The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-10-16
Farming OIL Shares,

This custom in the old cotton belts of
the south grew out of two causes which,
ut the time we saw no way to
avoid-iirst, from il want of money to
pay wages with, and secondly, because
the negroes had been advised by the Blu
reau 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 secur-
ing the negroes work. Experience, how
ever, of disastrous nature, has shown
the error of the plan, and the time has
certainly come when farmers and plant
ers must adopt different system, even
if it should involve the necessity of cul-
tivating 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 IL 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
g Driver ;" and but small proportion
Of those who had that particular sort of
effectiveness were at all calculated to
say when and how crop should be
pitched, planted and worked, outside the
direction of the planter himself Yet.
in the face of this, we now find them
placing their entire planting interests IN
the hands of one negro whose only re-
commentator 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 ldlencss of
the entire number, instead of one. The
tenant or rent plan is only the same
thing under another name, and, if posi-
BILE, plan containing more risks. For
while working on the share plan, there
is some semblance of obedience to prOprie
tary authority, however tenderly 1t Is
to he touched. While the tenant pl;tn
at once surrenders the entire control.
Under this last system the negro Is sup
piled with Il 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 propretorship.
Sometimes this is attended by partial
success, but in the very large majority
of instances, in failure of crop-largc i'll
debtcdnes>, 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 idIeness
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 rs we do, vet they seem not to re-
gard the severe lessons of experience.
How to plant, with the negro for the la
borcr, is the question. Both question
and answer are simple, but our planters
refuse to adopt them.
Employ them for money wages, Ger
tain portion payable 1T the expiration of
every month, the remainder ut the end
of the vear-cither working them in
large or small numbers. rs may be most
convenient, we prcicrrin% the small num-
bcrs with Il well chosen white man to
work in the lead, and To act as a
kind OF foreman under the proprietor.
IT. then. an idle hand has becncmployed,
he can at any time he discharged with
only irrespective, bat not an actual loss,
rs is the case when farming on shares.
The facts which we have here urged
upon the cotton planters are of the most
serious character, rs is shown III their
pecuniary condition and in the appear
.,ucc OF their homes-for Il share cropper,
or Il tenant, always refuses to assist in
improving the place, havin" no further
interest in it, he thinks tilau for the
pas4in" wear while with hired hands Il
man kecI,s hi. stock and cribs in his own