The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-05-28
THE NEGRO EXODUS.
WHAT EX-GOVERNOR ALCoRN, OF MISSISSIPPI,
HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT.

The negro exodus is not thing of the
past-the little squirt magnifed into great
black torrent pouring Kansasward has sub
sided to q "dribble;' but as the Republican
papers still use the matter as pretext for
lying, we give below what prominent
Republican, living directly among the Mis-
sissippi blacks has to say about it. 1t is
Republican testimony, and ought to be
good in Republican court. Governor
Alcorn, writing to a Chicago firm, holds
as follows:
For reasons which will readily come to an
intelligent mind, renting is not the popular
mode OF cultiyating IN this country. U.s.
ually the crop is cultivated on shares, the
planter supplying land houses, mules, for
age, tools and garden spot; the tenant
clothes and feeds himself; supplies the
labor; the crop Of corn and cotton is divi-
ded the laborer receiving half. Food and
clothing are supplied to the tenant, some
times by the planter, often by the mer-
chant, but always with lien on the crop.
There are not many tenants who will not
buy all they.can get; here lies the trouble.
| cultivate largely, have 140 to $50 fam
ilics on my plantations. They live plenti-
fully. Were not to put plenty in their
hands, they would soon remove to other
plantations, for it is fact that, labor being
scarce, the competition among their tenants
extravaganza, and often ideness. To-day
| could, think. find employment within
tins county for 800 laborers at from $12 to
$50 per month. In no country within my
knowledge does unskilled labor
command higher prices than in
the Mississippi delta. Frugal and
industrious people thrive here, the
imprOvident or idle fare here as elsewhere.
note an example: Last year a tenant on
my plantation, with a small hired helm,
produced II bales Of cotton and 300 bushels
OF corn. He paid his debts, retained his
corn, and had remaining over 800 in cash.
That man was satisfied. On the same plan
tation there were three families who cult
waited in copartnership. The three men, for
the women seldom work in the crop, raised
nine bales of cotton and about 200 bushels
of corn; half Of this was theirs. thew owed
about $500; fell in debt; they were not sat
istied, and | may be permitted to add,
neither was |.
Referring again to the question Of reIt,
the planter or landlord has as a rule no
guarantee save the tenants declaration of
a Willingness to labor, and while he will
not rent his best lands for less than $40,
preterring to take his chances for day or
month hands, the fact remains that many
hundred thousand acres of government
lands, subject to the homestead act, are in
this state occupied; many thousand acres of
fertile lands belonging to the state lie
around US which can be had TOR triie: be.
Sides this large land owners are anxious 10
sell for a 1.-THE of the original cost. |
note an example; Three years since | sold
at fifteen cents per acre, cash, 1000 acres of |
land fronting on the Mississippi river, a
good woodward, and finely timbered. This
land, which brought me $3.50, had cost be-
fore the war twelve thousand dollars. To-
day the land is unoccupied. | would not
receive It back at two cents per acre. The
trouble lies in the fact that it is heavily
Clearing, fencing and building
houses is work, and hard work. The col
'red man is not behind the white man in
this He prefers the white
mans grindstone in the way of rent to the
abor of building himself home
Outside the voting places, aside from
politics the negro is kindly treated. Before
,ourts, on the plantations, in the family, |
loubt if in all the broad land the negro
AN find more tender and sympathizing {
whites ,
The cause Of the present hegra may be /;
raced to the politicians. The present UNI
wise agitation in congress has been seized
lpon to rob the south of its labor. The a
negro is volatile, impulsive, emotional il
rcaturc. mean the plantation negro. .
lis fears are easily excited. lie is made
0 feel that he represents Gods chosen peo-
lie, the children Of Israel; that the wicked a
,uthcrners, Egyptians, are contri ling for Z
is practical reinstatement; that he must =
lakc the dust Of Egypt from his feet and :,
asten to the land of Canaan" Out of
lie South the poor negro seems determined c
, GO He will consume with relish the I
God things supplied him by the liberal h
and Of the plentiful North, but when the
mama" ceases to fall, when the buttered
arsnips shall be no longer supplied, but }
read must be supplied with labor mark d
y prediction, the negro will yearn to re.