The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-02-22
AGRICULTURAL.
OVERSEERS.

An ovcrsccr or supervisor on n plantation
no unimportant office, and although in
'our Southern country that class constitutes
very considerable portion Of the popula-
ton, yet there can be no doubt, that but
very inconsiderable number, Gao called over
seers, fall very short of filling that rcspon-
sible, and | will add honorable position,
with any great interest to their employers,
or with much credit to themselves. Why
this is the case bccon es no unimpOrtant
question to be considcrcd-this would be a
task, which, with my limited experience and
capacity, would not claim to be at all com
petcnt ] will, however, give some few
thoughts of my own on the subject, hoping,
rs this is II matter of such vital importance
to the Southern planter, that of your nu-
merous contributors, some will enlarge and
throw light upon the sui jcct, and add TO the
general good, not only of the employer, but
to those who are engaged in that business
The first reason which presents itself to
my mind. why there ere so many indifferent
overseers in our Southern country, is 10 be
attributed TO the mistake which large num-
Der Of employers make in getting cheap men
to attend to their business, without regard
to their moral, intellectual, or business quail.
ifications, hence, the occupation is dsgraccd
by those in persuance of il, rather .han the
occupation itself, being de grading poor pay
to use n common expression To- convey this
idea, "poor prcach,") and that class of indi-
viduals, who find easier to overlook others
at work than TO work themselves, and vet
half attend even to that-thcy set in only To
Kill time, aud get through the year and then
hnd new home in some distant part Of the
country, where their fame has not extended
and thus they go on from year to year, to
the great injury of those who employ them
and also TO the more worthy and conscien-
cious who nrc in the same capacity, by
bringing that branch Of business into disrc
pute and disgrace
A second reason why there are so many
indifferent men attending to this branch of
industry, is again chargeablc 80 the employ
ers, and this source of injury consists in the
fact that too many planters for various rea-
sons, best known to themselves, reside mt a
distance from their plantations, while the
whole management of the crop and all 9TH
or interests are left TO the overseer. who in
too many instances has no higher motive
than to pocket small salary, and then as
before remarked, look for another location,
having left a lasting and interesting impress
sion on the mind of his last employer.
a third source Of injury to this class of
our population, and consequently rendering
them less useful TO their employers, Is the
absence Of proper associations. No man
should ever employ m overseer who Is un-
worthy OF his oAn association. Every en-
ployer should seek to communicate fully
with his oycrseer, not only on matters that
pertain TO his peculiar occupation, but upon
subjects Of general importance and interest
and If possible, inspire in him desire TO
read ut NIL leisure tines In every neigh.
borhood the planters should form agricul
turai societies for the purpose of communi-
eating to each other useful information and
instruction. The overseers should d, par.
ticulsrly invited to become members oftbe
society, and especially wonld we recommend
10 both employer and overseer TO take n Coz
py OF your valuable paper, (the Soil Of the
South,) or some Southern Agricultural. !.
Journal.
! have thus Ear, Mcssrs. Editors charged
primarily, the inefflrienciea of oycrseers to
the employers, in wiiici, DO not dou5; the
fault, as general thing eminatcs. We
could now speak more specifically and per-
sonaiiy OF the long catalogue of ills and
wrongs which is chargeable alono to tho
'oyerseer himself Tut it would be- m intru-
sion upon yonr columns. We have alrea-
aoy gwen different range TO our thoughts,
than we intended
VIII Just add in conclusion, that VIC in
tended simply to give our views of what
constitutes a good oyerseer, what his du-
ties, DC. fyou think this communication
worthy place IN your paper. wo will trou.
bic you again, IL not. just do with this as
you would with all other useless matter.
Yours, &c.
CALEBEE.
N. b. We disayow any disrsspect to eth.
er class alluded to in the foregoing commu-
nication, having once been au oyerseer, ard
now an employer. c.