The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-10-06
THE GREATsLABOR PROBLEM.


tion with the Lien.law, and assuming,
sther,. that-the, Legislature will have
el'good sense to repeal it, the farmers
y::yery properly proceed with the dis.
sion already evoked, ..and eliminate, if
! ssible, a satisfactory solution of the
Sor.problem.
No system that maybe adopted that
es not. contemplate permanent and
adual improvement.of the soil should
Ia entertained....or tolerated. Unfortu-
Stely, the general ;practice!.prevailing
lce.the war has been one Of extension
ID general depletion. The cotton
auia.has tempted landlord and tenant
make constant and continual dra,l
lon the productive powers of the soil,
sthout restoring that hun,us so necessary
om vegetable decomposition to the re-
ssiction of the soil. In other and plain
words, the clean and successive yearly
lture of hoed crops, together with the
Instant use Of commercial fertilizers,
lst result ultimately n the serious de-
Srioration of the soil. Hence, the di-
jrsity of crops, with preponderance
s. small grain and forage or grass crops,
absolutely necessary. This diversified
%lturc, to be successful, requires agri-
Sltural knowledge of high order and
ermanency of settlement for series of
Jars. The one year tenancy must be
Sandoned, and one of much longer con-
huance substituted. No matter how
God tenant you may have, with only
aprospect of yearly tenancy he cannot
Eel any..great interest in. improvements.
Sglt secure him.fin his home for five or
Sn years, and the length of the lease at
bee stimulates him to improvement of
gery sort, feeling that he and his family
e to enjoy the benefits arising there
fen. Hence, the first step to be taken
) the direction of permanent improve
Gent, is to liberalize and lengthen the
slration of leases. Looking to the sys-
om of tenantry as the most important in
he development of agriculture, the Leg
elature should carefully revise all the
sast legislation regulating the relations
.f tenantland landlord, and simplify, if,
secessary, and amend so as to secure be-
sond peradventure the interests of both,
bid foster between them the utmost con-
ldence. One of our most energetic
ioung farmers in Anderson County has
.lready made q new departure in this
Erection, with every prospect Of success.
But it is very evident that we have
lass of renters that arc not yet prepared
D take SO important a step as this. They
'ave not the judgment and habits which
sould commend them to the landlord as
nitable tenants for so long period, and
lot likely 70 succeed .-iiiiii5r these new re-
possibilities. Hence, the iong-tenant
ysiem is not adapted to oil classes Of our
lborers, and no system of labor, which I
!oes not recognize the distinction be-.
ween competence and incompetence,
rill meet the exigency. 10 supply this
rant, another system of tenantry must
e adopted, either on the wage or share
yatem, or both combihed, which will de-
olive upon the l.ndholder, either in per-
OH or by BIS agent, to- superintend and
irect all the labor on the farm, thus ce-
uring judgment in planning and
in executing oil the opera;
ions Of the farm. AS at present consti
lted, this latter plan meets the ext
ency of Southern society better perhaps
nan the FIRST, and may be said to be
school, where those who are
he least qualified even to manage for
themselves shall have the benefit of su.
ar or knowledge and experience, on the
'art Of the landlord, to train them for
he higher system of tenantry contem-
dated in the first plan. We know of
everal farms whose operations have been
onducted for years On this latter plan,
nd the contentment Of the laborer, and
he evidences of improvement on every
ide, recommends the system 10 all OBJ
ervers. The laborers have third in.
crest in all the crops which they and
heir families can cultivate, the land
lolder furnishing land, stock, tools, all
o be cultivated under his direction OF
hat of his ngent.ee Whatever time the
aborcr can spare from his own crop, he
5 employed by the landholdcr in any
arm-work desired, and he is paid fair
wages for said labor. Thus the two sys-
ems, both wage and share, are combined,
hus securing tp, the laborer an individual
interest IN the crops raised, and to that
xtent, at least, epsuring on his part
more lively interest, and yet all under
he supervision and control of superior
Judgment and experience. On these
arms the general thrift of the laborer is
guarantee that the system is a good one
or him, and he is for the most part sat-
SIZED.
The third and last plan. is the wage
ystem pure and simple. This has
ONE advantagea,- over either of the
theirs, and when once tried, under some
notifications gives the laborer satisfac-
lonr and ensures to- the landlord entire
onttolsof fhisF FARM HFhIs latter feature
annot be overlooked .entirelyain any sys-> :
em, and can only be modified AZ in the
rst plan, where there is superior tact