The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-01-19
January 10, 1867

AN Evn-We wish to call the attention
of our readers to fact that is now trans
pIring, and earnestly ask that the subject be
hereafter handled by more able and expert
.enced persons than ourselves. 1t is appar- /
ent to all that great changes have taken /
place since the gallant Beauregard fired upon |
the steamer Star of the West, and that the /
people Of the South have felt those changes
more keenly than any . her portion Of tie |
American people Chief Of which is the |
utter loss Of is system of lalssr Now,
what we desire ia call to mind is this; All
agricultural Interests, outside of cotton, are
fast fading away, and. IL the retrogade move
ment goes on much longer, it will al most be
al impossibility to purchase anything pro-
duced In this section for the sustenance of
life. Farmers who harvested wheat, from
thirty, forty fifty, and even sixty acres of
ground last year VIII not reap one-filth the
amount this season, simply because the seed
has not been planted, Notwithstanding -four
isselling in this market to-day at t,Ceaty dol
lars per barrel If the growing of wheat
was the only feature in agriculture that had
been neglected in this community, and else
where, the case which we present would not
be 50 bad but every branch Of production
which furnishes food for fHan or beast is
sadly or the ware. If you have a horse, a
COW, or q pig to feed you must send to Mem
phis and purchase hay, soats and corn-pro-
ducts Of tile Northern States. The result
of this can be safely summed up in the fol-
lowing manner, and it will not take more
than few years at farthest to prove what
we are about to say to the most unbelieying
of the present day First, an increase of
mercantile BUSINESS; second, a decrease in
the value Of lands and great loss to the farm
ing interests. But how some one may ask.
The answer follows: Before the war, and
when negroes were slaves, the planter con-
trolled them, they were a source of profit
and as each year closed the owner of the
soil found his possessions enhanced in value !;
the money he controlled was used in extend
ing his operations and adding to the total
productions. from off his estate. Now, he is
no longer the master of the situation" and
the freedmen, who contract with him on
shares, do as they please with the money
which falls into their hands, rush to the
nearest trading point, spend years earn
ings in few days for useless gugaws and
yankee notions, all iof which finds its way
into northern pockets. So welded are the
negroes to the raising of cotton that they will
not contract with farmer who proposes to
produce the necessary articles for home con
sumption. As consequence, northern grain
cries keep our souls and bodies together and
northern farmers pocket the money made in
the South by the growing of cotton. 1t is
evident that change must be brought about
if we would prosper. We do not say that
the owners of the soil can bring about the
desired result unaided, for new system Of
labor must be introduced before we can live
among ourselves. More farmers are needed
and less cotton should be grown. AS evi
dence of this, look at the host Of consumers
that throng every village, town and city ash
the miller why he has no meal or flour fOl
sale ask the merchant where he procure
his supplies. The subject of agriculture
of selcsustenance and independence-is on,
OF Importance to us all, and in view of thi
truth, we earnestly ask that the views o
more experienced persons than ourselves b.
put in print Who will speak first?