12. 00
11. 40
8.00
16. 10
7.00
16.50
12.50
43
60
47
58
.40
7. 00
i8.75
10. 00
I3-50
10 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. 4
—
Continued.
County.
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
Wavne
Wiikes
Wilson
Yadkin
Yancey
Average price
Present Market Price-
500-lb Bale
of Cotton?
$40. 30
46.25
42.50
45.OO
45.OO
40. OO
42.50
42.50
42. 80
43-75
45.00
45.00
44-35
43-9°
40. 60
50.00
46.25
44-5Q
41-25
43-75
47-5o
42.50
41.50
45.00
45.00
44-35
41.65
43-90
41.50
43-75
41.25
40. 00
43-45
Bushel
Wheat?
£0.85
.86
1. 00
.88
.92
1. 06
.89
.87
.80
VSo"
V85"
.78
95
1. 00
•93
.88
1.05
.88
•93
•95
•90
1. 09
98
1. 00
•93
1. 00
1. 00
•95
1. 00
.80
1.03
.82
1. 00
1. 00
•98
.96
1. 00
•9i
Bushel
Corn?
93
So
88
Bushel
Oats?
fo.
58
52
50
40
58
70
48
65
62
56
54
60
65
58
55
53
56
52
60
63
5«
58
62
6S
48
57
55
48
65
58
60
55
47
50
55
65
50
59
63
51
58
55
43
50
46
30
55
100
Pounds
Tobacco ?
$20. OO
9-50
25.00
5-00
10. 00
ir.65
12. 50
11. 50
10. 00
10. OO
12.50
II. 15
9.90
8.00
7.85
9-15
18.75
9-35
17. 00
9.70
12. 42
* Period between July i and October i, 1902.
Condition of Farmers. 11
Average Table No. 5
—
Showing Educational, Moral and Financial Conditions.
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
Educa-tional
Condition?
good _
poor _
fair __
poor .
poor .
poor .
good .
poor .
fair ._
poor .
poor .
poor .
fair _.
poor .
fair _.
fair _.
good .
poor .
poor .
poor .
fair _.
poor .
poor .
poor .
poor .
fair ..
fair „
poor _
fair „
fair _.
good .
fair _.
fair _.
fair _.
poor .
poor .
poor .
poor .
fair _.
fair _.
fair _.
fair ..
poor .
fair ._
fair ...
fair _.
fair ._
poor .
poor .
poor .
Is it
Improv-ing?
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no .
yes
yes
yes
no _
yes
no _
no _
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no _
yes
yes
yes
no .
yes
yes
yes
no _
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Moral Is it
Condition? Improv-ing?
good
fair
fair
poor
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
good __.
fair
fair
fair
good __.
good __.
fair
fair
fair
fair
good __.
fair
fair
fair
poor __.
fair
good __.
fair
fair
fair
good _ ..
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
poor __.
fair
fair
good ._.
lair
good __.
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
poor ._.
poor __.
poor ._.
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no _
no _
no .
no _
yes
yes
no _
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no _
no _
yes
yes
no .
yes
yes
yes
no .
no .
no .
yes
yes
no _
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no _
yes
yes
no _
yes
no .
Financial ! Is it
Condition? Improv-ing?
good __.
good
fair
poor __.
fair
poor __.
good
poor __.
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
fair
poor __.
poor ._.
poor __.
fair
poor __.
poor __.
fair
poor __.
fair
fair
good __.
good __.
poor __.
poor __.
fair
poor __.
poor __.
fair
poor __.
poor __.
fair
fair
fair
poor __.
fair
fair
fair
poor ._.
poor
fair
poor __.
poor __.
poor _ _.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
3 es.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
ves.
12 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Average Table No. 5— Continued,
County.
Educa-tional
Condition?
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
poor __.
fair
fair
poor
fair
fair
poor
poor __.
poor ._.
poor __.
poor __.
fair
fair
poor __.
poor __.
poor __.
poor
poor
poor __.
fair
fair
poor
fair
fair
fair
poor
fair
poor __.
fair
fair
poor
poor __.
good
poor
poor
poor
good
fair
poor
poor
poor
fair
fair
fair
poor
poor
poor __.
Is it
Improv-yes
yes
no .
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no .
yes
yes
no .
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no .
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no _
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
ys.
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Moral
Condition?
fair ..
fair _.
fair ..
fair _.
fair _.
good .
fair _.
fair _.
fair _.
fair _.
fair __
good
.
fair „
fair „
fair _.
poor .
fair „
fair _.
fair __
fair __
fair __
poor _
fair __
fair __
fair ._
fair __
good _
good _
good _
fair __
poor _
fair __
fair ._
fair ._
fair ....
fair __
good _
good _
fair __
fair __
fair __
fair __
fair __
fair ._
fair ._
good _
good _
Is it
Improv-ing?
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
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no _
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Financial
Condition?
poor .
poor
poor .
poor .
fair _.
fair _.
poor .
fair __
poor .
poor .
fair _.
fair ..
fair ..
fair ..
fair _.
poor .
fair _.
fair „
fair ..
fair ..
fair _.
poor .
poor .
poor .
poor .
poor .
fair _.
poor .
fair „
poor .
fair _.
poor .
fair __
poor i
poor .
fair _.
fair „
poor _
poor .
poor .
poor .
fair __
poor .
fair _.
fair ..
poor .
poor .
Is it
Improv-ing?
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
no.
yes.
no.
no.
no.
yes.
yes.
yes.
yes.
14 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Table No. 6
—
Showing Cost, Price
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
$30. 00
"27.I5'
2 2. CO
30. 00
25.00
25.00
33-35
40. 00
23-35
30. 00
*4i- 25
42.45
37-90
45.00
43-45
44-35
27.50
20. 00
30. 00
3t-25
27.50
21.65
25.00
23-50
23-65
25.00
30. 00
20. 00
25.00
27.50
21.25
31-65
25.00
31-85
25.80
25.00
25.00
27.50
21.65
23-15
30.75
24. 80
44-55
38.95
41.65
42.50
44-35
48.15
46.25
42. 10
41.85
42.50
44. 10
45- 00
42. 80
45- 00
40. 40
45.00
42.50
43-75
45-25
44-5o
40.00
42.50
41-75
43-75
50.00
45.00
41-25
44-5o
44. 00
43.10
Profit.
sti: 25
14. 60
15-90
15.00
18.45
19-35
11. 15
1.05*
18.30
12.50
16.85
28.15
16. 25
10.85
14.35
20.85
19. 10
21.50
19-15
20. 00
10. 40
25.00
17.50
16.25
24. 00
12.85
15-00
10.65
15-95
18.75
25.00
i7-5o
19. 60
21.25
13-25
18.30
Wheat.
Cost.
$0.79
80
75
79
03
55
62
70
40
53
63
40
63
63
63
60
70
6S
55
7'
65
.90
1. 00
92
90
89
92
'§4
90
88
92
1. 00
.83
I. 00
I. 00
•95
85
96
93
Profit.
$0.09
. IO
•25
.09
. 02*
34
39
20
55
04^
30
28
20*
17
48
45
10
5o
30
17
27
15
20
28
30
25
28
Condition of Farmers. 15
and Profit on Products by Counties.
Cost.
38
47
.88
49
• 49
30
.40
•63
.40
•30
.40
• 52
• 45
.40
• 45
•30
•45
. 20
.61
• 50
•3i
•45
.41
.41
.68
.40
• 50
•43
•34
.40
.70
• 55
•35
.38
• 44
•25
•50
•53
47
•63
.60
• 5i
• 47
• 50
• 32
.38
•49
.58
25
Profit
Oats.
$0.83
.90
I. OO
.78
I. OO
.75
I. OO
•94
.85
.90
.90
•92
•93
• 73
.98
• 77
.90
•93
.90
.80
• 75
.90
.81
.85
.89
.78
.88
.85
.88
•95
.90
45
43
, 12
29
51
• 45
.60
•3i
• 45
.60
.50
.40
.48
•33
• 53
• 47
• 45
• 73
29
•30
• 44
• 45
.40
• 44
.21
.38
•38
• 42
• 54
• 55
. 20
$0.30
• 35
•35
•35
• 25
.25
Profit.
£0.58
•47
.63
• 53
.42
• 45
.83
•9i
•95
.00
.70
•92
.80
•83
.98
.00
.70
.83
.92
.98
• 45
25
.40
30
.25
• 49
.31
•35
•32
• 43
• 3°
.18
.46
28
63
53
44
• 75
45
• 47
•23
•29
. 20
•32
• 51
• 50
.38
• 45
• 43
.40
. 20
. 20
.38
. 20
•13
.28
•3i
•5°
.28
.26
. 20
.60
33
40
,27
,28
.67
.70
• 47
• 50
.56
•53
• 55
• 72
• 73
• 55
.63
.56
28
12
23
18
• 17
. 20
40
62
..So
.42
.56
50
• 50
•49
• 50
.65
•55
42
30
17
25
.07
. 22
. 20
.40
•30
•25
• 45
. 10
4.00
8.50
6.25
$10. 00
Profit.
1 1 . OO
18.75
25.OO
6. 00
7-25
7-5°
45
60
.61
.40
55
59
•50
•59
.50
• 50
.58
20
24
30
29
28
• 19
6.50
7-50
4. 00
7. OO
30. OO
8.00
15.00
9-75
, 21
.24
• 45
05''
5.00
5.00
10.00
20. 00
17-5°
13.00
15.00
25
22
.07
12
. ro
.17
•23
4.85
5-25
3.00
10.00
7. 00
7.00
7- 5o
8.00
6.25
6. 00
6.80
5.50
4-50
7. OO
8.15
10.25
10. OO
15.00
10.50
9.00
10. OO
12. OO
II. 40
8.00
l6. IO
7. 00
16.50
12.50
$2. OO
5.00
it.5°
7.00
3-45
7.00
17-85
10.00
i3-5o
7. 00
10.25
18. 75
24. 00
• 75
2.50
8.50
2.25
6. 00
13.00
7-5o
8.00
10.00
3-3o
5.00
7. OO
5.00
3- 5o
2. OO
2.50
4. OO
5-^5
2. OO
9-30
I. 50
12. OO
5-5°
2. OO
6-35
3. OO
10.05
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
3i
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
4 1
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
16 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Table No. 6—
County.
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
Cotton.
