The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-04-04
Maury County Farmers's club.

appointed at the last meeting TO prepare
resolutions defining the objects of the
Club, and denying certain false rumors,
made the following report:
"WHEREAs, Many farmers and farm
laborels entertain a misconception ofthe
objects sought to be obtained by the
| Maury County Farmers's Club, which
has prevented landowners from con-
Meeting themselves with this Club, and
prejudicsd the mirds of the farm-labor-
ers against the same, they believing its
object to be an organization to repress
| the freedmen and land-renters, for the
interest of the landowners; now. there
fore, to dissbuse the minds of all such.
and to make know the objects of this
Club to all concerned, be it
"ReSoLUed, That the objects sought to
be obtained by this organization, are, an
interchange of opinion concerning the
experience of its members upon the va
rious methods of cultivating the farm,
breeding stock, improving lands, &c.
| believing that thereby an interest will
he awakened, the result of which, 1t is
believed, will be that one acre can be
) made to produce as much as two acres
| will at present, and at the same time the
land be improved.
"ResoIved, That by such an organiza-
| ton we are brought together, often
/ thereby becoming better acquainted,
and imagined independence which gem
orally takes such strong hold of the
minds OF a people when not brought in
constant contact with sAcL OF her.
"ReSoLVed, That this Club recognizes
! the mutual interest and dependence,
the one upon the other, OF the lard
| owners and farm-labJrers knowing
| there can be no permanent prosperity
| xoept that prosperity be mutual, be-
tween landlord and tenant.
"ReSotUed That whilst we deny that
] it is the object of this society TO Cypress
| The iaborer, yet we do disapprOve of thai
| sys' EN- of labor which permits the la
| borer To engage with one person, and.
| without giving sufficient excuse, lea re
at the very time when his services are
! most needed, and engage with another,
| be they white or black.
''RssoLUed That whilst it is reprehen-
sibls in the laborer to thus act, it is not
| more so than in the landowner who
| decoys, or attempts to decoy, his neigh
bors's hands from his services, and
tempts them to engage with him, to the
great de6riment of his neig hboI's inter
| ests.
"ResoIUed, That we affirm, with en-
| phasis, that so far from any desire on
our part to trample down and degrade
| the labOrer, we ack NJ wledge and digni-
| ~ labor as living capital, and not less
| honorable than capital, whether in
banks or bonded estates"
Mr.. Kuhn, in Jew well>timed re-
marks, explained why the committee
had been appointed.
Capt. J. B. HAMILToN-I shall vote
| tor that reports adoption, and there is
| one feature In it that especially attracts
my attention, and commands my favor
the fourth resolution, condemning the
! practice of labOrers engaging with enc
| farmer, and without sufficient excuse
| leaving him at the very time VIXEN his
services are most needed. Sucn con
duct is disrepuLable, and should be con-
demned by all good citizens, for 1t works
| trouble. But the man who emplog rs
him, with full Wedge ofthe circum-
stances, is even meaner. l make it q
point of duty to find out the immediate
antecedents OF a negro before employing
| him. / have a very bad opinion OF
men who cheats negro out OF one dol
| lar. If there is a class of people who
need our protection, it is the negroes. II
is our duty to help them adjust their
accounts, and assist their ignorance
| in various ways.
The resolutions were adopted.
Prot. Rosenthal, of the Female Iusti-
| tute, was introduced to the Club, aud
made, in subs lance, the following ad-
| dress:
Within the last few weeks there has
been a great deal of ia about German
| immigration, some of our farmers main
| tanning that such a movement would
prove very profitable, while others as
sert that it will be to the disadvantage
of our interests as farming cOmmunl-
| ty.
The main question of course, is sim
ply: Will immigration prove prof
| table to the far ,ners OF Maury county?
Now, what do we understand by 'ih1-
| HllQrdtiOn?" five mean that we are TO
introduce a body of foreign set lers
among US to whom we are to sell our
lands at cheap price, 1t would be sheer
! folly to think of such hing even for a
moment. Our lands are much too rich
and valuable to sell them chaaply, and
| foreigners who wish to settle in this
country will do much better to 60 West,
or to Lawrence county, where plenty OF
land is to be had at ii mere nominal
price. Immigration societies gotten up
| with this object in view, must inevitI-
| bly, prove failure in Marry County.
But if we understand by immigration,
| the introduction of Intelligent, white,
systematic labor, the question at once
| appears in new aspect.
We are all agreed that the present
system of labor il, to great extent, I'M
profitable. Wherever the capitalist is
controlled by The laborer, the former
must be ruined, nay is ruined from the
very beginning. No manufactures
| would think of going into copartner
ship with his hands" for he knows
such thing would be his ruin. Nc
merchant can afford c0partnership with
his employ es; yet our farmers, in order
to get their living are Obliged to GO into
| copartne ship with their laboring hands
and consequently are under the contro.
and at the mercy OF them.
Now, what can we do to remedy such
a state of things? Where shall we look
for help? Where can we get laborers
from, who will work faithfully, at rea.
son4ble rates? The answer is, Let as
| import dag tabOrerS from Germany.
But the question at once is, can such
thing be done? Can we get these la
borers without any too great expense,
and will they stay with US after we have
got them? There is no doubt that We
can get these laborers. Statistics prove
that the emigration from Germany was
never so large as now. The people are
leaving the eastern districts of Prussia
by the hundreds and thousand; and il
we could send reliable, we'll recon-
mended agent TO Prussia, we could GER
tainly obtain q sufficient number of in
telligent, trustworthy laborers.
But suppose we get these laborers
WOuiu thcN Do lihSlN Az WIN
We all know that the Germans are
reliable people. Time and again agent:
from Pennsylvania, Iowa, Illinois, Mis-
souri,, Texas, DC, nave made contracts
for one, two and three years with par
ties in Germany, and whenever the EN-
ployers have fulfilled their part OF the
agreement, the Germans were always
, found reliable, honest and straight-tor
ward, fulfilling their contract to thu
very letter. If we, therefore, pay then
their wages promptly, and give then
all we agree to, there will be no trouble
whatever in keeping and controlling
. them. Only one thing is important NJ
farmer can employ white and black la
Dor at the same time, or rather at TIT
same work-either one or the other viii
have to be engaged.
But would not the introduction o
these labOrers be attended with grea
deal OF expense, and would they not ash
wages beyond our reach?
In order to get the laborers to com,
into our parts, we would have to pay
part of their expenses on the steamer
and their travelling expenses from tb
place of landing to Columbia. All West
ern sucieties offer these inducements
and we would have to do the same
The journey from Hamburg to New
Orleans is $40 90, This fare would, w
think, be considerably reduced il W.
, iDtrOd uced large numbers of immi
! grants. Fare for immigrants from New