American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-01-25

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a state of service of any kind nrcpS-
sariiy imposes, and he will subject ,
himself 10 all sorts of risks aud |
IavdShipS in order to do So. More
over. farming is supposed to lie II
very simple business. rcqniring no
plncntinn or talent beyond wnat is Z
found in the most ignorant and stu !
pid freedman. The excessively /,
nigh rates thar may he charged for /.
advancing. temptS the merchant to |
furnish n small measure of the ne
cpssary supplies. The land-hnldpr
is hnt too willing to furnish any
number of acres OF his vast" land.
considering the smallest chance of
- merely nominal rent rs better than
'lp certainty ut no turn Mt all.
Thrnu-', combination If these cir.
cnmsfaucrS. the business has to Il
great ex en- passed INFO h" hands
OF these WHO from ignorance or in
doipncp. II both. c0siI not noS-itIv
Sucrrcd. Ven were they supplied
>ith AL the stock imultnpnrs -,rO-
vi; ions. etc. that are r' Qn,,e,': and
Where they are so rnnrl> furnished
for the mrrchans issues 20 them
hut Sparil'oI, and furnished 1T
such oppressive ra'rs, dis Ster. want
and Snfi"rln. surely ovpr'akn them
Bot iIr.. t,uUhirS at tho vast have no
tffirct in changing their course so
( inuo rs hey c,n indulge thrir ma,
fur:il indoie,,cr: and 50 His >yS-em
goes on from y.ar t. wear % the
great irinrv not only TO the business
of lariuiu. hut of every other l.u-i>
ness fnr al nrr has uDOn this.
! The case Is but little better whore
| the labor is emIlrVcd SOW shares
; for here ignorance and rresumntirn
assume r"nrro'. the emnlovrr is
/ without authority to direct or with
cut power to pnforcr ilr,i authniitv.
laZiurSS has fall SWAY. and faiinrp
with loss of cnpifal invested is the
ns,laI result. In neither ease rcnt-
ing 10 Irresponsible parties CT
/ farming on shares can their he any
| imrrnvpm"nt of the farm. Tue
lahnrer absolutely refuses 70 Il"
aly work ou' side. the rror. fee'ing
hat it is ~ that only that lie has
any interest. Thu incene of the
owner, if there is any income AZ AL.
is too insignificant accomplish
anything. Buil,liugS fences. etc,
ar. passing away aud the soil CON
,inues to deteIiorate. while for
several months il the year the labor
that should build up and improve is
supinely idle.
These two modes Of firming mon
opoliZr the labor and govern its
character. To employ farm labor
rrS for igtS except near the town.
is next 10 impossible, aud where
thry are SO employed they must be
slowed the same privilege of laZi
ness autl neglect of work that they
see in those around them. The
tenure by winch they are held il
extremely unceTfain. Tie farmer
may liz d. ss.lIrd il the busiest part
ct the season ard OH this account
the crop he entirely lost. The
prudent farmer therefore justly
shrlnks from so baZai dons n mode
of employ ing labor. 1t would be
reckless indeed, on the wages syS
tenn, to risk the capital that farming
requires on any hut u small scalf.
Thus we see that Oh what ever
plan the labor may be employed it
is inefficient and unreliable and
makes the business of farming un
safe and unsatisfactory.
Further More the term of all
Contracts for labor is limited to a
single wear, and however faithfully
the service may he performed, it is
liable TO I've Withdrawn at the clase
of The year. In fact, owing to The
great demand in proportion to the
supply, 1t is very apt TO be with
drawn. Nuw, un,Irr the present
:. stem of ming. tnis fact of IT.
self would make the business very
unSaf, one for the invesI OF
capital. Investments in farming,
or at least great part of them, are
in their very nature. of such IA
character that they cannot he with
drawn at the will of the investing
party. Land, buildings, fences aud
all indictments require an Uninter-
rapteh cnu,inu.tion oi the business,
or Else THERE Is loss. not Oniy of the
Interest on the capital, hut of the
capital ITSELF. for except the land
II is when not in use rapidly per
isl ing ard the land decrease in
value. Horses, mules, corn, etc,
may sunrti mes he dispos"d of, bat
il i generally -at great sacrifice.
Thp evils Already noticed aie
enough 10 prcven' the prosperity
of he farming interest, but thrr" Is
vet another that has no small share
in the work. 1t j. chad manage
mrnt," and will nex' be considered.
ZFA.
LEG i.