The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-15
Farming on Shares.

This custom in the old cotton belts 0
! the south grew out Of two causes which
! at the time we saw no way t
| av0id-trSt, from a want of money tC
| pay wages with, and secondly, because
| the negroes had been advised by the Blu
rCaU Agents not to farm in any other
manner. These, we say, were the two
leading causes that led to it, and CON
firmcd, as we thought, by the belief that
it was really the best method of sccur-
ing the negroes work Experience, how
ever, of Il disastrous nature, has shown
the error of the plan, and the time has
certainly come when farmers and plant
crs must adopt different system, even
if it should involve the necessity Of cul-
tiyating less ground. This custom has
practically resulted in the negro bCcom-
ing the proprietor Of the crop and all Of
us who were accustomed to the negro
when slave, and under good training
and order, know that it was seldom one
could be found, Of sufficient knowledge
and force of character, to make even Il
Drivcr;' and but a small proportion
of those who had that particular sort OF
.cNecUtiveuesS were at all calculated to
say when and how crop should be
pitched, planted and worked, outside the
direction of the planter himself. Yet,
i'm the face of this, we now find them
placing their entire planting interests in
the hands of one negro, whose only re-
Commendation Is that he can command
perhaps one to six hands The effect of
which is that the proprietor has to bear
the brUnt of the ignorance or IdlcncsS OF
the entire number, instead OF enc. The
tenant or rent plan is only the same
thing under another name, and, IT posi-
bic. 4 plan containing more risks. For
while working on the share plan, there
is some scmblance ofohedience to propric-
tarv authority, however tenderly it is
to he touched. While the tenant plan
at once surrcnders~thc entire control.
Under this last system the negro is sup
piled with mule or mules, under the
appearance Of sale, and supplies of all
kinds advanced, with the only chance of
reimbursement, depending on the sue
cess of the negro in, to him, the new arts
of planting and proprietOrShip.
Sometimes this is attended by partial
success, but in the very large majority
Of instances, in failure of crop-large in
debtedness, which he is unable to pay
the mule badly damaged, by i'll Use and
starvation. and, in most instances, re-
turned. and quite often in the abandon
mcnt of the crop before gathering; this
last being practically done, by idleness
and neglect. Whenever the negro finds
that his Indebtedness for rent, supplies
and stock are likely to exceed the value
of his crop. he feels no more obligation
to continue work.
Our planters know these things Just as
well a. we do, vet they seem not to re-
card the severe lessons of experience
How to plant, with the negro for the la
borer. is the question. Both question
and answer are simple, but our planters
refuse to adopt them.
Employ them for money wages. a ecr-
tain portion payable at the expiration of
every month, the remainder at the end
of the vcar-cither working them in
Iarrc or small numbers, as may be most
convenient, we prefprring the small num-
hers with 4 well chosen white man to
work in the lead, and to act as
kind of foreman under the proprietor.
If then. an idle hand has beenemploved,
he can at any time be discharged with
only prospective, but not an actual loss.
as Is the case when farming on shares.
The facts which we have here urged
upon the cotton planters are of the most
serious character, as Is shown in their
pecuniarv condition and in the appear
ance of their hOmes-for share croBper.
or a tenant. always refuses to assist in
improving the place, having no further
interest in it, he thinks. than for the
passing year; while with Hired hands
man keeps his stock and cribs in his own