$28. 00
18. 00
37-50
38.00
32. 00
30. 00
25.00
30. 00
23-35
35- 00
22.50
31-65
29.00
26.25
28.35
31-75
35- 00
31-65
25. 00
30. 00
32.50
27.50
28.50
28.50
23-75
24-45
34.15
26.75
23.40
27. 00
23. 00
30. 00
$40. 30
46-25
42.50
45.00
45.00
40.00
42.50
42.50
42. 80
43-75
45- 00
45- 00
44-35
43-90
40. 60
50.00
46.25
44-50
41.25
43-75
47-5o
42.50
41.50
45- 00
45- 00
44-35
41.65
43-90
41.50
43-75
4*- 25
40.00
Profit.
5I2.30
28.25
5.00
7.00
13.OO
IO. OO
I7-50
12.50
T 9-45
8-75
22.50
13-35
15-35
17.65
12.25
18.25
n.25
12.85
16.25
Wheat.
$0
13-75
15.00
15.00
13.00
16.50
21. 25
19.90
7-50
17.15
18. IO
16.75
18.25
10.00
75
50.85
.86
1. 00
.88
.80
.92
1.06
.89
.87
80
"§o~
"85"
.78
•95
1. 00
•93
.88
1.05
.88
•93
•95
.90
1. 09
.98
1. 00
•93
•95
1. 00
.80
1.03
.82
1. 00
1. 00
.98
96
Profit.
&O.30
. 12
•05
•31
. IO*
•15"
.38
. 21
. IO
•43
•05
. 12
10
18
43
23
3i
33
5i
16
15
10*
07
39
32
34
40
08
47
30
08
20
50
39
19
44
40
"38"
34
Condition of Farmers. 17
Continued.
Corn— Oats— Tobacco—
Cost. Pn ce. Profit. Cost. Price. Profit. Cost. Price. Profit.
u
11
a3
$o. 40 $0.98 I0.58 #0.34 $0.68 Jo. 34 $4- 75 $20. 00 $15- 25 51
.40 • 9S • 55 • 25 •58 •33
.16
52
.40 •95 •55 •36 •52 6.00 9- 50 3- 5o 53
.61 •9i •30 •36 50 • 14 7-50 25.00 I7-50 54
.40 .82 .42 • 23 .40 • 17 5.00 5- 00 55
.48 .98 • 50 •32 .58 .26 8.00 10. 00 2. OO 56
.42
.40 1
• 52
.78
.06
. 90
.36
.66
•38
.68
.26
•38
.70
.48
•65
. 02
. 22
• 27
57
58
59
.70 6n
•45
.85
•89
•15
• 44
•45
. 22
.62
•56
• 17
•34 7. 00 11.65 4-65 61
•38
• 45
•39
84
.80
•9i
.46
• 35
• 52
.27
• 25
•30
54
.60
.65
.27
•35
•35
6->
63
5-35 12.50 7-15 64
.58 72 .14 •38 .58 . 20 7- 25 11.50 4-25 65
•30
.42
5i
39
45
78
70
88
77
78
.48
.28
• 37
.38
•33
•30
•37
•32
•23
.28
•55
53
•56
• 52
.60
• 25
.16
.24
•29
•32
66
67
68
69
7.00 10.00 3.00 70
37 83 .46 •30 •63 •33 7-35 10. 00 2.65 7i
42 1
60
00
97
.58
•37
•35
•33
.58
.58
•23
•25
72
10.00 12.50 2.50 73
60
51
84
93
.24
• 42
•3°
•33
.62
.68
•32
•35
74
4.85 11. 15 6.30 75
47 88 .41 •33 .48 • 15 6.25 9.90 3-65 76
40 1
63
70
89
95
93
•49
• 32
•23
.40
•43
.40
• 57
•55
.48
• 17
. 12
.08
77
78
6.50 8.00 1.50 79
5i
61
44
9b
89
9i
• 45
.28
• 47
•30
.41
•35
.65
.58
.60
• 35
• 17
•25
So
8t
6-75 7.85 1. 10 82
33 88 • 55 •23 •55 •32 5- 50 9-15 3-65 8^
50
43
87
95
• 37
• 52
• 45
•35
• 47
•50
. 02
• 15
84
9.00 18.75 9-75 85
40
55
53
80
90
85
.40
•35
•32
•30
•45
• 42
•55
• 65
•50
•25
. 20
.08
86
87
7.15 9-35 2. 20 88
42 94 • 52 32 59 .27 6-75 17.00 10. 25
48 93 •45 .28 •63 9o • 35 5-9o 9.70 3- 80
49 81 •32 •32 • 5i •19 9t
48 1. 00 • 52 •29 58 .29 5- 00 12.50 7- 50 9?
50 1. 00 • 50 . 26 • 55 .29 4- 15 9.00 4-85 q3 41 yb • 55 . 20 •43 •23 5.65 10. 00 4-35 Q/\
50 80 •30 •30 • 50 . 20 6. 00 10. 00 4. 00 95
45 93 .48 •33 .46 96 • 13 6. 40 9-5o 3. 10
•39 So .41 .23 •30 .07 4. 00 12.25 S.25 97
Loss.
18 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Condition of Farmers. 19
LETTERS FROM FARMERS.
The following letters are selected from among the large number
received for publication :
Compulsory Education—Work Roads by Taxation.—The compulsory law
is the only way to educate the people. I am highly in favor of such a law, to
force the people who have bright children in Davie County to make them send
them to school and give them an education. I am also in favor of working the
roads by taxation. It is the only way to have good roads, and you can get one
man to do one dollar's worth of work and he will do as much as three men
who work under an overseer.
—
Gannon Talbert, Advance.
Negroes Leaving—Compulsory Education.—Our laborers are mostly ne-groes,
and it is my experience that the rougher you treat them, the more work
you can get out of them. If kind and gentle with them they become lazy and
careless and almost worthless. The negroes are leaving this county very
rapidly for the Northern States. The negro is naturally the best laborer for
our Southern States, as he can stand the heat better in summer than the
white man. I think it very necessary for the white children to be educated,
and since most of their parents do not appreciate the advantages their chil-dren
have for an education, I think they ought to be forced to send them to
school. Very often the white public school teachers can only get about one-fourth
of the children to attend school, while the negro school-houses are
crowded all the time, and frequently they have to call in extra help to teach.
I am not prepared to express an opinion for the whole county, as I have not
been over it much this year.
—
Henry N. Clark, Airlie.
Economize—Make Schools Attractive.—The wage-earners, as a class, are
very unsettled in their habits and in their demands. They can never be a
prosperous people until they reform their habits and learn to take care of
their wages. It seems that with the present price of products, with anything
like the time and energy that is used in public works, we ought to make good
money on the farms. There is such poor system used and so much time idled
away that we are continually hearing of hard times among this class of peo-ple.
I am heartily in favor of educating all classes in the very uest manner
possible, but I think that the compulsion necessary is to make our schools
interesting and attractive, so that all the people will want to attend them.
Until this is done there is very little use to have on the statute books a com-pulsory
educational law to be disregarded. Hoping that our Legislature will
learn to quit undoing what the preceding Legislature has done, in order that
they may make some place for their pet politicians, I beg to remain.—W. H.
Hunter, Alexander.
20 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Favors Compulsory Education—Divide School Fund.—I am highly in favor
of compulsory education. There are some parents who have no education
themselves and care nothing about educating their children. There are some
bright boys and girls being raised up by this class of people, and unless they
are looked after they will be neglected. I am also in favor of dividing the
money for schools. Let the tax each race pays go to its own schools. I be-lieve
the adoption of the Constitutional Amendment has improved farm labor
in this section.—A. B. Walker, Anderson.
Crops Poor—Educational Advantages Poor.—The corn, wheat and cotton
crops of this section last year were very poor, perhaps fifty per cent, but the
farmers sold cross-ties, chair, shuttle block and other timbers and got along
very well. Corn crops are fairly good this year. The educational advantages
in our county are poor, and the enrollment and average attendance is poor
also. I do not think absolute compulsory education the thing just now, as we
have the young negro in our midst, to whom a meager education means ruin.
I would say that with a reasonably fair and conservative law, I would favor
compulsory education.—S. E. Lowdermilk, Ashooro.
Compulsory Law Works Well.—I am sure that the compulsory school law
is the proper thing for Mitchell County. The public schools will be far better
this year than ever before.—S. F. Peterson, Bakersville.
Better Wages—Compulsory Education.—I think it would be right for the
wage-earners to have higher wages for their labor, as they do not seem to
progress very fast. Will say in regard to the compulsory education law, that all
voters coming of age after 1908 should be able to read and write any section
of the Constitution. There is a certain class of people that will have to be
compelled to go to school, or they will never be able to read and write.
—
Augustus Z. Burton, Bald Creek.
Compulsory Education for Whites.—I do not know that I could make any
suggestion that would be of any benefit to tbe wage-earners in this county, un-less
they would take some of their wages that they spend for dressing and
many other useless purposes and educate themselves and their children, and
ave employment more steady. The working people of this country, on an
average, work from four to five months out of the year. As to the compulsory
school law question, I am in favor of it this way: To compel all white chil-dren
between the ages of six and twenty-one to go to school four months out
of the year anyway; but I am not in favor of the white people paying one cent
tax to educate the negro. Let the negro, as the saying is, "root hog or die."
The Constitutional Amendment is fixing it with some of them. Let them all
go together. If they do not want to educate themselves, we do not care.—J. J.
Ferguson, Bald Creek.
Condition of Farmers. 21
Negroes Unreliable—Opposes Compulsory Education.—The increase in
value of land is due to prices of produce advancing, more especially tobacco.
The fertility of the land is maintained by the mode of farming and amount of
fertilizer used. Cost of living has increased because farmers live better.
Negro labor is not reliable from various causes; mainly, because they can not
excel the Anglo-Saxon race with the education they have given them, being a
lazy and indifferent race naturally, more especially the young negroes. Labor is
scarce, because it takes three negroes to do what two used to do, the increase
in factories creating more demand. Increase in wages, caused by more tobacco
being planted and better prices for produce generally. I do not favor a com-pulsory
school law, for various reasons. It can't be carried out successfully.
It has been tried in several States and proved to be a failure, besides, the
burden will be on the white race to partly educate a lot of worthless negroes,
who are too independent already. It is an infringement on the rights of a
people who know too well their duty as a race. If it were a law it could not
and would not be enforced, as a great many others are not. The best thing
for the white race to do is to consolidate their schools where they are small,
have longer terms and better teachers, thereby creating more interest, which
has already begun.—J. R. Ballard, Ballard.
