New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-09-25
(OsOrcsi igiii!fitIiistaa.

For some time past it has been known that
numbers of the color9d people of Colleton
county, South Carolina, have been purchas-
ing large tracts Of land, and dividing them
in, or working them on. cooperative sys-
TEN. The following interesting account Of
their operations is taken from the U7at7,'oro
NewS.
In this country the Co!ored people own,
and are successfully cOndUC ing, some of the
largest plantations. This is done under q
sort of communism. \ number &c them, in
some cases so many as fifty, form themselves
into q society, elect their officers, and adopt
bylaws. They have regular meetings, at
which the officers report, and a specified
amount is paid into the treasury BY each
member When sufficient is accumulated
into the treasury, a suitable plantation is
selected and the purchase made usually the
payments are in one, two, and three years,
a good portion being ut the time of purchase.
The land is equally distributed by the officers
elected for that purpose among the members
Of the society, or so much as they wish to
cultivate. Each is free to wOrl, as suits him,
and each can dispose of his crop as he deems
proper. The only thing required is honesty
and prompt payment of all dues, which are
usually hight Any one failing 10 meet his
amounts previously paid nv him for the pur-
chase of the place to refund, and IA required
TO move off the plantation, all his rights
and claims having been forfeited. Ii, how
ever, any one desires to leave the society
he is paid all amounts paid by him toward
the purchA and for all permanent improve
ments erected by him. No new member is
admitted except ~ the consent ni The whole
society.
All si,i: are cared lor b, ihc society, if
unable to care for themselves, officers heinz
elected to loO!, after such cases and report
their wants 10 The society at its weekly meet
ings, or at special meetings, if The cXi2ency
Of the case requires it. All disputes arising
between the members are brought before the
society, n certain number of the officers being
designated 10 hear and cndeavor to amicably
arrange ali discussions, and very seldom, il
ever, they fail. Petty litigation, that Is the
great banc of the colorci People in any Sec
ton, is in this way avoided. These societies
are principally formed from people who work
Tor hire, fifty cents per dag being the sum
generally; the plantation IS instantly bought
as soon as sufficient funds arr in the treasury
to make the first payment; but few, if any
| own any animals in that tirp, their small
resources being expended in the purchase
money and erection Of houses. Still they
have, in all cases where an rNorbtant price
was not paid for the land, proved ful
| failures for time occasionally arising where
. incompetent or uniaithiul officers had been
selected; but with their usual siITcwdneas
these incompetent officers were soon detected
and others more capable were elected il their
places. Upon those that have been in Orcr-
alton three or four years the land has been
paid for, and the membels have acquired
considerable Of personal property, and are
~ -KNs.k 4 r. y
to spring up between them which is produc-
tive Of economy and thrift These societies
are located in the country east Of the Savan-
nah and Charleston railroad. We do not pre-
sumo 10 'say that only the colorcd people
who have formed themselves into these
societies show thrift and the accumulation of
property, for 4 number who, six or seven
years ago, were not worth dollar, now carry
on successfully large rice and cotton planta-
tons, and are becoming heavy taxpayers
BIT in the particular section in which these
societies are ior1ned more property exists
among their memheEs than among those who
are fighting the battle Of the life and death
on their own account, while from the forna-
ton of these societies they are enabled to
purchase more valuable property and secure
greater privileges than they could if each
laid his money out in a separate purchase,
in which case ten or twenty acres or more Of
poor land would be all he would be able TO
buy, as no planter would consent 10 cut off
and sell small tracts OF his best land and re-
tain himself the poorer portion. This is IN
doubtedly one of the reasons Of their success,
as on nearly ell the plantations 10 thi. Sec
ton large portion Of the land i almost
valueless. By securing the whole plantation
they obtain sufficient good land for their pur
poses, while he who purchases for himself
!, kr.4
sible to make more than poor subsistence