Richland beacon., 1875-06-19
ITh, Southern CnIt,a,cr for Jumd. ]
Reform.

Reform! Reform, Reform!..
This is the cry | have heard since
schooIboy-reform in church, reform
in schools, reform in politics. 1t Is
the cry of fanatics, of denagogues,
of the dis;.ppoin,ed-or sometimes OF
the oppressed, Of the wronged, the
overburdencd. And when it comes
from these last, it is a sound that will
he beard-it is a voice that finds an
echo and a response, that will be heed
ed. To day the cry is heard-reform +!
reform 1t is the deep wailings
that come from bsrren hills. so ruth
lessIv robbed Of their vcrdure and
fertility it is the meanings of
wandering cati'e. Sc, king to satisfy
the fierce gnawing Of emptiness; it is
the fearful intoI ations Of people
whose substance is gone, whose barns
are empty, whose purses are depleted,
before whom grim want stands with
all its bideousness. 1t is voice that
will be heard-hceded. 1t is tocsin
that calls together and forces US to the
contest. 1t is the ty ant necessity
that bids you arise and do your duty.
If there ever was demand for re.
form-deep, radical reform-if ever
country could need ref"rm-if ever a
class of people could clamor for re-
, form,-now is the time, this the cour-
/ try. and the farmers the class. And,
unlike many demanded reforms, the
power, the IN, an and the benefits
are in the hands OF the farmers. And
to them b lonr the stigmy. as will be
the honor and p oft Farmers, yon
/ see-feel-rea IL. your want yon
also, to a great extent, understand
what is required of you to bring
about the much needed result. Why
not do what experience, wisdom and
necessity demand? The trouble lies
in the incidence Of the mind-the
love of ease-the want Of moral force
Of character to face the old WORKOUT
relics Of false theories.
Now reform is not PER sc revolution
Reform can be gradual, and this re-
form among farmers must be slow
The needed reform, and to be wrougt
out by US, will take time, require pc
tience-endurance-great selfdenial
Any plan looking to improvement
, however well digested, however mucl
wisdom in its conception, boweve
f much real and positive good it ma.
|. promise, is ef,ete, and will be still
born, unless these elements are in th'
. farmer-patience, endurance, sell
denial. Patience to wait, endurance
to perform the needed work, aud sell
f denial to foseg0 present gains t
; future good. Worn out and over
/ cropped land, as ours have been, nee'
: rest and r0tati0n-chango of crops
5 The land needs ,crops requiring les
D of plow and hoe-and such is the con
a di,ion of the farmer. that be require
5 all that his lands will producee 70
;. immediate nse, and the trouble is hoy
;. to abandon the present system Of cror
4 ping without being placed in sti
v more 1straitened circumstances. Is
O many, if not all cotton is looked I
# as the only source from which l
Y draw the needed cash. This falac
5 has well nigh bankrupted the coul
}. try, in more than one way-ou
c money and credit is about gone, an
: our lands SO impoveris ned By il, tba
u they yield scarce compensation
5 labor. AS to amount Of ready none
:, per acre, perhaps ccton has been tt
l. best paying crop we could plant-br
;. as to amount for labor expended.
a Yields less than most any o'her
b which our lands are adapted, and
o exc ssively exhaustive. Then "
must change our manner OF none
ir making. Heretofore we a'e endca
N ored to employ all the .labur pOssib
,r in order to cultivate oil our lands, {
10 that we were ocerstDcLed with labo
Of and, in sclfdefence, forced to dra
le from our lands all that idbor wou
le accomplish. Now, we must economi!
III labOr-that Is, we must SO change ol
y p ans as to make the largest an o II
re Of yield, the largest profit with lee
be amount of ajor. Tbi, we can do
)? planting more largely of wheat. Ga
es and grasses. In doing this We afol