Abolish Whiskey Traffic—Compulsory Education.—I know of nothing to
suggest for the needs of wage-earners and others more than that firmer en-forcing
of laws against immorality and the punishment of the bad; greater
protection to the morals of the innocent and the good; the removal of the
great cause of immorality and curse to humanity—the liquor traffic. I heart-ily
favor compulsory education, or anything required to make good, law-abid-ing
and useful citizens, and to that end I earnestly advocate the education of
the Anglo-Saxon race, especially (and at once) to the extent of reading and
writing any section of the Constitution. I can not say that I favor the educa-tion
of the African race (book education), especially if in the future, as in the
past, it takes them from manual labor and usefulness to political strife against
the whites, or anything that is patriotic. The most useful education and the
most real and genuine after all is that existing among those that are not
especially lettered (book educated), but have direct training and culture from
the midst of the white people by working and remaining under the influence
and direction of the white people. We need better public roads, and to get
them we must be taxed.—A. W. Gregory, Barclaysville.
Does not Favor Compulsory Education for the Negro.—I do not favor com-pulsory
education. One reason is, it would educate the negro as well as the
whites, and I am not in favor of negro education. I am in favor of educating
the white children as much as anyone, but don't think a compulsory school
law would suit the people in general. You asked in one of your questions if
negro labor was reliable. No, there is no dependence to be put in a negro.
—
G. H. Walker, Barlow.
22 "North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Need Railroad and Compulsory Education.—We need a railroad through
our county worse than anything else, so we could have a market at home for
our produce. Our county is a great apple, cabbage and potato county, but as it
is, we have to haul our produce about thirty miles to the railroad. In regard
to the compulsory school law, I will say that we need it in order to educate
the people coming of age after 1908 to be able to read and write, and I fear
that we will need it ten months out of the year if they read and write any
section of the Constitution correctly, and then I fear some whites will be left
with the negroes.—C. M. Critcher, Bamboo.
Wage-earners Happiest People on Earth.—The Bible tells us that having
food and raiment, we should be content. The wage-earners seem to be that peo-ple.
They are settled with once a month and they go to town and generally
spend it the same day. They get some provisions, such as sugar, coffee, flour and
molasses, and are sure to get a string of fresh fish, beef, or something for
Sunday morning, and don't forget to get a little whiskey. They go home the
happiest people on earth, for they know if their rations give out before the
next settling day they can go to their employer and get more. The negro
labor is the best labor we have had in this country, for they spend money as
fast as they make it, and sometimes before, therefore, they are easily con-tented,
as neither a negro or a white man will work at your command if he
has money in his pocket. The negro is unreliable, will not do to trust far,
and, as a rule, is not truthful.—W. W. Vick, Battleooro.
Better Railroad Facilities—Compulsory Education.—The old South Caro-lina
Railroad is under construction along the border of this county, and there
is a great stimulus among the farmers and wage-earners. Saw-mills have
been moved into the county, and the farmer has gone to work and is realizing
better prices for farm products. What we most need is a railroad through the
county, so that all the farmers could have better shipping facilities, then old
Yancey would wake up. Give us a school law that will encourage the poor,
indolent, lazy parents to send their children to school; supply the poor orphan
children with books and clothing to enable them to attend, and give all a
chance alike. Take the children out of the mills and factories; put them in
school from six to fourteen years of age. Education is power. Educate a
child and it will take care of itself; fail to educate them morally and intellec-tually,
and they fail to make good, moral citizens, and drift into crime and
ignorance, immorality and vice, and in many cases they are a burden on the
county in which they live. By all means give us a school law that will en-courage
parents and guardians to educate their children and prepare them
for the various fields of labor and usefulness. Without it many of the sons of
the Old North State in the future will be driven from the ballot box and be
branded as unfit to have a voice in the public affairs of this State.—D. W.
Duncan, Bee Log.
Condition of Farmers. 23
Grade Labor—Compulsory Education.—As to improvement of the wage-earners,
I think a plan among the farmers to grade the labor would work well.
Set a standard and put a premium on the hand that comes up to the standard
or passes it, and a discount on those falling below the standard. I have tried
this plan and it works well, but, of course, to succeed it would have to be
general among the farmers of a whole community. This plan, if properly
carried out, would largely solve the labor problem, even among the shiftless
class of negroes, with whom we have largely to deal in our county. As to
compulsory education, I see little in some parts of our county to even hope
for great improvement until some parents are compelled to send their children
to school. I was a teacher in our public schools for twenty years, and I have
known parents who, within a mile of school, persistently refused to send, but
could give no reason only that they got along without "larnin'," and their
children were no better than they were. I think there are some yet who fail
to see the disadvantage their children will have if they grow up too ignorant
to read and vote intelligently. I see some improvement, but it is very little.
I would be glad to see the compulsory law applied for a few years, at least,
and see how it would work. I have been for several years a member of the
Board of Education in our county, and have full access to the facts as regards
the educational interests. I am anxious to see a grand step forward.
Daniel Lane, Bellair.
Develop Resources—Economize—Mild Compulsory Law.—The wage-earn-ers
in this section would be much benefited by the outlay of capital in our
county, developing the great natural resources of this mountain and mineral
county, utilizing the water-power and timbers. A railroad would greatly
benefit all working classes. But aside from these things, I think that vigi-lance,
faithfulness and frugality should be the laborer's motto. Let him make
all he can and spend less than he makes, laying by a few dollars for a surplus.
I favor a mild compulsory school law. I am hopeful that the amendment to
the State Constitution will be, in a large measure, a compulsory school law,
but in order to insure the greatest good to all, and to properly use the money
appropriated for schools by the State, we should have a law requiring the
attendance of all children, physically and mentally able, for a reasonable
length of time each year, I would say from eight to sixteen years old, unless
their education is cared for in private schools, or in the family. I think a
standard should be set, and when it is reached, let the child be excused, if de-sired,
from further attendance. I will add, that parents are still to be found
who will not send to school unless forced to do so, and it seems to me unfair
for the State to pass a compulsory school law for the tax-payer and leave it to
the option of the parent to accept or reject its advantages for their children,
whose untaught minds are to be a weight to civilization for a half century, and
that, too, after we have made the expenditure necessary. Let us have com-pulsion
both ways; that is, to raise money and compel attendance at school.
—
H. A. Eller, Berlin.
24 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Condition of Farmers. 25
Good Advice—Divide School Fund.-—To the wage-earners I would say, save
your wages; do not be stingy, but practice common-sense economy; save a sum
every day, week, month and year. To the unmarried man or woman, I would
say, strive to lay by something before you marry, for a home is easier to pro-cure
before than after marriage. To the farmers I would say, be better
farmers, subscribe for and read one or more good farm papers. If you do toil
in the soil, let noble and high thoughts engage your minds, and remember you
are the freest people on God's green earth, if you want to be. Farmers should
visit and be more social with one another, and then they would not be so
easily swindled by every lightning-rod agent or any other "old codger" that
happens along. The factory operatives should not be made to work over ten
hours a day, and the day is not far when the ten-hour law will be a law in
North Carolina. The negro population of our State is the greatest hindrance
to compulsory education. The good white people of the State are not ready
to be taxed any more to educate negroes. "We might give the negroes four
months' school and make eight months for whites, then I would be in favor of
compulsory education, otherwise I am not. As the whites constitute two-thirds
of the population, and pay ninety per cent of the taxes, I consider this a
liberal proposition. Can it be done?—A. Gaither Huggins, Belwood.
Compulsory Education—Divide School Funds.—I am in favor of a compul-sory
educational system, because thousands of parents will deny their off-spring
educational advantages unless compelled to do so, and I believe it
should be carried out without further hesitation, for it is the duty of the
people to pull together in a body and aid the State. But I am not in favor of
the funds raised by taxation for public schools to be used in common for both
races, for the negro has long since failed to appreciate what we have done for
him, and I think we ought to see if some law can't be formulated by which
the tax paid by the whites can be used to educate white children, and taxes
paid by negroes used to educate the negro race. I don't pretend to debate the
question, as I am narrow on the subject, but it is my impression that educa-tion
on this plan would be more beneficial to our country.—J. H. Richardson,
Benaja.
Temperate Habits—Compulsory Education—Local Taxation—Better Pub-lic
Roads.—In my opinion wage-earners would improve their condition by
being better educated and taught to adopt more temperate habits, abstain
from the use of intoxicating drink and the excessive use of tobacco in all it&
forms. Many of the working people are very temperate, but quite a number
who depend on their wages for support are not so. They ought to be taught
better habits in school. One cause of the financial condition of the people
being bad is in consequence of bad crops and the destructive rains and freshets
during the past year. I believe the most important question before the people
of North Carolina now is the education of the children, and in order to accom-plish
this I believe a compulsory school law properly framed would have a
good effect. My observation teaches me the fact that in many districts in this
26 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
county not more than half the children attend the public schools, from pure
carelessness, or they find some fault with the teacher and fail to attend. It
seems to me if the State has power to tax the property of the people for public
education it has the power to see that the children attend schools. While I
favor compulsory education, I favor local taxation, so as to give longer terms
and better teachers and better school-houses than many of the kind now in
use in this county. I also believe that the financial condition of the people of
this county would be very much improved if we had better public roads. Our
roads are in very bad condition and need improving.—J. Eller, Berlin.
Need Rigid Compulsory School Law.—The only hope for the financial and
moral welfare of our people is a rigid compulsory school law. We are in
need of education and our law-makers have, it seems, done all they can for us,
until they pass a law and force us to educate. Let them pass the law by all
means, and be careful and make it strictly compulsory.—T. M. Frizell, Beta.
Economize—Practice Golden Rule—Compulsory Education and Better
Roads.—Working people, or wage-earners, need to be taught economy in liv-ing,
neatness of person and surroundings, and encouraged to a higher standard
of living. The Golden Rule practiced by employers would make a great
change in the condition of both employe and employer. Do away with the
whiskey shops, and compel all parents and guardians to send their children
and wards to the public schools. Do away with the present public road law,
issue bonds and put the roads in good order. The present tax would keep the
roads in order and pay a small amount as sinking fund.—S. C. Humphries,
Bethel Hill.
Compulsory Education Necessary.—In regard to compulsory education, I
think parents should be compelled to send their children to the public schools
between the ages of ten and sixteen years, at least four months in the year, if
the school term should be that long. If something is not done to educate our
young men, oh, where are they going to stand after 1908? When the Consti-tutional
Amendment shall come in force they will have to stand back with
the illiterate negro and have no voice in our government affairs.—W. A.
Cagle, Big Lick.
Eight Months' Compulsory Education.—I am in favor of more schools and
better schools'. I am most assuredly in favor of compulsory education; also,
have a school eight months in the year.
—
John M. Mace, Bowman's Bluff.
