The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-06-21
RED RIVER FARMING.

Liz travelling correspondent Oh the
Cincinnati Commercial, Republican
paper, writes letter from Natchitoches
parish, from which we mako tho fol-
lowing extract:
"Somehow we don't get along like
we used to-" was told by ii planter,
''although our country, supp Csc, is
just as good now as then.'
"Upon what plan do you cultivate:"
I asked.
owe give the negroes one-half," he
replied.
"Let me into the particulars please"
"Well, it is this way" he answered.
XXI will give you my case and that will
answer for all the rest. All Rcd River
farms tho same way, SO far as know.
have thirteen hundred acres of land
in my plantation, though don't cult
vate half Of it. I furnish the land, of
course"
ssLet me interrupt you a moment.
Do the negroes own any land?"
ssNone at all, or the same as none.
believe some of them have bought
small places back in the hills, but rs q
general thing they own no real proper
ty. Certainly none about here own any
bottom land. Well, AS was saying, l
furnish the land. I also furnish mules,
plows, seed and feed for the mules, and
keep up tho fences and all that. But I
Go not find the hands. They do all the
work, and get half the proceeds Of the
crop.'
'Is thai style Of farming protit,blc::''
I asked
"Tou want tho truth, I SUPPOSE"
eyes, sir; would like to have it,"
"Well, to tell you the honest fact
about the business, it is not. can show
you my books from year to year for the
past five years, and you will sec that
have barely made enough to support
my family decently and pay my taxes
though, the truth is, last years tax I
havn't paid yet, though am going to.
You know that we are in Il snarl in this
State about taxes, but in our parish we
have concluded to face the music and
pay over to Kellogg. It amt worth
while to kick against q stone wall, with
a million Of Yankees on the other side,
is it:''
''I should think not. But what is
the experience OF the other plan tors in
tho parish 90
'tJust about like mine. They mako
IL good living for their families, but
save scarcely anything from year to
year. It's enough sight different from
what it was before tho war. Let me
show you; before the war made twenty
per cent. more cotton with the same
| number of laborers I have now. That
cotton was all mine; I did not have to
divide with anybody, and taxes low,
too. Now half my crop goes to the
| hands. The only point am the gain
or in is that I don't have to feed the
| hands, which I used to have to do in old
slave time, you know. ] gain that
| y
| on the other. Now you understand
why cotton raising was SO much more
| profitable before the war than now
Besides we conlu get much moro work
out of hands then than now. used to
have 'em at it by daylight in the busy
season, but now they go at it pretty
much when they please. Every fellow
to his notion, now, you know. Some
OF the boys arc out at 5 o'clock, and
others not until 10. There is no sys-
tenn like there used to be. am not
complaining;1' Pm willing slavery should
go, but am telling you facts which
any planter will tell you who has farm
cd before the war and since.
ssThat is ono reason why property is
SO much lower now than before the war.
! One reason, 1 say. Another is that
the State is i'll so much confusion, two
| 'ofciuoIS, TWO legislatures, aElt the
| devil to pay generally. Right hcrc il,
this parish t,icrc arc Plantations that
can be bought for $4,000 that $4,000
would have not touched before the
war;
"Have you over tried white labor ?''
! s'Some. l have q few white men on
my plantation. They work on shares
like the rest. They can not cultivate
as much as IL niger, but do say they
do it better. They keep tho crop clean
CIR and attend to business closer. They
have more forethoug1t for tho future.
The niggcr is 4 good deal like dumb
brutc-hc don't look ahead very far. So
he has his belly full he is not uneasy
until he gets hungry again. I know
the niggor' better than they know them
selves. [ was raised among 'cm. !
like 'eln, Id rather have 'cm round
| than not. Pm not like some people,
always cutaing the ID uigCcrs, for I
| know they arc not to blame for what
has been done 10 Them They are not
to blame for coming TO this country
the white Iuen brought them; they
We're not to blame for having been
| made SIaVpS-thr >rbitC mon dill ~.