The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-12-11
Our Farming Lands.

In an admirable communication pub-
lished in the Union and american of the
2ud inst, Mr. Maxwell, Master of the
Tennessee State Grange, speaks of
Large unwieldly plantations that don't
pay the owners, aud are wasting away in
intrinsic value for the want of perma>
nent citizenship and ability to manage
them Until desirable occupant and
purchasers of these large plantations
can be obtained from Europe and the
Northern States, which is likely to be
some years hence, they should be seed
ed down to grass, and devoted to the
production of wool and mutton sheep,
both of which ~iIl bear transportation
better than corn or wheat
What landholders and the public need
is fair income from all the soil in the
State. Even our native grasses with
slight cultivation pay better than cotton.
Mr. J r Gray, of Columbus, Ga, in
letter to Rev. c. w. Howard, says:
Il have cut and housed this summer
seventy tons of native grass, good mer~
chantabe hay, at a cost not exceeding
viii make four hundred bales which
will net in our market next spring tour
dolars per bale, say one thousand six
hundred doIlars-this at an outlay not
exceeding two hundred dollars.
Ny cotton crop the present year will
cost me BY the 25th OF December abnut
a L.,
sale at fourteen cents, will bring net one
thousand one hur drsd and City dollars
fifty profit, extending over a period Of
twelve months. Don't you think it is
time TO take new departure.
1t is impossible to resist for another
quarter Of century says the Union and
American the teachings of facts like the
above. Twenty>eight times more money
is made in Southern Georgia by devoting
$500 worth Of labor 80 grass, than by
81. 100 worth Of labor given TO king cot
ton
When will the farmers of Tennessee
and Alabama take their "usw de
parturs" and learn to raise staples that
require little or no tillage, and small Ia.
Dor every way 2 The governments of
Great Britain, Germany and Russia are
taking measures IL earnest to resist emil
grafton to the United States; and the
fact is now patent that we shall receive
from Europe a smaller number of immi~
grants this year than last By about ono
hundred thousand Every State IN the
Union wants industrious, economical
settlers to work, rent houses, buy goods
and creste capital to share the weight OF
war debts and war taxation Such inn
migrants have an intrinsic high money
value but what NATIONS and States shall
lose this class of people, and who dare
say zoe shall win them 1t is lottery in
which there are twenty blanks to one
prize, and Tennessee chance to win is
very small If the landholders of the
South should divide their large estates
into forty or eighty acre tracts and give
one to each head of family from the
Northern States and Europe, who would
become permanent citizen and occu-
pant, the attraction would be less than
toward government lands in the great
West.
As things now stand, it is no object for
q Northern farmer to take land in David,
son county, at ten, fifteen OF twenty dol,
lars an acre. Why Because all the
roads leading to Nashville are in the
hands Of close monopolies and the
farmer cannot take y load Of wood, hay,
grain or turpips to market, without hav-
ing money taken from his pocket at toll
gates established by authority, Of law.
all bad laws in Tennessee were re-
pealed the statutes of the State would
probably be reduced to fourth of
their present size and number 1t is
mainly unwise legislation that drives so
many natives out of Tennessee, and pre-
vents the citizens of other States and ma
tious coming to settle among our peace
full and inviting people. Congress has
cursed the whole country by its unwise
legislation, and the practical result is
that our American soil must experience
a remarkable shrinksge in value. Bad
laws tie the hands of honest industry,
tax unjustly the very salt that goes into
it's daily bread, and make q WOODEN coat
to keep out the winters cold cost two
prices. It matters little who hold the
nomi al titles to land. 90 long as mcnied
despotism controls all productive labor,
all exchanges, all locomotion on high
ways and railways Men Who think
should ponder these pregnant truths.