Compulsory Education Best fqr Wage-earners.—I think compulsory educa-tion
would be the best thing that could be done in the way of legislation for
the wage-earners, as those who need it most are the ones who are more care-less
in sending. I am not prepared to say how soon it should be brought
about, though it seems to me the sooner the better.—W. A. Harward, Bridge-port.
Condition of Farmers. 27
Cash Prices for Employes—Compulsory Education.—My opinion as to the
needs of wage-earners is, that they should have their rations sold to them at
cash prices when they work by the day. I know of men who sell their em-ployes
rations at time prices when they are working for wages, and I think
there should be a law to prohibit it. As to the compulsory school law, I think
we need very badly a law to compel parents to send their children to school at
least four months in a year, from the age of eight to sixteen, unless provi-dentially
hindered; and also, better prepared and better paid school teachers.
The educational interest of old Stanly is greater than for years, and I think
with the present encouragements she will fast come to the front.—N. A.
Teeter, Big Lick.
Compulsory Education With Christian Teachers.—My suggestion to help
the wage-earners is good, religious and moral training; trained to deal hon-estly
with their fellow-man and to respect themselves enough to put some
valuation on themselves, and it seems to me the only way this can be brought
about is by compulsory education by good, Christian teachers, as near so as
can be adopted throughout the State.—T. J. Freeman, Bladenboro.
Need Manufacturing Enterprises and Compulsory School Law.—We peo-ple
in this particular section need capitalists to locate here and establish
manufacturing enterprises that will turn out finished product from the fine
timber that surrounds this glorious mountain country. It would greatly
benefit the laboring class, as they could then get cash for their labor and save
the profits on what they have to buy. In regard to compulsory education,
would say that I am strongly in favor of same, regardless of the Constitu-tional
Amendment. We will never amount to anything or be in a position to
accomplish anything, or compete with the world, until our people put them-selves
in a position by educating their children so they can comprehend. I
am in favor not only of requiring parents to educate, or provide a way to edu-cate
their children, but of making it an offense, punishable by imprisonment
for five years, for any man or woman reaching twenty-one years of age after
1908 who can not read and write and make eighty per cent in second-grade
arithmetic. If such a law could be passed I would favor making every man
and woman coming of age after 1908 who can not read and write leave the
State. Of course this could not be done, but I wish it could be. There are so
many people who could get a fair education who will not have it. They
should be forced to take it in any way that is the surest.—W. H. Battley,
Bryson City.
Six Months' Compulsory Attendance Per Year.—It will be a great benefit
to have a compulsory education law for all children from eight years old up
to thirteen years, giving them six months' schooling a year. The majority of
the people favor the Amendment so as to make them get a better education.
The laboring class of people are very independent. Many young people are
leaving the rural districts for the towns, making farm labor high and uncer-tain.—
J. F. Homewood, Burlington.
28 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Need Compulsory School Law—Banish Whiskey.—As to compulsory edu-cation,
I will say that such an enactment would be to the interest of our peo-ple.
A sad and lamentable fact now confronting us is, that a great many of
our white boys now coming along will be deprived of the right to vote after
the year 1908, unless there is more done in the way of educating the masses.
My opinion is, that nothing short of a compulsory school law will improve the
present condition of things, as parents do not take the interest they should in
sending their children to school. Will further say that whiskey is the curse
of our country. Some very rigid restrictions are needed in that line. I hail
the day when this evil will be largely banished from our country.—W. J. Mc-
Cluee, Bushnell.
Mineral Interests Booming—Must Have Compulsory Education.—In this
mountainous part of North Carolina we have no very good farming land, but
the mineral interest is on a boom. We have some good copper mines and
some gold and nickel. It seems to me that the people of our good old State of
patriotism should at once get patriotic about the education of our children.
They should remember that after 1908 if they are not able to read and write
they will be where? Down with the poor, uneducated negro; not allowed to
vote; not allowed to say anything about who is to rule over them. But there
will be some who will let their sons go on this way until we have a law that
will compel them to send to school. What chance has the young man or
woman now who is uneducated to make a good living compared with the
educated? Twenty years ago they could get along pretty well. Twenty years
from now it will be ten-fold worse than now. Some say they are not in favor
of compelling; that it is their own business whether they send to school or
not; that they had no education, and their children can do as well as they
have. Shame on such men. They should be compelled to educate their sons
and daughters. The compulsory law has
-
worked well in States and countries
where they have had it. These States are the wealthiest we have. Ignorance
and wealth don't go together. We can never hope to have a wealthy State
until we educate the people who are to rule it. Give us the compulsory
school law, and soon you will see a wealthy and happy State.—R. M. Thomas-son,
Bushnell.
Labor Scarce—Interest in Education Aroused.—Laborers and wage-earn-ers
are badly needed in this section of North Carolina. It looks to me that
nine-tenths of the white boys, just as soon as they are twenty-one years of
age, go off to some cotton mill or other public work, and the colored are about
all gone from this vicinity. They have all gone to towns or some public
work* It seems as if all the labor is drifting away. Farm hands are getting
to be very scarce in this section. I do not favor a compulsory school law
just now, but I think it will eventually come. People seem to be more aroused
on the subject of education than they have been for years. We had an educa-tional
rally at Caldwell Institute on August 14th. Prof. Charles E. Maddry,
Superintendent of Schools, of Orange County, was here and gave an educa-tional
address that was appreciated by all who heard him.—A. Wilkerson,
Caldwell Institute.
Condition of Farmers. 29
t nm Spabce-not Need Compulsoby EmJCATioN.-The people in my
Labob Scarce Do ^ haye tenants and croppers. I do not
section do all of then own wort.
township. If
think there could be a man hired for wages by he y
schoc,.houses,
there is one so hired I have no know^ed e of it W g ^
^orrSktnrtsre^rrouaL ;** »*» T suasion, I think all wno a
dQ .
g ^^ &nd tQ try to
To force one to do a ^f f^^Jnt to learn is an impossibility. In
compel °™^1™^X™^ tell h7s pupils that a little boy could take a
ZTtTlZZ IZZ could not make him drink if he was not thirsty.-
J. W. Teery, Caldwell Institute.
BETTER SYSTEM OE EMPLOYMENT-COST OE PRODUCTION VARXES.-Thel'e BhOUld
,»Tbstter s^cm among farmers in regard to employing bands. If we
lul re ulr lasers to bring a certificate from their former employer n
should ^l"^ M t haraer to do their dnty. In regard to S^^SSSnvaries with the seasons, the land and the farms,
1 Tery large per cen^odneed b=of bad^^^oX
Ze tor the land-owner nothing for use of land and support of fannly.-
O. W. Sutton, Calypso.
A Bleeding NECESSiTY.-Compulsory school law is a bleeding necessity
eittefin private or public schools, at least four months in each year with
tanda d books throughout the State, so parties moving from one section o
tne State to another would not have new books to buy; and also, that we
nave a better class f teachers than we generally have now. We need good
County Superintendents, who will not have any pets, and that public schoo
moneys come to each and all schools in the shortest way possible with the
"as expen" .The taxes paid by the whites for schools should be only used
rthe whites, and the colored race have only the benefit of their own moneys.
A. R. Hilbtjen, Canetuck.
Need ManueactubincEnteepbxses-Compulsoby ^™XW
°MUme
public works in our county of any consequence, therefore, we hav but little
demand for labor. Our county is rough and mountainous, and but little labor
h red on the farm. We have as fine water-power for machinery as anywhere
Tie State, and I think nothing would benefit us more than the building ot
ma'ufLri'es. As to compulsory school law, if it could be carried^out suc-cessfully
it would be of great benefit to the rising generation Th people do
not taJ the interest in school that they should. Not more than half of the
"hool population attend as they should. If the law could be properly en-orced
I would favor it, for it seems that something must be done if we edu-cate
the children of the State. We have no negroes in my township.-J. L.
Randall, Canto.
30 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
•
Condition of Farmers. 31
Better Wages—Better Conditions—Amendment Sufficient.—The wage-earners
in this county are receiving better wages, on account of increase in
lumber trade, than they were one year ago. The wage-earner is being paid
more of his wages in cash now than heretofore, which has a tendency to
encourage the average wage-earner to do better work than when he is paid off
in barter or orders. On the farm I find that hands furnished with good work
stock and good tools and a foreman that don't sit at the nearest country store
or railroad station and whittle white-pine boxes, has a tendency to improve
the quantity and quality of labor. Labor is usually paid off in proportion to
quantity and quality. Bad foremen and sorry stock, sorry tools and things
scattered promiscuously over the farm and allowed to remain that way, make
sorry hands. Education is power, and should be encouraged by every citizen.
I think the Amendment to the Constitution as good a compulsory school law
as we can have now, with the present school law and the present indisposi-tion
to send to school and the indisposition of the school teachers to visit the
parents and see why "Jim and Sally Smith" are not in school to-day.
—
Wil-liam
Ledbetter, Canton.
Labor Unreliable—Compulsory Education.—In regard to wages, will say
that there is not a great deal of hiring in this vicinity, owing to the very
small farms and the financial condition of our farmers. We all try to plant
just what we think we can manage ourselves, owing to the uncertainty of help
when needed. There are not many white laborers, but nearly all colored, and
they will not stay a year at the time, and if they can get berries, fruit, etc.,
you can not control them at all for any length of time. In regard to compul-sory
education, will say that the white boys of North Carolina will never be
educated unless laws are enacted to put them in school. Many are too lazy
and indolent to want an education, and parents think they are compelled to
keep their children at home to do all the farm labor in the fall of the year.
Many of them will not, until compelled to do so, make any sacrifice for their
children. If you speak to them of their children's educational needs, they
will answer you, that they had none of those opportunities, and if their chil-dren
would accomplish as much as they had, they would be satisfied. You
can not show them that better education is required to-day than twenty years
ago. Give us a mild form of compulsory education, and then you will see the
attendance larger and progress will be faster. When children come to school
one or two days in the week they do nothing themselves and hinder those with
whom they come in contact. All pupils should be required to attend at least
three-fourths of the time, but provision should be made for those who are too
poor to clothe and furnish books for their children.
—
John A. Fry, Carthage.
Compulsory Education Necessary.—To do the people good, compulsory
education is necessary. Negroes take advantage of school and whites do not. —A. W. Alston, Centreville.
