The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-18
From the Rural Sun.
The Plantation Systems-Thc Logic Of
Events.

signs 70 De met with In the agriculture
Of Tennessee, is the awakening of far
mers to the necessity of combining their
attention to q fewer number Of acres
and Of diversifying their crops. The
farmers of Middle and Yves. Tennessee
previous to the war, devoted their en-
ergies chiefly to the growing OF corn,
cotton tobacco aud wheat and under
the well regulated and well managed
labor, they grew in property and
wealth. and were ranked among the
most intelligent and progressive far
mers of the South
The great upheaveal of the whole So
cial structure occasioned by the results
of the war, left many farmers who had
been successful, high and dry upon the
shoals of poverty, and they were forced
many OF them, to strike out and enter
anew upon business of life. Naturally
enough the plantation system at first
was tried, aud with the high prices of
produce Immediately subsequent to the
war, proved renumerative, but as the
prices eff their staple products declined,
while the expenses of the farm remain
ed stationary, it was discovered that
some change would have to be made,
either in the manner of employing la
Dor, or in the character f the crops
grown. Then followed what is called
the "Share Sy stem" by which tie Ia
borer is paid part of the crop instead
of money, thereby decreasing the risk
of the landowner, and as it was sup
posed, applying the epur to the exer-
lions of the labOrer. In some cases
this worked well, but they were except
ional, and only seve6 to show the ne
cessity of additional reform in farm
economy. 1t was found that under this
method of employing labor, the farm
could not be kept up, neither in its pro-
ductive capacity nor in its improve
ments. Fences rotted down, nOxious
weeds and shrubs grew without limita-
ton over the farm, and stock raising
became thing of the past. The labor
er felt disposed to work only during
the active growing season, and would
show a disposition to spend lis time
during the fell and winter months to
no profit to himscls or employer. And
this state Of things exists to great ex-
tent at present. 1t is found that the
amount required to procure extra labor
to do what should legitimately he done
by troopers" consumes by far the
largest share of the profits of the farm,
and The landowner justly feels that
while the burden of taxation and the
social demands of the community rest
upon him, his profits are really less
than the interest on his capital invest
ed, and growing smaller each succeed.
ing year. This has in q measure dis
the great bulk OF farmers, and
many Of them have ceased to regard
their estates as thing of profit, but
rather as an encumbraDce, locking UP
their capital and clogging their energies.
As might be inferred, there are large
quantities of improved land for sale at
prices that would in States North of us
be considered Tuinously low-prices for
which the land could not be cleared
and enclosed, to say nothing of the cost
of farm buildings.
There is one class of farmers, how
ever, that is both prosperous and hap
by. We refer to the small farmer, who
owns from one to two hundred acres,
and who performs the work ON them
themselves, hiring only occasionally
during the busy seasons. This class Is
improving yearly. Their farms denote
thrift, and they luxuriate in an abun-
canoe of all the necessaries and many of
the luxuries of life. Such farmers fill
up Perry county and Humphreys and
Dickson. They may be found scattered
in spots in Stewart, Montgomery, Rob
ertson and Sumner. They form large
majority in East Tennessee, and wher.
ever they are found, and pleasing con-
tent prevails. Relying upon their own
strong arm for support, the question of
labor does not effect them. Dependent
upon no one they form a class upon
which the State must, in the end, rely
for its solid and permanent advance
ment. The march of events is work.
ing out the great problem of labor. 1t
was necessary that something should
happen to divorce our people from the
plantation system-a system that in
times past was the very embodiment
of economy, energy and productive iu-
dustry-a system that by its results has
moulded the destinies of nations and
diverted streams of capital by The GER
tainty with which it furnished the pro-
ducts of the earth, but a system which
is not adapted to free labor, and can
never be rendered, for a great length of
time, profitable, and which must be
abandoned sooner or later by the peo-
Pile of the whole South. No system,
yet tried, has given such satisfactory re-
suits as the system of laber and land
owner conjoined. In this every induce
NEXT is held out for practicing econo-
my, for enrichiDg the soil, for improv-
ing the stock, and for elevating the So
cial ard intellectual status OF the peo-
pie. We wish to be understood that
we are speaking only of farms that are
cultivated-not grass farms, not stock
farms. A thousand acres in a grass or
stock farm will require but little more
labor than one hundred jim a tobacco or
cotton farm. Additional acres on such
a farm only means an increase in the
number of stock and increased labor
upon enclosures. The quantity of la.
Dor required on such farm does not
increase with the size of the farm.
For the purpose of production, land
should be divided approximately equal
in size to the cuitivators. A man who
owns the land he cultivates takes q pc
culiar interest in it. He has constant
motive to improve it. To make it as
productive as possible is his study,
since all he makes is his own. Each
man working for himself, upon his own
land, will greatly increase the aggre-
gate wealth of the State. LIST. In the
increased products. %. In the superior
quality of the products. Sd. In the in
creased fertility and improvement of
the land.
Ownership makes men more indus
trious, thrifty, independent and patri-
otto. The character of the laborer is
elevated. The character of the soil is
improved. Poor sterile hillsides are
gullies are stopped, and a
thriftless laborer becomes u proud and
industrious proprietor. When the
mass of the people own the land they
till, the motives to productive industry
are brought to bear most universally.
A strorg stimulus is brought to get as
much as possible from the land, aud
at the same time improve it. Mr.. Per.
ry, in his Elements of Political, thinks
the division of the land in France q
positive benefit in supplying regular
increase of agricultural products in
creating and industrious, frugal, cheer
full peasantry; in the promotion of a
desire and ability TO purchase land; in
pauperism and consequent
ly crime. The division of land only
reaches the point where it begins to be
less profitable. He compares the con-
dition of the laborinC classes of Eng.
land with those Of France. The want
of patriotism in tie former is constant
ly manifested by their LOUD complaints
against the government. Having no