Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-11-26
To THE FxRME1us OF NONTGOM.
RRy COUNTY.

inst, makes 1t our duty to issue an
address 10 you, setting forth the me-
eessity Of prompt and vigorous action
in regard to the labor of the country.
The unprofitableness Of farming rem
ders the step Imperative. We, there
fore, solicit the attendance of all, who
feel interested in the farming business,
at the Court house, in GAINESVILLE, on
the first Saturday in December, at
twelve O'clock A. NJ, to consider this
and any other subject that may be
brought up.
The year is nearly expired, and we
must make our arrangements for the
next crop. The most important of
which is to get good, reliable labor,
such as will secure good work at fair
prices. We believe that much can
be accomplished by having some
concert of action on the part of our
farmers. 1t is delicate matter, and
requires the good judgment of our
best and wisest men, and We are sure
that the free expression of their opin-
ion must do much good.
The great bulk of the farm work
has, heretofore, been done "on the
shares" This system was adopted
at the close Of the war, as make
shift, and has proved itself n failure,
as is shown in the dissatisfaction of
both parties. The troopers are near
ly all in debt, with nothing to pay
with, and many of them have suf-
fered real want in our Gland of
plenty" in addition to the unaccus-
toned care and anxiety of managing
and doing house work. Theowner of
the land has seen poor and inferior
crops grown and much ofthem wasted
for the want of timely attention and
Judgment. The land getting poorer,
the improvements and fencing going
down, and bushes and briars coming
up. We think it unfair, both to the
employer and employe, and a great
encourager of sloth and laziness in
each. The country can never be pros
porous until this is improved, aud we
doubt If single we'll kept, thrifty
farm can be shown, which has been
carried on strictly in this way, with
no other resources to keep II up.
| The colored man is good worker,
but the poorest economist in the
world. He has perfect contempt
for everything like economy, in eth
er man or woman-thinks it mean
and low, and he wastes with lavish
hand-time, money and means of
every kind, and can make no bust
ness profitable either to himself or
any one else. He is generous and
will try to keep his wife and children
from all kinds of out door work,
which he has come to look upon as
rather dishonorable, and will permit
them to stay in their cabin, or visit
around; many of them leading very
vicious and lazy lives, while there is
plenty Of healthy and suitable work
for them, and they might be earning
good wages in addition to their board,
instead of being an encumbranee and
dead weight upon the energies of the
man, who often becomes discouraged
and worthless for no other CAUSE
This practice is equally hard on the
employer. 1t destroys that good dis
clpline which, on farm, is essential
to success, for where there is parcel,
or even one lazy person, on a place,
who Is not under control, it creates
dissatisfaction among all who are dis
posed to work, and makes work re-
proach, where it ought to be honored
and respected above all else.
We have found the colorcd man Il
good and cheerful worker, where he
has good attention and encourage.
ment, he is 10y far the best we can get
, for our farms. He should be encour.
, aged and assisted in every way, t.
: make for himself and family an hon.
est and good living. believe that
with patience and kindness, his great
[ strength and endurance may be turn.
cd to good account, both to bushes,
and his employer; but it rests with tho
, white man, who has the superior In
tclligencc and advantages, to deter
, mine whether he shall dcgcucrat,
: into II lazy, idle, thicving, poor AM
Z useless creature, or be a useful and re
! srectcd member of society.
} There is plenty of population in til,
3. country to do the work, and do I,
! well, were it not that great part o
= the laboring class are living in idle
: ness, and are but II burden, instead o
~ help. 1t is the part of wisdom Il
dcvclope these resources, rs much n
= any others, which we have, and ",
u hope that every one will take enough
~ Interest in the matter to lend his he'll
{ and influence towards 1t. In spite o
J. our fine land, we see the people get
u tingpoorer every year. Men who hat
money at the close Of the war, az
G now borrower, and money was ncvc
/. so hard to get, and interest so high Il
it is at the present time.
e 1t is the deliberate opinion Of thi
- committee, that all, or nearly all, {
!, these evils result from the bad man
; agcment Of our labor, for we see /
r sections of the country, where a Iii
Ic fcrent policy has been practiced, tina
i there is quite different state of "A
: fairs.