32 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Regulate Time Prices—Compulsory Education a Step Toward Anarchy.—
Farming seems to be generally on a decline. The greater number of small
farmers are growing financially worse off every year, and are compelled to
mortgage their crops before they are planted and pay two prices for what
they buy, and deliver that crop for whatever they can get; and the result is
there is a hard year's work gone and the merchant gets it, and the average
young man becomes discouraged and seeks other employment. This is one
of the principal reasons that farming is on a decline. I think, and would
suggest, that there should be some regulation as to the profits charged on
goods sold on time, for it is ruining the agriculture of the country. As to
compulsory education, it will not meet the approval of the people at all. It is
only one step toward anarchy, and I don't think anything else can be said
for it.—D. S. Rice, Castalia.
Better Homes and Better Understanding—Compulsory Education.—Farm
labor generally need better homes and more regular employment; also, a bet-ter
understanding of each other, between employer and employe. Farm labor
ought to be more reliable, and look after the interest of the employer, and
give less attention to fun and frolic, discord, whiskey and tobacco. The
women and children should help more than they do. They need better educa-tional
advantages and compulsory education.
—
John McDowell, Charlotte.
Wages too Low—Compulsory Education a Moral Duty.—I think it would
be better for wage-earners to work at public works, as we have a great many
different plants in our county. Wages on the farm are not high enough com-pared
with the price of farm products. I am in favor of compulsory educa-tion,
because we want to see every white man have the benefit of the suffrage
law after 1908. Education helps the laboring man in every trade or business.
He gathers new ideas more readily, takes more interest in his work, keeps
better company, lives better and happier; and then it is the duty of every man
to see that his children are educated. We will always find some people op-posed
to any law that might be framed, so we can expect some people to oppose
a law of this kind. It would be a law simply compelling us to do a moral
duty we owe our children.—L. H. J. Houser, Gherryville.
Labor Unreliable—Compulsory Education Necessary.—The small farm is
the only safe way in the rural districts of this county without a revolution
in labor. The negro is totally unreliable, and all the whites are doing some-thing
for themselves, except the shiftless class, and they are very unreliable.
The Legislature should pass a compulsory educational law at this session, or
there will be many young men coming of age after 1908 whose parents will
be the cause of their disfranchisement. It will be for the good of the State
and the betterment of society and religion. Educate the people and you
civilize and refine them and make them honorable.—W. C. Brewer, Chip.
Condition of Farmers. 33
Must Have Compulsory School Law.—As to the requirements of the Con-stitutional
Amendment in regard to education, I am clearly of the opinion
that we will be behind if we do not have a compulsory school law, and that
soon. I don't mean a law that is very rigid. Require all children to attend
school a certain number of months in a certain number of years, say three
months in a year, from the age of seven to fourteen, making a total of twenty-one
months in seven years, and it seems to me that any boy of ordinary mind
or intelligence could learn to read and write in that time. I make this as a
suggestion, not as a perfect model. In our school last year it was with diffi-culty
we could keep the average attendance to one-fifth, and it may be so in
other places as well. Let's have compulsory school law by all means, and if
the parents are too poor to buy books, have free books, too.—W. H. Holland,
Christie.
Take Interest in Employer's Work—Conditions not Good for Compulsory
School Law.—It seems to me the greatest need of the wage-earner is an in-terest
in his employer's work. He should try to give a good day's labor,
thereby enabling his employer to make a profit so that wages could be raised.
I always give good hands extra pay. There is work now for everybody and
fair wages, but there is too much shifting from place to place with most
laborers, and they can not be relied on. Compulsory education may be very
necessary, but with our scattered school-houses it would be a great hardship
on many parents. Our roads are not kept in condition for children to go two
and three miles to school and back. Many parents are entirely dependent
upon their children to help house the crops. I think we need better schools,
better houses, and better roads to these schools before we get a very stringent
compulsory school law.
—
John Humphrey, Clark. w.i_saif 1
Conditions Improving—Need Better Schools and Compulsory Education.—
-
Many persons believe that legislation is, to a great extent, controlled by the
money power, and the farmer, having so little of this commodity, is discrimi-nated
against. Be this true or not, the condition of the laborer is gradually
improving, both financially and morally. Better public schools, I mean
schools with longer terms, and the employment of more competent and better
paid teachers, will help the masses. The building of permanent highways
will add to the wealth of our State and the farming class. I favor a compul-sory
school law, knowing as I do that many parents whose children would be
most benefited by attendance on the public schools, are totally indifferent to
the opportunities thus afforded.—A. C. Wharton, Clemmonsville.
Wage-earners—Compulsory Education.—I will consider these subjects
from a non-partisan standpoint, and look at them from the standpoint of jus<
tice, freedom and equal rights to all and special privileges to none. Wage-earners
would be bettered by a law enacted and strictly enforced to prohibit
34 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
North Carolina Geape<
Condition of Farmers. 35
the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors in the State. It would save
lives, both temporal and spiritual, save property from being squandered, and
save the tax-payers from paying the expense of about three-fourths the crimi-nal
cases on the docket. The laboring class produces most of the wealth, and
the traders, professional men and officers amass it and enjoy it. I suggest that
the number of officers be reduced (such as County Boards of Elections, Elec-tion
Bailiffs, etc. ) , and the salaries of many officers reduced. We would then
save money to pay overseers and road hands for labor on the roads, and this
saving would not 'raise our taxes. In addition to this, levy a tax on property
sufficient to buiM good roads, and the laborer will certainly be benefited by
receiving a reasonable compensation for his labor, while he, and all other
persons, will be benefited by having good roads to enable them to get their
products to market. I believe that good roads and good schools are the prin-cipal
things to build up a country. As to compulsory education, the Constitu-tional
Amendment has about all the compulsion in it that the poor, un-fortunate
wage-earner can bear. It has taken thousands of poor white men's
liberty from them, because it compels poll tax to be paid a certain time. It
compels a literary qualification, after 1908, which will deprive many of the
dearest right which they possess, except the right to worship according to the
dictates of their consciences. If a compulsory school law benefits any, it will
be the people of affluence who can send to school, and if it oppresses any, it will
be the poor people who can not send to school. It seems that these compul-sory
laws are thrusts at the poor people, and Christ said, "For ye have the
poor with you always." Again it is said, "The poor shall never cease out of the
land," and some of these poor are as good people as there are this side of
heaven. A compulsory law will enfringe on parental law and liberty, and, per-haps,
fail to accomplish the object aimed at. The Hon. W. D. Turner, Lieu-tenant-
Governor of North Carolina, said in a literary address, that we never
have had a universal education, nor never would have. He says some have no
talent for book learning and should be educated in something for which they
have a talent. It seems that the object aimed at in a compulsory law is to
learn the boys to read and write so they may vote. I feel very sure that there
are many other qualifications necessary to make good citizens and intelligent
and safe voters. They must have implanted and cultivated in the mind and
heart habits of honesty, truthfulness, industry, enterprise, perseverance, econ-omy,
morality and piety. Without these principles we can not make great
and good men in the true sense of the word, although they might have a com-plete
education from a literary point of view. The Divine law does not re-quire
any literary or poll-tax qualification for voters. "The small cast lots as
well as the great; the scholar as well as the teacher." We should extend to
all the privilege to vote. I favor giving the poor every advantage possible for
free education. All should be encouraged and helped, if necessary, that they
may send to school.—E. B. Hendren, Cline.
Labor Unreliable—No Demand for Compulsory Education.—Wage-earners
are doing well—all those who will work. The most of them are inclined to
ramble, hunting a place where they can live, get big wages and work but
36 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
little. It appears to me that the most of the negroes are restless and want to
tramp from place to place, and when they work they want their pay at night.
Farmers generally don't know what kind of a crop to commence in the spring
of the year, whether large or small, on account of unreliable labor. Straw-berries
ripen in a very busy time and our farm hands leave those that they
have contracted with and go to the berry fields, and when they get through
there, huckleberries are ripe and they make for the huckleberry ponds; after
this they work a day at one place, the next at another, and so on, until cotton
is to pick, then they pick what cotton they want to and quit. So you see our
condition; give us a remedy if you can. As to education, I am strongly in
favor of it, but as to compulsory education, I am opposed to it, and if there is
one person in my neighborhood or township that is in favor of it, I have not
met him; and I will say again that I live in one of the best neighborhoods in
my county. My people send their children to school all they can, and at a
time when their convenience is consulted, and I believe we have as few illit-erates
in our neighborhood as you will find anywhere in the State. The
schools are good enough now; do let the people alone. I think if you will con-sult
the people generally you will find what I say is the trutn. A great many
of your correspondents say they are in favor of compulsory education. They
may be, but ask the people, and you will see they are opposed to such a law.
Give the white people a four-months' free school and a good teacher and
they will attend to the balance. There is too much done for the negro now.
Learn him to depend upon himself some and I think he will do better.—R. M.
Crumpler, Sr., Clinton.
Higher Morals and Compulsory Education.—In regard to the needs of the
wage-earners, I can think of nothing that would improve their condition
except a higher morality and more education. In regard to compulsory edu-cation,
I am of the opinion that we need a law that will require parents and
guardians of children to send them to some school for at least two months in
each year, until the child is able to read and write. Such a law could not
work a hardship to anyone. The law should provide for the extremely poor
parent or guardian, etc.—J. W. Putnam, Collinsville.
Compulsory School Law.—I think it ought to be the aim of the next Legis-lature
to pass some compulsory law to make the poorer classes send their
children to school at least a few months in the year, as there are lots of people
in this section who will not send their children when they can.
—
Charles A.
Rhodes, Comfort.
Med Compulsory School Law.—I believe it to be the duty of the State to
educate her citizens. For a number of years the State has made it possible
for the children to be educated, and since it has proven a failure, the State
ought to compel attendance. If I, as a tax-payer, am compelled to pay for the
education of my neighbor's children, the law ought to compel their attendance.
We are not prepared for a rigid and severe law, but in mild form it ought to
be introduced.
—
John A. Watts, Concord.
Conditions of Farmers. ^
Negro Unreliable—Compulsory School Law a Necessity.—Negro labor is
so unreliable that if one promises to work you don't know that you will get
him until he comes, unless he owes you, then you know he is not coming. I
favor a compulsory school law, not from principle, but I believe it to be a
necessity. I believe a compulsory law would be beneficial to the children of
poor and careless parents. A compulsory law should be mild to commence
with.—J. M. C. Penninger, Cooleemee.
