Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-03-28
GCoMMUNICATED.1
Farmers Clubs.


MIR. EDITOR: In your issue of the 7th
inst, appeared letter calling attention to
the formation of Farmers Clubs. The
writer being imbued with the progressive
spirit OF the age, is one of the first to assist
IN harmonizing the discordant elements. bv
uniting all farmers in one general society.
May he succeed IN his laadabie undertake.
ing If the farmers of. their respective
neighborhoods would combine and form
associations -foEs the benefit of the farming
community at large, they would in short
time remedy the evils which now affiict
them. Let each club have laws and regu-
lations Of their own, subject to the control
OF the larger association formed by uniting
all the minor clubs, and the general socie-
ty to meet in Port Tobacco monthly until
all get in working order, and then when
necessity requires it. There are many
things that would come up for discussion
in the respective clubs. If they discover
ed any thing derogatory to their interest
they could devise some means to avoid it
in the future. 1t would do away with the
present mode of hiring hands. We have
no stipulated price, so the person who
offers the highest generally gets them, even
at loss to his neighbor. We never yet
have made an effort to control the negro
element in our midst, and it is impossible
unless we all join and exercise the controll-
ing power alike. For instance, we fur
nish them with houses free of rent, and if
we attempt to make them conform to our
requirements, according to the previous
agreement, they Immediately become dis
satisfied and leave. Our employee has
only to go to the next neighbor and he
will furnish him with a house and employ
him, whilst the party who tries to force
him to abide by his agreement is left with
out remedy and his crops to suffer. This
is frequent occurrence and yet the farm
ers take no steps to check it.
What we want is to avoid the present
troubles that beset us, and there is no 9TH
Ell way we can avoid them but by begin
ming together, and the sooner it is done
the better for both farmers and laborers.
The society should devise some means
by which they can encourage immigration
to our county. There are thousands in the
populous countries of Europe who would
emigrate here if they knew the facilities
that are open to them. No doubt we could
obtain many families Of English laborers
if they knew we would receive and pro-
vide for them until they could make COM
Portable support for themselves. There
are many who are barely able to pay their
passage across the ocean after they dispose
of their effects and to hand in foreign
country, without money or friends, is such
a serious undertaking they had rather live
at home, and remain at one thing in point
of fortune, than incur the risks of immigra-
ton But if they knew of the opportuni-
ties they will meet with, and the facilities
that are offered them here for the mainten-
ance OF their families, they would brave
the dangers and come. The cheapest way
we can make them acquainted with the
facilities Southern Maryland offers to them
would be for our county society to adrer-
tise in their country papers, stating that
all communications and inquiries win be
promptly responded to by the society. 1
am sure it only requires thorough know
ledge on their part of the facilities offered
here and of the reception they will meet
with, and it will be a sufficient induce
ment for them to emigrate and cast their
lots among us. u. i* -.@- .s''.'.
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, l hope some
one will, through the columns of your pa
per, make an effort to arouse the people
from their lethargy and remind them of
their long torpidity and impress upon
them the Importance of an immediate
towards the farming interests
of the county. So long as we remain in
active the curse will grow upon US, and
the heirs of the landowners of the present
generation will be the laboring classes of
the next. Many farms in the last ten years
have changed hands-not to be better Gull
tivated by the second owner, but to re-
main in the same condition it was at the
time of the first occupant. r.