Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-07-23

ES By request, we copy from the
Prince Georgian of the Goth ult., the
following extract from an article written
by contributor to that paper, who signs
himself "Patuxent Planter:
"NEGRoEs-One fruitful source of
trouble in hiring and keeping for any
length of time competent negroes as house,
servants, is furnished by too many land
owners in their willingness to rent cabins
or small tenements to the colored people.
AS soon as cook or house-maid lays up
$50 or 500, she thinks it a more respec-
table and easier life to be house keeper
of her own cabin, however small and I'M
comfortable, where she can raise her poul-
try and hogs at the expense of her land
lord or his neighbors, while her sons or
husband works as day-laborer, or gets
odd jobs to do, or works by the year on
the farm. If on the farm, her house is
generally furnished free of rent; if they
work elsewhere, then she pays $50 or $40
per year for small house and garden and
firewood. Thus it is that hundreds of the
most capable cooks and house-servants and
milk-maids, are indirectly encouraged by
landholders to abandon life of usefulness,
industry, and looking for ample compe-
tency for comfort in their declining years,
for this uncomfortable idleness and con-
slant temptation to thievery. For the
sake, then, of obtaining a few dollars rent
for old and otherwise Improbable shanties,
this large amount of the most capable la
Dor is withdrawn from the common stock
Do such landlords reflect that what seems
good rent for such tenements is literally
nothing, and that the corn, grain, fruit.
&C., stolen, or in their language, ''taken,"
by this class of tenants is worth twice as
much as the rent they pay? to say moth
ing of the fre-wood and fencing stuff they
burn, and other property, either wantonly
or carelessly destroyed, and other DANA
ges and inconveniencies sustained. Many
gentlemen to obtain the services of man
will hire him at the usual rate of a single
man and give him house aren't, fuel and
garden free Of charge, for his wife and
four or six children, with, perhaps, half
the year one or more relations on visit
to them. Do they ever buy anything to
support themselves and family with ?
No, it is accomplished by picking and
stealing. Let reform be made; rent no
houses except at high rates to those who
are able and competent to work, and more
labor will be seeking permanent employ
ment. If man who has a family will
not have his wife or children work for fair
hire. then make him pay house-rent.-
This is the system in Anne Arundel, in
Howard and in Montgomery, and it is the
means of furnishing full supply of COM
petent cooks and house servants for rea-
sonable prices. Why should not we fol-
low the lead of our sister counties? Will
our people never wake up to their own in
tercst2~ Let some prominent man begin
the system-set the example, others will
follow. We cannot expect that all should
fall in line at moments time, but let
every one. act for himself. A very astute
man and good farmer know, pays we'll
and pays according to the services render
ed, and allows no privileges, no house
free of rent, no garden, no hogs, no poul-
try. but money in lieu of these, and is
we'll repaid for the extra outlay by the
saving of corn, grain, fruit, vegetables
and wear of teams in the transportation of
the negroes truck" to market. Let US
follow this gentleman's system, or at least
abandon the ruinous plan Of renting out
shanties to day-laborers, and furnishing
houses for hireling's wives who wish to
play lady-housekeeper."
ENIGMA.