Wage-earners Need Nothing—Compulsory Law Tyrannical.—As to the
wage-earners in the county, they do not need anything better than they have,
unless it would be better muscle and tougher hands. We have all the work
that we need at good wages—water boys seventy-five cents and men one dollar
per day. As to compulsory school law, it is tyrannical. There is a class of
people here that could not go to school, for they would actually starve to
death. Taking this into consideration, they must have relief, and the only
means of relief is for the County Commissioners to either buy a farm or
establish some sort of factory for the benefit of that class; then if they will
not go to school, or are too poor, compel them to work, and by so doing they
might learn some kind of trade, which would be better than education in
books. The laborer is the man that keeps the country from starvation and
nakedness. I do not condemn education, by any means. I am highly in
favor of it. I am aware that the future prosperity, the glory and the
grandeur of our beloved country rests on the intelligence of our youth. I am
also aware that an enlightened and virtuous people can never be enslaved. I
would encourage all the youth of our country to educate themselves. I would
rather give everyone an equal chance and a free privilege��let e^ery tub stand
on its own bottom, each work out his own soul's salvation. God gives us this
privilege, and so does our republican form of government, and whatever you-do,
do nothing contrary to these two higher powers.—W. H. Anderson, Cul-berson.
State Should Furnish Books and Compel Attendance.—As to compulsory
education. I think it should become a law and the schools taught at a season
of the year not to interfere with the crops. The attendance on our public
schools is very poor, and by the class of people who are able to educate their
children. The schools, as they are now, do not reach the class they are in-tended
to reach. The State ought to furnish books free, which would increase
the attendance. No one could possibly lose in the long run by such a course.
There are a great many poor people who would send to school if they were
able to buy books, and I do not see how we could enforce a compulsory school
law, unless the State furnished books. My idea is that if the State would
furnish school books free it would increase the attendance fifty per cent. I
hope to see the day when parents will be compelled to give their children a
good education and our State will furnish the means free, including books.
—
A. G. Corpening, Cora.
38 North Carolina^Labor Statistics.
Condition of Farmers. 39
Annihilate Distilleries—Mild Compulsory School Law.—In suggesting
the needs of the wage-earner in this locality, I beg to say that, in my opinion,
one of the greatest blessings that could come to the laboring class would be
the annihilation of the distilleries. I do not think that I exaggerate when I
say that ninety-nine per cent of all want and poverty and crime is either
directly or indirectly caused by liquor. There are men, to my knowledge, who
will spend their earnings for liquor, get drunk, abuse their wives, and see
their children go in rags, in order to gratify their craving desire for strong
drink. But as we are not likely to get rid of the distilleries, then let the
next Legislature enact a law making drunkenness a misdemeanor, with a
severe penalty attached. It would be the means of bringing peace and happi-ness
to many a family which is now in poverty and misery. As to a compul-sory
education law, would say that I am in favor of such a law, provided it is
not too severe. The people of this section are all farmers, and, as a general
thing, are all poor, and they can not do without their children on the farm
during the summer months. But from the first of November to the first of
April farmers can very well spare their children to go to school, which would
give us a five-months' school. Now, as the State taxes us to educate the chil-dren,
I think that it should also compel parents to give their children the
advantage of the money paid into the free schools for them, and then I think
that the free schools should be more carefully looked after, and that we should
have better teachers and pay them better wages. The way the free schools
are run in some sections is nothing but a waste of the people's money.—E. J.
Eaton, Conrads.
Compulsory School Law Would not do.—I have thought that a compulsory
education was the best thing for us, but after trying to force our people to
send to teachers that they did not like, I find it would not do. I think if
there were better teachers, or at least the morals of the teachers were looked
after more closely, it might be better, and after a while we could have com-pulsory
law. I think education would help the white wage-earners, but edu-cation
has proven a curse to the negro laborer. There are a number of saw-mills
in this section and a great many of the farm hands have gone to them.—
Alfred Baldwin, Covington.
Need Manufacturing Enterprises and Compulsory Education.—The thing
which I believe would do the wage-earner the most good, or would do the most
to help him, is an increase in manufacturing establishments, because an in-crease
of hands employed at work other than farming increases the price of
farm products. This would benefit all classes of wage-workers, and would
also make farming a better business, both for the farmer and for his hirelings.
I think compulsory education would be a great benefit to the people as a whole
if they could only be made to see and realize the condition of their children
fifteen years from to-day. God pity the man's children who cares so little for
them as to allow them to loaf about during school months and grow up in
ignorance, unfit to fill any respectable position in life. Give us a law that
40 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
will compel such men to send their children to school for the children's sake.
A compulsory school law, in my opinion, is the only way to reach those poor
children. I think if parents do not take enough interest in their welfare to
send them to school when they can go free, then the parents should be taught
that other people are concerned for their good. While compulsory education
may be the cause of privation and hardship to some, perhaps many, in view
of the Constitutional Amendment, and especially the good of the children in
after-life, when they have grown to manhood and womanhood, I believe it
would be better for parents to endure these hardships, which I do not believe
would mean starvation, than to sacrifice the future welfare and happiness of
their children. With such a law in force we would soon get out of ignorance
and superstition, and after 1908 there could hardly be found a boy twelve
years of age who could not read and write intelligently. These are some of
my views on the subject of education.—I. B. Pless, Cruso.
Work by the Year—Compulsory Education.—The wage-earner ought to
have better wages for his work; also, his job ought to last one year at least.
I am in favor of compulsory school law, for we have the Amendment and when
1908 comes there will be some men that can't read, and there always will be
some who can't vote, unless we have the compulsory school law, for there are
some parents who won't send their children to school unless they have it to
do. So with the facts before me I am in favor of the compulsory school law,
for we need educated farmers as well as statesmen.—L. M. Stephens, Cowarts.
Negroes do not Need Compulsion, but Whites do—Divide School Fund.—
We need a compulsory school law, especially for the whites. If our people
are not compelled to send their children to school the negro will be ahead by
1908, as they send them to school all the winter and part of the spring, bread
or no bread. I think the white people's money should go to the education of
the white race and the colored to the colored race. The white people have
been paying taxes a long time to educate the negro. The negro who has no
education is the best worker and the most agreeable and the best satisfied.
We need our money to educate our own boys and girls. In my own commu-nity
I don't know of any negroes that can read and write that are making their
own support by honest labor. We need common labor, and the less they know
about books, the more they do about a hoe or plow. We don't want educated
negroes on the farm. When you educate a negro it ruins him for labor. This
is our experience in Pender.—F. B. Orr, Currie.
Labor Indifferent—Poor Crops—Compulsory School Law.—There are
many who seem content if their present wants are supplied. If wage-earners
and tenants would improve their opportunities well the year round, in a short
time their condition would be much better. The land-owner finds it necessary
to work closely all the year to make any progress, and what is true of him is
Condition of Farmers. 41
true in reference to hired hands or tenants. In our section farmers are dis-posed,
I think, to pay all their work will afford, but for years past our crops
have been so light and prices so low that it is hard to clear expenses, even at
small wages. This year our wheat, at $1.00 per bushel, would not meet the
cost of production. There was an unusually small yield. I am unable to say
what could be done in the way of legislation to help the wage-earners, but am
sure they might help themselves very much by more rigid economy of time
and in the use of what they earn. In reference to a compulsory school law, I
am sure it would be very hard on many of our people to furnish books, clothes
and board to send to school; and yet it is true that many parents are not
sufficiently interested to do what they could easily accomplish. Canvassing
the State in the usual way does very little good, from the fact that those who
need so much to be aroused are not present, as a rule, to hear. I would sug-gest
that any legislation on this subject should be with great care and in mild
form. It is certainly useless for the State to make a law that can not be
enforced. Let our people look well before taking a leap.—P. Oliver, Dalton.
Compulsory Law Could not be Enforced—It Would Put Two Negroes to
One White in School.—I am opposed to compulsory education in this State
at the present, for several reasons. First, the class of people that a compul-sory
law is intended to reach and benefit are the very poorest people of the
State, consequently the children of this class are very destitute of proper
clothing and food, and without means to purchase books, and a great many
people can not spare their children to go to school more than three or four
months in a year. Second, in my opinion, a compulsory law can not be en-forced.
You can't collect fines out of the parents for failing to send their
children; you can't put them in jail. If you do, you will have to feed their
children, or they will starve. I see no reason why the State should burden
itself with a law it can not enforce, and, in my humble opinion, if the State
wants to benefit this class of children, they should appropriate a fund suffi-cient
to at least buy books for the very poor children. I believe a compulsory
school law in this State would put two negro children in school every time it
put one white child, as the negro mother cares but little about the clothing her
children wear to school.—J. M. Thrash, Davidson River.
Labor Content—Opposed to Compulsory School Law.—There is not much
help for wage-earners here. They are content, and say, "Let each day pro-vide
for itself." I am not for compulsory education, as it would be hard on
these liberty-loving mountain people, but if we should get it, let the school
age be reduced to sixteen years, as the work of those pupils after sixteen is of
considerable value to themselves and their parents, and take the attention of
the teacher from the younger ones.
—
Otto Kirstein, Dills.
Give us Compulsory Education.—I am at present, and have been for years,
connected with our public school system, and favor the education of our peo-ple
in the public schools of the State, and I am in favor of compulsory educa-
42 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
tion. I see boys and girls in this district who would make useful citizens if
they were forced to go to school. I believe it would cost less to educate these
people than it does to prosecute and maintain them in prisons. I do hope that
our Superintendent of Public Instruction, with yourself, will recommend and
insist on the next Legislature passing a compulsory education law, and then
see that it is put in force. Someone will say, "Where is the money to come
from, as we are now taxed to the constitutional limit?" I would suggest that
the appraisers raise the valuation of all real and personal property, whereby
we may have the money. Half of the property in Western North Carolina is
taxed at about one-third value, and the rest at not over one-half value, so you
see the State is robbed of at least one-half of what it should have to educate
our people. Give us compulsory education.—R. F. Jarrett, Dillsboro.
Compulsory School Law.—I favor a compulsory school law, and think it is
due the common people that they should have it, and their children forced to
attend school. I do not think it would be wise to compel children to attend
school from six to twenty-one years, but let the law remain as it is, to permit
them to go from six to twenty-one, and compel them to go from about eight to
twelve or fourteen years of age.—D. N. Hunt, Dexter.
Compulsory Education—Establish Factories.—I favor a compulsory edu-cation
for the following reasons: First, the Constitutional Amendment,
which we adopted in 1900, requires that all male persons who become twenty-one
years of age after 1908 shall be able to read and write, and as many
people seem careless about the matter of educating their children, I think
that we should have a compulsory school law in order to prepare the boys to
be able to vote after 1908. Second, this is fast becoming an age of education
and progress in all branches, and I think that the youth of both sexes should
be educated, in order that they may keep step with the progress of the coun-try.
I think that it would be of benefit to the wage-earners of the country to
establish cotton mills and other manufacturing industries in our section.
