The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1878-07-25
Gditurial.
sugar PLANTING REVOLUTION,
PAST FAILURES AND FUTURE
HOPE.

any others have realized that
labor with freedmen was unre"
liable, and that the day is rapidly
approaching when they can no
longer depend altogether upon
colored Iaborers. They were
greatly demoralized by the un~
fortunate habits of some planters
Offering higher wages than their
neighbOrs until none could afford
to pay the prices.
Hence, the share system was
inaugurated a few years ago by
some of onr largest and most
intelligent planters, and those
who selected the best white tens
ants for a time succeeded remark,
ably well. Seeing this, some few
tried the same experiment with
CQlOrCd laboraIs, but failed most
ANONYMOUSLY ; while the more
INSCRIPTIONS, by offering a larger
share of the crop than those who
introduced the white tenants,
created dissatisfaction among the
industrious white share hands
who we're already doing we'll. It
soon became apparent that this
system, even with the best white
men, could not permanently sue
coed. If the planters profits
were not consumed by the in
creased share given the tenant,
they soon were by the natural
decay of fences, buildings, etc.,
which he had to repair ; and
worse than all, the tenant, who
began work on this system with
the intention of remaining but a
few years, or until he could either
make enough to buy a little home
of his own or seCare a better offer
elsewhere, commenced to neglect
the land, allowed bitches to fill
up, failed to plant in peaVines or
in any way make proper returns
to the soil for the exhaustive
crops taken from it. In conses
quence, when the tenants moved
elsewhere, as they almost always
did sooner or later, the planters
found their lands impoverished,
badly drained, and, in the end,
the share system less profitable
than well organized colored labor.
Next the central system was
proposed and inaugurated by a
few-the planter furnishing only
the land, buildings and seed cane
to begin with, and the tenants
delivered their cane at the mill
at a stipulated price per ton.
Thus far, this system is pros
nounced a success, but we foresee
the same troubles which beset
the regular share system. Evem
now, while many planters are co1k
tomplatiug and discussing tile
new departure, none seem to know
hon mach per ton they can afQtd
to offer, while the white working
men, who take a deep interest ia
the move, are awaiting the best
offer. When they do begin work
on this system, it will naturally
be with the same mental reserva-
ton that they can go elsewhere
when it suits them, and the land
will again be left in the same
WOrnsOnt condition.
With much regret we thus
"dampen the ardor" of planters
who are now looking to this new
system as their only salvation ;
but We are fully convinced that
THE ONLY TRUE SYSTEM
is to entirely discounect the agris
cultural and manufacturing des
partments. Let those who have
large tracts of idle land land only
such should put up refining ma,
chinery unless they have pO8itiye
assurance that they can secure
outside support) divide them up
into lots Of a size to suit families,
and then sell to the tenants,
guaranteeing them the market
price per ton tor their cane. This
would secure the better class of
white farmers, who would cOlon~
ize with a very different aim than
that which would actuate them
as mere share hands or tenants.
AS they would be working their
oCR lands, more thorough cults
walton would be the result !; and
as the central factor would thus
realize an annual income from
every acre of the large estate, his
net profits would then actually be
greater than at present, since he
is now kept poor by paying taxes
npon idle land, maintaining fences
around fields which are only par.
or poorly cultivated, and
a life Of harassing doubt as
10 what the future has in store
ior him.
@ ~
CHARBoN.-We saw one case
IF this troublesome disease on