Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-01-02
PROPERTY AND LABOR.

1t ls clear to every observing man that the
recuperative power of South Carolina is in the
proper development of her agricultural re-
sources. Since the war there has been an
effort made to bring out these resources, but
it has been only weak and occasional effort.
We have learned, since the conclusion of the
war, some things; and we have undertaken
to do some things which will ultimately be of
great Importance to us, if we only persevere in
the proper direction. The last seven years
have demonstrated clearly some very impor-
tant principles. All that we have to do now,
if we have been prompt in learning is to 60
to work and put our knowledge into practice.
One principle that has been clearly demon
strated, is, that the soil of South Carolina can
be cultivated on the plan of tenantry. Evil
dently, there are in the State two classes of
citizens-property.holders and laborers. The
property-holders, as mass, are not laborers
and the laborers, as whole, either have no
property at all, or at most but very little. 1t
is clear to any rejecting man, that what is
the interest of one of these classes Of citizens
is the interest of the other. The estate of
the property-holderis valueless without labor,
and that class of citizens which is possessed of
no real estate is dependant upon the property
holder for subsistence There is mutual
dependence existing between these two classes.
Neither can exist without the other 1t is a
fatal policy for the property-holder to attempt
to crush the laborer, for he crushes himself at
the same time. The same is true with re-
spect to the laborer. Every strike he makes
at the property-holder is blow aimed at his
own interest.
It is clear that it is to the interest of the
whole State that all her resources be devel-
oped. 1t may be set down as approximating
the truth, that the only class of resources in
South Carolina, at present available, is her
agricultural resources. We do not mean that
South Carolina has no other available re-
sources; all we mean is, that at present our
people generally, from education and the
force of habit, will not engage extensively in
any IuHiS OuI IilllbS Vic SOii. houOh o0iuS tAO
case, it is the duty of the land-holder to have
as much of his land as is possible put into
cultivation and it is the interest of the la
boring man to cultivate as much land as he
possibly can. Uncultivated fields are only so
much dead ca~ital.
What we mean by system Of tenantry is
simply this. Let the land-holder divide out
his land into small farms. On these let him
erect comfortable houses and lease out these
small farms to laborers, making it point to
give the cultivators of these farms remune-
rative wages. In this case the land-holder
has the choice of labor. Hence it will be to
the interest of the laborer to be industrious
and make as many Improvements on the
premises as possible. His Improvements will
be remunerative, both to himself and the
owner of the premises. Such system, we
believe, would have tendency to increase
the number of laborers and greatly improve
the kind of labor. The laborer would be de-
pendant upon his own industry and honesty
for home.