The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-01-12
MAURY COUNTY FARMERS CLUB
Called Meeting, Jan. 8, ls72.

sentative in Congress, Hon. w. Z
| Whitthorne. had said to him, that II In
Club would request the Commissione
Of Agriculture, Re would send tho farm
ers a large number of rare and valuapi'
seeds. e.
The Labor Question being under dis
cussion. T, H. Williams made few "a
marks, The circumstances Of farmer
| were 40 different. that ne could see ht
use in discussing it, as no one methol
or system of labor conld be agreed on.
ID. ]. EsTEs-For four years have
adopted both the share system and thu
hiring plan. invariably use the shar,
system in planting and cultivating cot
ton. 1t requires the labor Of the color
ed people almost the entire year, and
find it great deal better to have them
interested in the crop. furnish land
half they make. They pay for theiI
own rations, and split 1--WE hundred
rails for the use of my wagon and team
in hauling their wood. II they tail to
cultivate their cotton properly, reserve
the right to hire hands until the crop il
clean, ard make them pay for it. dc
not allow my hands to run all over the
country during the busy season, after
provisions, but keep plenty for them,
and let them have it at the market
price, and wait until their crop is sold
for my pay. do not allow them to
have any hogs or cattle, as a dozen OF
more different SETS of hogs, COWS, pigs,
ETC., all owned by different persons, on
one farm, would produce great confui
sion and trouble. I cultivate all my
corn and wheat with hired labor, Is
those crops only require about five
months work in the year. require
those who crop it with me on the shares
to assist in harvesting and threshing
my wheat. - ~ s.=.g
CAPT. L. w. BLAcK-When l COM
menced farming, after the war, 1 tried
hired labor. / became 30 much dissat-
isfied with it that soon changed to the
share system, and have been pursuing
that plan for four years. l furnish
land, horses, wagons, etc, and give my
laborers one-third Of all they make. l
plant no cotton, and they have several
months of time when they are not need-
ed in the crop. When they work for
me during this spare time, I pay them
SIS per month. / live near town, and
when there is nothing for them to DO
on the farm, they can readily get en-
ployment in Columbia, which they gem
orally do. My laborers feed themselves.
Each hand is required to haul out ma
nure on the land be is to cultivate, and
to cut my wood. Whenever they have
anything to sell, let them have my
team to take it to town, and they take
my produce. let them have great
many little things for which do not
charge them, and they do many little
chores for me gratis. l find that they
r., 1T 6rA
CAPT. THos. GIBsoN-The great trou-
BILE with me is that cannot get my la
borers to take sufficient interest in my
farm. They seem to care nothing for
my interests whatever. "gff-
A VoICE-Change your hands then,
until you get the right kind. 1t is your
best remedy. ,....----.
TIE PREsIDENT-I have felt so much
interest in this question of labor, that
have taken the trouble to find ont the
the views of many of our best farmers,
and their views are so widely different,
that despair OF arriving at any definite
Some rent and few hire,
and some give half to the laborer, and
others a third. / have no doubt but
that Capt. Blacks nearest neighbor
pursues different plan from his own;
Il Dtll6N6 III LILO olu o0oSO Va NV cAAa
let live" Some of the colored people
no doubt think some of the white land
owners are hard in their terms, and yet
there are few farmers in Maury County
who are making any money at all.
Negro renters have too many stock.
They buy old broken down horses, boz
cause they are apparently cheap, but
before the crop is half over, they die.
MAJ. GEO. LIPsCoMB-The plan pur
sue and that of Mr.. d. j. Estes are al
most exactly alike. / give my hands
half they make: and furnish pork, and
give it out as they need it. My sons
8 perintended my farm last year, and
they gave laborers one-half OF the cotton
and one-third of the corn raised, and
expect to pursue the same policy the
present year. The laborers haul one
load of wood for themselves and one for
me. @
T. II. NOTWITHSTANDING from the
of our Oldest and 5est farm
ers, as given here to-day, it is evident
that the hiring plan is the best for rails
ing corn and grain: and the share sys-
tenn for cultivating cotton.
GAIT. HAMILFoN-While we are plan
ming out what is best for our own inter-
ests, we should not fail to look also to
the interests of the colored laborer. j
have no more respect for a white man
who cheats a negro than / have for a
coIored man who violates his contract
and leaves his employer without provo
cation. We should take trouble to
show the ignorant laborers that their
accounts are correct, and then they will
be more contented, and work more
cheerfully. We must do it, no matter
how much pains it takes. q 40 an.
CAPT. BLACK-I have never been over
five minutes in settling with my labor
ers at Christmas. l keep a book, and
make them keep one, in which set
down everything they get from me.
Mr.. EsTEs--I give my laborers a
monthly statement Of their indebted
ness, so that they..can always exactly
see how much they are spending,
and govern themselves accordingly. I
do not allow them to get head over heels
i'm debt to me, ---
CAPT. BLACK-When I charge them
for anything they get, tell them how
much it is, 80 that they can take. their
book and show it to anybody they
please. In this way they find out that
| am dealing fairly with them.
w. NJ. SULLIvAN-The farmers in my
neighhorhood pursue very much the
plan of Mr.. Estes, as given by him
few minutes ago. Ihaye mixed crops,
cotton, corn, etc., and employ laborers
on the share system and by hiring. i
as they want, and my present hands
have been with me six years. They
have no source of revenue except cot
ton. / pay them for all the rails they
make, and make them keep the fences
up.
Mr.. EsTEs-Do not the cattle and the
hogs OF your laborers trouble you very
much? $500 :
Mr., SULLIvAN-Very much indeed.
Some of them have more stock than
have. ! furnish them rations at the
| current market price. THE labor sys-
| tenn pursued by Mr.. Sullivan was and
| is severely censured by the farmers, as
calculated to injure the labor system Of
the county, imperfect and unsatisfacto'
| ~ as it already is.
| L, w. MCRADY-I am a small farm
| or. and my experience may not be az
| extensive and valuable as that of 9th
| ers, but there is one feature of the Labor
question which / have not yet seer
touched upon. All men are not ituateC
alike, and no one system of farming cal
suit all alike; but there is one thin;
needed by all farmers alike. / meal
that every farmer must control hi
labor. Make what contract you please
and pay the laborer part of the crol
or stipulated price in money-and b
sure to pay what you promise to pay
but you will never do any good unles
| you have control of his labor. Pa,
them well, and keep them on the farm
! Before the war, worked IN the shol
at hard labor, and for FIVE years, | los
only two days. l made money by il
and the curse Of the country to-day j.
that laborers a great portion OF the tim