This would give employment to the people, and also add to the prosperity of
the country.—D. D. King, Dublin.
Farmers do Their Own Work—Do not Know About Compulsory Educa-tion.—
Wage-earners do not amount to much. The farmers do most of their
work and get along with very little hiring. Wages here are not worth con-sidering.
As to compulsory education, I hardly know what would be best.
Just to learn to read and write in order to vote I do not think amounts to
much. If we would educate so they would be factors in the business world it
would be a praiseworthy thing. Anything short of this will amount to very
little, so far as citizenship is concerned. I am not sure that this educational
qualification is the thing it is claimed to be. We all know it was done for a
purpose. If it accomplishes that purpose I suppose it will please the advo-cates
of it. I do not lay as much stress upon voting as some do, anyway.
—
J. R. Denton, Dysortville.
Condition of Farmers. 43
Need Better System of Wages—Time fob Compulsory Education.—We
need a better system in North Carolina in order to bring a better class of
labor to tbe farms. If we can in some way induce the landlord to pay his
men according to what they are worth it will improve the wage-earner
throughout the entire Southland. The average wages are from eight to ten
dollars per month, regardless of the ability of the man. There is no en-couragement
to the poor white boy who is worthy and industrious to work
hard in the field by the side of a lazy negro who is getting ten dollars per
month. Give every man what he is worth. As to education, I am sure there
are people who will not send their children to school regularly until we have a
compulsory law. I trust that the time is now at hand when the State will act
in favor of compulsory education.—C. L. Mann, East Lake.
Need Stock and Bird Law and Agricultural Literature—Better Roads.—
I think the Legislature ought to pass a stock law. The destruction of tim-ber
at the present for fencing is something serious. Some of our most useful
and valuable birds are rapidly becoming extinct, and shooting should not be
allowed for the next three years. I understand the Texas Farmers' Congress
will ask the Legislature of that State to appropriate $10,000.00 for the mainte-nance
of the Farmers' Industrial Associations. It seems to me that the
General Assembly should apportion a little to each county in our State, to be
used, if nothing more, to establish a library with farm literature. This
would not be a constant drain on the State, for after they once become
aroused they would, in all probability, supply themselves. I don't know a
,
single farmer in my neighborhood who takes any agricultural literature.
This may be a little off the track, but what benefits the farmers, benefits
every other class of people, either directly or indirectly. Better roads is a
matter that concerns us very much, for better roads means better farms, and
improvements of farms means more tax. Give us a special road tax, convict
labor, or anything that will give us better roads.—W. H. Reid, Elizabeth City.
Compulsory Education for Whites—Economy Needed.—Since the Constitu-tional
Amendment I am not in favor of a compulsory school law if it can not
be passed for the white race only. Nothing that I know of would benefit the
wage-earners, unless they could be forced to save part of their wages, for in
this section of the State they spend it for what they could do without, and
more wages would do harm instead of benefiting them.—V. B. Carter, Elm
City.
People Becoming Poorer—Negroes Ahead of Whites.—In this locality peo-ple
are getting poorer, and it seems as if they grow worse, as times get harder
and work scarcer. Farming is not improving, and will not until all the tim-ber
is worked up. Negro labor is one of the poorest things in this country to
depend on. They will not work more than three or four days in a week.
Education is slowly improving, especially among the whites. The negroes
are improving faster than the whites.—Y. R. Porter. Emerson.
44 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Condition of Farmers. 45
Conditions Better Than Ever Before.—The condition of the farmers is
much better than it has been. They have made less debts and lived nearer
within their incomes. They are improving their farms, making more to one
acre than ever before, making their meat and molasses, raising more cattle,
and improving their land by sowing peas and other forage crops.—G. B.
Pruett, Ellenboro.
Compulsory School Law Impracticable.—Each school district has to num-ber
sixty-five. In order to do this it puts some school children three and four
miles away from a school-house. To compel some poor people to send their
children that distance, over mountains, through cold and snow, thinly clad,
would be a hardship almost unendurable and inhuman. Some will say, "Oh,
we will arrange and have the schools begin first of September and continue
four months." Well, now, most of the poor children have to work through
summer and fall in order to have something to eat during winter. Every
man, before he says he is in favor of a compulsory school law, should place
himself in the position of the poor man; then when it comes home properly
he is in favor of a free country- Education is needful, and we will have it,
but let us be free.—L. N. York, Elk Greek.
Divide School Fund—Compulsory Education.—I can conceive of nothing
that can be done to improve the wage-earner except on educational lines. We
think the Democratic party has assumed a grave responsibility in passing the
Amendment, and it should meet it heroically. We think the next step should
be to use the taxes collected from the whites to educate the white children of
North Carolina, and the colored applied to the colored children. This would
give ample means to educate the white children without any increase of taxes,
which are already heavy enough on the people. Some might think this a
narrow view, but we have done our full duty to the negro race since the close
of the war. The fact has been thoroughly demonstrated that educating the
negro unfits him for.labor and does not improve his moral status. I would
strongly recommend a compulsory school act by the next Legislature. Many
of our laboring people are too indifferent about educating their children.
Many of them are not availing themselves of the schools we now have.
—
John
W. Clayton, Englehard.
Too Much Loafing—Compulsory Education.—What wage-earners need is
better training in the economy of time. There is too much loafing and a
failure to appreciate the importance of time. Our farmers, and men of all
trades, need a better education. Our people will not be what they should be,
in the way of education, until the older ones, like the children of Israel, have
died out, and the younger generations have the proper care and training; and
that can not be had, in my judgment, without compulsory education.—J. E.
Jimeson, Estatoe.
46 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Compel Each Race to Educate its Children.—I do not favor compulsory
education, because we can't compel one race without the other, and I am op-posed
to taxing the white man to educate the negro. What we need is more
money for the white children, longer school terms and better teachers and
better pay for teachers and a fund to build better school-houses. The more
education you give the negro the better his chances for Penitentiary and less
value to the farmer; of course there are some few exceptions. Nearly all
abandon the farms, and it will soon be so we can't get farm hands, for they
all want to teach school or preach, and as soon as they can read and write will
be a curse to the country. Pass laws to compel each race to educate their own
children. If it is not constitutional, change the Constitution.—W. W. Rosser,
Essex.
Prohibition Law—Tax Dogs—Negroes do not Need Compulsory School
Law, "Whites do.—The best thing that could be done for the wage-earners of
North Carolina would be for the next Legislature to pass a strict and rigid
prohibition law to cover the whole State, and not let one drop of intoxicating
liquors be manufactured or sold, except as a medicine, and have a strict law
on the doctors who prescribe it as a medicine. This law would add one hun-dred
per cent to the wage-earners of this State, morally and financially; then
tax every dog one dollar. I know of children who suffer for bread and the
family keeping two worthless dogs. There is no game in this country and we
need but few dogs. We have no sheep, because the dogs have killed them.
Then we need a compulsory education law. This Constitutional Amendment
will not affect the negroes in this county, or at least in this township. The
colored children, or colored parents, do not need any compulsory law, for they
send their children to school, hot or cold, rain or shine, full or empty. But, I
am sorry to say, the whites do not send their children to school regular, and
some don't send a day during the year. The Constitutional Amendment is
compulsory law enough for the colored, but it don't seem to have any effect on
many of the whites, so I say give us a compulsory education law. It would
tell something for the State in ten or twenty years.—A. M. Benton, Evergreen.
Need Compulsory School Law.—I think we need the compulsory law very
much. So many of our people neglect to send their children to school, and
many children are never any good to themselves or to their country.—J. W.
King, Excelsior.
Work by the Year—Compulsory Education and Free Books.—The wage-earners
here work about six months in the year regular; after that they work
by the day, making the time about seven to eight months in the year. A better
plan would be for the wage-earners to work by the year. They would get
more and so would the employer. I believe a compulsory school law would
be far better coupled with a law for free school books by the State or counties.
I would also favor better graded school teachers, better school-houses and
fewer or less hours.—R. L. Young, Fairfield.
Condition of Farmers. 47
Reliable Labor—Favor Compulsory School Law.—In regard to the needs of
wage-earners, I would say the thing that would benefit them most, in my
opinion, is for them to he more reliable. Another failing among laborers is,
they are not interested in their work as they should be. As to compulsory
education, I would say that I have not changed my mind since last year. I
have favored a compulsory school law since the adoption of the Constitutional
Amendment. I am sure of the fact that twenty-five per cent of the children
of school age do not attend the public or private schools of our country, and
unless something is done to force their parents to send them to school they
will grow up in ignorance and be deprived of not only voting after 1908, but
of many of the blessings of life that they would otherwise enjoy. I do not
believe that every boy and girl should be compelled to go to college, or to get a
collegiate education, but I do think they should be compelled to attend school
at least three months in the year, between the ages of seven and fourteen
years.—J. W. Bowers, Fair Grove.
Economize—Each Race Educate its Children—Grade Labor.—Our labor-ing
class is mostly colored. I know nothing that will improve them until
they learn to save more of their earnings and dissipate less. My views on
compulsory education are, that if the State of North Carolina can separate
the races in public schools, in hotels, in theatres and on railroads and other
public places, it should do so in public school fund. With a law like they
have in South Carolina, where the negro taxes goes to educate their children,
I would favor compulsory education, or provided the money raised from white
tax-payers was applied to the maintenance of white schools and the colored
taxes to be applied to colored schools. As regards the improvement of farm
labor, I do not see any chance of much until the land-owners will classify
labor. When a man earns fifty, seventy-five cents or a dollar a day, give it to
him, and, in my judgment, it would encourage a good many laborers, who
only study how much they will get at night, or how much they can beat their
employer out of during the day, to go to work and try to get as much as any-one.
All mill men and other corporations pay according to what a man is
worth to them and I see no reason why farmers should not do likewise,
although the land-owners will have to establish the rules, for the renters can
not.—I. T. Haskins, Falling Creek.
Importance of Time and Truthfulness—No Way but Compulsory School
Law.—There are two things that, in my opinion, would benefit our laboring
class, both white and black; they are the importance of time, and the absolute
necessity of doing certain things at certain times. When they are employed
on the farm and are told to report for duty at 6 o'clock in the morning, when
the clock strikes six they should be there; as it is, "any old time" will do for
the most of them. Then the importance of telling the truth. I do not mean
to say they are, as a class, habitual liars, but they will say they will do so
and so and never do it, or if instructed to do a certain piece of work a certain
way, will agree to do it, and go off and never touch it. or do it the very op-
48 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
Condition of Farmers. 49
posite way and report to you that it is done correctly. In short, if they could
be made to understand that they must be reliable. I have been connected
with the public schools for the past three years as Township Trustee, and on
the County Board, and I see no way to educate the masses but by a strict com-pulsory
law. I realize that apparently it will, or might, work a hardship in
some isolated cases, but these same isolated cases have to pay taxes, hardship
or no hardship. I do not believe the average white man objects to paying a
tax for schools when he knows the white children are going to receive the
benefit, but it comes pretty hard when he knows he must pay the tax, and
perhaps only two-thirds or one-half of the white children will attend school.
