Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-11-28

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"A Pew Brief Thoughts.
BIZ n. s. PAYNE, OF JozDAs's SPRINGS.
, WORTHY MAsTER AND BRE7HREN:7s
| rise to read you some thoughts.
which I wrote last night. in behalf Of
some resolutions / have 20 offer for
discussion to-day. / have matEred
them. believing that, if unanimously
adopted by our Grange to-day, they win
be endorsed by large majority Of the
farming interest Of this entire district,
and further believe that it will do
more-it will swell our ranks--it will
effect cooperation in our order and out
of our order. Since the agitation of
this subject. but one week ago. l have
had quite a number Of our best citi-
gems tell me to go on. We don't belong
to your order, but viii endorse what
you do. Look, sirs, at the condition of
our population here. More than 200
black voters, more than twice that
number of boys and young men, who
cannot vote, and three times as many
young eolored ladies, ADD about one
third of the entire number employed,
and half Of that third merely going
through a motion Of work, without
food, and nearly all without raiment.
This is dark picture, but is not high
ly colored. You all know that, BY the
unprecedented drought Of this year,
we have failed in crop; n5s third
ofa crop of corn, about enc tsntherop
of tobacco, an average yield in wheat.
one-twentieth eropo Of oats. failure in
the hay crop, and one-third Of the
wheat grown seeded. What | ask, in
the name of high heaven. shall We do
to remedy this great growing evil We
have thecolored man bewildered, halt
ing between three opinions, whether
to rent, to work on shares, or work tho
entire year for wages. The lastis best
for him, best for you, in my humble
opinion. He has tried renting and
failed to make rent; tried share and
failed to make anything for you or
himself: tried hiring, aud some Of Us
have not made enough TO feed him.
Brethren, this is vital question to
vital to all who are not farm
ers. The growth, the prosperity, and
greatness Of nation is sustained By
the rich products Of her SOIL 1t won't
do to let our rich lands waste away in
wash away in gullies, or be
with briers, thorns and
ignorant negro labor, under
the present system Of employing and
working it indiscriminately renting,
sharing, will bring about these disas-
trous, ruinous results. Let Us wakeup
to this great, paramountinterest--para-
mount to every other interest-saye
the education of our children.
Pass the resolutions, and we will
have more reliable labor and more re-
labor. -
will read the resolutions for your
consideration. / will read that abler
minds than possess may take them
up and defend the great principle they
The living idea that brains
is as much needed to speed the plow. and
advance the husbandman, as tits many
other pursuit in life, that labor must
be educated or you will fail to make
farming profitable.
l. Resolved, That in hiring labor on
our farms, we deem it unwise to have
set prices, but shall require recon-
from parties seeking en-
ployment, capacity, honesty, 6delity,
and strict compliance with contract.
Adopted unanimously.
2. Resolved, That in working on
shares, the operative shall be required
to perform one years labor. or to be ac-
lively employed, as if hired for a
consideration, or subject 10
be docked out Of his half OF share for
all lost time.
Adopted unanimously.
2. Resolved, That renting land TO
our eolored citizens is. detrimental to
the farming interest, often proving ru-
nous to the renter and rentee.
Adopted unanimously.
4. Resolved, That il is the opinion
of this Grange that the wisest and best
policy to improve our lands, to increase
the yield and reach high state Of cul-
ture iu farming, we must use brains,
cease to work our colored friends on
shares, a reasonable stipulated. COM
peDsation gives them more satisfaction
and less discomfort.
Adopted unanimously.
Resolved, That we, as farmers, need
permanent annual labor, and should
not rely so much on day laborers to
work our farms.
Adopted unanimously.
6. Resolved, That Oureounty papers
be requested to publish these resolu-
tions, with the brief thoughts of our
worthy lecturer in behalf Of them.
SToNEwALL GRANGE.