The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-09
E ESSAY,
VIM. E. Sprewell, Esq:
BEFORE THE PIONEER AGRICULTU
RAJ CLUB, MARCH 6TH 1873.

AAASH - = 49, - at1lltd OAIlFT-
wise and in obedience 10 you Twill try
to say something without howeverthe
expectation Of interesting YOU.
Agriculture and its kindred subjects
furnish a wide field for thought as
well "a words of both Of which | have
a very meagre supply.
Mr. +. these are troublous times in
all agricultural communities and es-
pecially so in Southern communities
About the only ray of hope left us is
the knowledge that the world in al
past time has gained a living by the
husbandman's toll, that starvation has
been kept at bay and that we with
million others of the human family
are yet alive and in the enjoyment Of
a ~Sufficiency of food; and not only sir.
has a subsistence been gained, but in
very many instances fortunes have
been made and laid by for old age and
posterity.
We know that fortunes made in the
pursuit of Agriculture are of slow
Sio"tH Oul W Tic IHuuStIlcJS. HlItIll-
gent, prudent hus5andman not only a
comfortable living but a competence
for old age IS almost certain. We of
late hear great complaint Of loss of
money by farming. Mr.. F., l wish to
ask why is this. has the earth refused
to yield her increase, or labor its Just
reward: has the early and latter rains
been withheld, and famine and pesti-
lence beset our pathway: no sir, none
of these calamities have befallen us.
Then why is it that the farmer live
from the fruits of his soil and toll.
There are many reasons that even |
with my weak penetration can see and
understand. prominent among them is
| hat we rely too much upon the labor
of others, and too little upon our own:
the rule with US should be to hire
others to do for us what we cannot do
for ourselves and not as at present, to
| do for us what we will not do for our
selves. | assert sir that there is no
reason why the diligent husbandman
should not reap a fair reward for his
labor in this county. Ourlands are GER
tain to respond literally to liberal
treatment with brain, and
muscle. We know no such thing as a
total failure of crops here, then where
is the difficulty? Had / knownI would
have told you by my actions long ere
this. But l believe another great
trouble lies in this, we have made
~lation, we have neglected the little
things that would nave brought plenty
and comfort to ourselves and families
and dependents and devoted our time
and capital to speculation in the one
prominent crop. l do not intend, sir,
to say aught against our great staple.
for L believe to-day that no people OH
earth possess a greater source of
wealth than we have in our great sta
pie crop Of the South but we nave been
tooanxious to grow suddenly rich from
its almost exclusive cultivation. We
have ripped up the goose to get the
l SOAoCh Ms. Leu IC ouDpoSC IL SdSC, II
is this, had The South at the close of
the wal devoted one-third of its pro-
ductive capacity to food crops and
two-thirds to cotton, we would to-day
be the richest agricultural people on
the face of the earth instead of being
the poorest as we are. Mr.. p, who
can we blame for the present state of
affairs, we may croak over low prices
will, but we have u own imbecility
to blame for the trouble.
The time has never been in the his
tory of this country, when labor could
be rendered more profitable than any
period since the close of the war. By
reference to an old memorandum made
in 1851 and 1852, l find that | sold corn
Eat forty cents per bushel, sold cotton
at : cents per 10. and realized less than
seven cents per pound for lint cotton
and we are now depressed when it
sells at 8 or 10 cents, and yet almost
every article Of comfort or luxury is
cheaper now than in 1851 and 1852. |
hesitate to harp on the same old string
or chant the same old tune, yet | can
not resist the temptation to say that
when we raise all our supplies at
home, the low price of cotton will o
h2ve such terrors for us. The farmer
who has plenty to eat for man and
heart Is Spara5 tho bumiliatinp pacaS-
sity of begging some capitalist to car
ry him. he can look without terror on
cheap cotton and snap his fingers in
the face of the money render, but he
that is without food or money is poor
indeed.