The negro child is going to have an education; you need not worry your head
about him. But I am ashamed to say it, the white parents are the ones at
fault, and they must be gotten at in some way if we expect old North Carolina
to hold her place in line with the progressive States of the Union.—S. H,
Strange, Fayetteville.
Labok Plentiful, but Unbeliable—Education Unfits Negbo fob Woek
Not Ready fob Compulsory Education.—Negro labor gets less reliable every
year. There is plenty of labor to hire, such as it is. The negroes will not
work more than they can help, and whiskey is ruinous to labor. The educa-tion
they get don't seem to improve them, for if you educate one much he is
ruined as a laborer, and wants to teach or preach, or do something else be-sides
work in the field. The country is not ready yet for compulsory educa-tion.
To have that we will have to change our mode of farming, as we can't
raise cotton and tobacco with a compulsory education law, and will have to go
into grain, grasses and stock-raising. We now have as much free school
money as we need, as much as they can use, and they can all learn to read
and write with present system if they will.—W. G. Long, Farmville.
Liquor Geeatest Foe—Impossible to Enfoece Compulsoey Law.—Liquor is
the greatest foe to the working man. Right now, in my county, there is so
much prejudice against educating the negro that it would be impossible to en-force
a compulsory law.
—
Abeam J. Moye, Farmville.
Compulsoey Education.—I think the compulsory school law the very thing
in connection with the Constitutional Amendment, as the poor people in this
county will not send their children without it.—T. S. Maxwell, Fig.
Compulsoey Education the Only Chance.—In regard to compulsory school
law, I am in favor of compelling all children between the ages of seven and
twelve years to attend school, as there are many in my county who go but
very little. I fully believe there should be seven months' school and compel
parents to send their children. If the parent isn't interested enough in the
future welfare of the child to send him to school, then he certainly should be
compelled to do so. The parents and the State are due their children an edu-
50 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
cation, and they should adopt plans by which they may secure it. If the
parent is too poor to furnish books, clothing, etc., for his children, I believe
such things should be furnished free. The school law at present is not at all
sufficient for all persons to learn to read and write. There are many children
in this and various other counties in the State who never have seen a school-house.
Then the only chance is a compulsory school law, and I sincerely
trust that the next Legislature will make it a law, and that no white man may
ever be disfranchised on account of illiteracy. Unless there are some steps
taken to awaken the people of the State, with reference to education, at
least one-fourth of the voters who come of age after 1908 will be disfran-chised
in Henderson County. To-day is the time to work, for the night will
soon come when no man can work.—E. Luther Osteen, Flat Rock.
Compulsory Education Necessary.—My views on compulsory education
since the adoption of the Constitutional Amendment are, that unless there is
more interest taken there will be many poor boys brought up who can not
read and write when the great day comes. After 1908 those who can not read
and write will have no voice in government affairs, and it will be sad for
them. Let us have a fair thing and educate them by all means.—W. J. Bald-win.
Fletcher.
Better Roads and Schools and Compulsory Education.—I will say in re-gard
to the people and their condition, we need better roads, better schools
and a compulsory school law. A farmer can work, and after he has done the
work can not collect his pay, unless the man is worth fifteen hundred dollars.
As for the compulsory school law, the farmer has to pay his taxes. As to an
education for our boys and girls, it is something no one can deprive them of
after they once have it.
—
Jack Berry, Franklin.
Keep Boys at Work or in School—No Compulsory Education for the
Negro.—As to compulsory school law, I don't approve of sending the negro to
school. It is a damage to him, yet he is eager to go every chance he gets.
But the whites, as a rule, are not much concerned whether they go to school
or not. The rich and very poor boys are the idle ones from work or school,
and more devilment comes from these two classes than all the working people
combined. Now, I believe that there should be a law to compel every boy
from eight to twenty-one years of age to be kept in some regular employment,
if he is not in school. A good, stringent law on the boys will work out the
problem you want worked out for the good of the country in ten years' time.
—
C. P. Powell, Garner.
By Force of Public Sentiment.—Compulsory education would not amount
to much. What we need is to get up interest in the subject until parents get
interested enough to send their children.—J. L. Pulton, Goodwill.
Condition of Farmers. 51
Can not Tell Cost of Production—Raise Own Supplies.—The seasons are
so irregular I can not safely say what the cost of raising a five-hundred-pound
bale of cotton would be, nor of corn per bushel. We usually raise our own
corn that we need upon the farm. I have always made my own corn, flour and
bacon, and- have supplied my own farm hands. Never bought a bushel of
corn, pound of bacon, or sack of flour in my life. I am now sixt3r-eight years
of age, and have kept the same set of hands from five to twenty-five years.
—
R. A. Caldwell, Gastonia.
Need Compulsop,y Education, Better System and Better Teachers.—
I
favor compulsory education, and note with interest the aggressive work of our
excellent Governor and his co-laborers in the cause of education. There is
great room for improvement in our county among the poor and middle classes,
and we need better teachers and better system. Let the light be turned on
and greater results accomplished.—D. D. Gibson, Gibson.
Need Compulsory Education.—I favor compulsory education from the fact
that a great many heads of families who are illiterate themselves do not seem
to appreciate the advantages of an education, and, therefore, fail, in many
instances, to • give their children the opportunity offered them by our free
school system. In other instances I believe some keep their children from
the free schools from purely selfish motives, claiming their labor. Others
under the pretext that they can't clothe them properly, etc. If there was a
compulsory law they would, by a little more economy and industry, overcome
these seeming barriers. We would then, under our own new Constitutional
Amendment, have a more intelligent voting class or element and be the better
enabled to elect the right men for the right place, etc.—W. C. Greer, Grassy
Creek.
Need Manufacturing Enterprises and Compulsory Education.—The build-ing
of public works, such as cotton mills, or anything to give employment and
give us a home market, would benefit this county. I have been in favor of
compulsory education for several years, and much more so since the adoption
of the Constitutional Amendment, and without it there will be a great many
of the children who will never have even a common school education, for a
great many children do not choose to go to school and the parents will not
force them to go, and children are learning bad habits, and often encouraged
by the parents. I was made sad the other day while traveling on a railroad
at seeing two little boys playing cards and the parents taking part in the
mirth. I do hope we will soon have some system of compulsory school law
and better teachers, better bouses and longer school terms.
—
William C. Ray,
Grange.
Education Ruins the Negro—Compulsory School Law Impracticable.—
The white people of our county are all reasonably prosperous. The negro who
will work is doing well. The young negro, with but few exceptions, becomes
52 North Carolina Labor Statistics.
demoralized and completely worthless as soon as he learns to read and write.
If he can't procure a teacher's or preacher's place he becomes a loafer and
lives by stealing. A very small per cent of the negroes have been benefited by
education, possibly one out of fifty. It is the experience of the Solicitor of my
district that eighty per cent of the negroes convicted and sent to the Peniten-tiary
are among the educated class. On my three plantations I have one
hundred and twenty-five negroes. There are twenty-six men, only three of
them sufficiently educated to be voters; one of these has served two years in
the Penitentiary for forging; one other was guilty of an offense last year that
should have sent him to the Penitentiary, but owing to the disposition of his
race to keep concealed any crime of their color, he escaped. The third is one-half
white, from Vance County, and it is evident that some white man of
bright mind was his father. He can't write near so well as the ex-convict, but
he has fine judgment, is a good farmer, and is the only negro I know of that
has one thousand dollars in cash—made it on a one-horse crop as a tenant in
the past three years. I have told him repeatedly, when I would see him prac-ticing
economy, that his success was entirely attributable to the white
"daddy." It is generally conceded that I have the best behaved, hardest work-ing
and most prosperous set of negroes in the counties of Pitt and Beaufort.
Last year, with sixteen tenants, they averaged, after paying all expenses, over
$200.00 to the horse crop, three of them clearing nearly $500.00. Not one of
them owns a horse of his own, because it is against my rules. My experience
is, that when a negro has a horse of his own he wants to ride too much, and
his example is bad. I have had to change hands less than any man in my
county. Have not had to run off but one family, or had one to leave in five
years. Now, with all these facts taken into consideration, wouldn't I be a
mighty big fool to want to see them educated? With but rare exceptions they
cease to become farm laborers. Those that don't get in the State's Prison go
North and get to be waiters in hotels and other jobs about cities. Every city
of any size, from any point from Mason and Dixon line to San Francisco, is
full of negroes. The city of Colorado Springs has 10,000 voters in it with only
30,000 inhabitants. The members of the Farmers' Congress tell me that not
one are employed on the farms in the West. Bring together one hundred
successful farmers who handle a good deal of negro labor, and who know more
about the negro in a minute than the politician will ever know, and ninety
per cent of them will tell you that it is an injury to the negro, as well as his
employer, to educate them. They cease to be desirable citizens. It is entirely
different with the white race. They create new ideas, new theories, ne-w
inventions. Whoever heard of a negro applying for a patent for anything?
His mind does not go beyond imitating some white man. I took in at Charles-ton
the Tuckaseegee exhibition, and I found most all the negroes in charge of
it from one-half to seven-eighths white. If it was to illustrate what the negro
could do, it ought to have been managed by the full-blooded African. Ninety
per cent of the people are opposed to compulsory education. There are too
many families in the country that you bring to starvation by compulsory
education. I can recall many white families in my township who own fifty
acres of land, twenty or thirty acres cleared; they have six or eight chiMren,
Condition of Farmers. 53
ages running one, three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, fifteen. Take the
four oldest children from the cotton field during the season of cultivation or
harvesting and you ruin the family. The chances are that you bring the
whole family to starvation. There are thousands of these families in North
Carolina. The low price of cotton and short crops; the disposition of combi-nations
to put down prices, while the bulk of crop is in producers' hands, lead-ing
no profit to the producer, makes it absolutely impossible for this class of
citizens to educate their children by sending them under compulsory school
law. It is not practical or sensible to those who live in the country and know
the real situation. The men who are going crazy on this point are not suc-cessful
business men; they are men who, if they were to die to-day and their
honest debts were paid and their families had to liv