The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-03-19
Small Farms.

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means OF which the large land ow aers
hal controlled labor, and hal built
np a distinct class III the South, par.
'iculatly In The cane. cotton, tobacco !
and rice producing bolts. which *.
cluded In n great measure the small
farmers and any such thing ~ immi
grafton, the great problem presented
itsclf. IN 10 how 10 make these broad
tracts most productive nnd rcmuncr.
H'ive. With u tcnacl,y. In keeping
with their former caste. power and
moncy"d greatness. the land owners
have clung, with u mistaken idca and
policy. 20 their broad acres, and ex-
pcrimcntei In divers ways TO con.
troll labor 10 further their own inter.
eats. Tho share system has proven
snare and delu.ion. the negro Ia.
borcr has thus fat, In a great meas.
ure. developed q character for unrc.
liability, shiftIessness and worthless.
ncss, In consonance with his general
ignorance and dishonesty. lie will
only improve a. he becomes more
intelligent and seli.rcliant. Fifteen
years Of experiment. trial and vexa.
ton. has clearly proven that until
the character Of these cultivators IL
changed, the large landed estates
must necessarily merge into small
proprletorships.
This at present, secures the only
plausible egress to the question
which has vexed and harassed the
proprietors Of the lordly plantations
which formerly existed 10 the South.
A recent Issue OF tho New York
Sun contains a most interesting arti.
Gle on Small Farms In France and
Germany" which Embrace some ex.
cellent suggestions % we'll 10 valua.
bic Information relative to this very
important subject. The knowledge
CLEANED from the land agitation 10
Ireland, has brought to light some
surprising information ~ to peasant
proprietors. From the article In
question We CLEAN facts which may
prove OF great value.
Belgium has demonstra' cd the prof.
itableness OF email farms, also the
peasant landowners In Hungary, the
Spanish province OF 0allacis. and
the came system has successfully
been applied In the Charmed islands.
and the BeleaTie Isles. But the
peasant proprietorships existing In
Central Germany and Southwestern
France are most pertinent and inter.
esting.
Says the article referred to. I'm
that region Of central Germany
known as Thuringia. and q part Of
which bears the familiar name of
SAKE Cobury- Goths, scarcely any
restrictions on the transfer OF land
exist, and almost all the coil is own.
ed by the persons who till It," This
is Of recent date, yet such facilities
have been afforded life tenants Of
entailed proprietors to acquire abeo.
lutte ownership. and such advantage
hes been taken Of these opportuni.
ties, that the great bulk Of such es.
tstes have come into the market,
and they have been eagerly bought
and parcelled out In small holdings.
It appears, too, that banks were
started to assist the peasants, which.
after enabling them to pay OF the
land dues, continued TO lend money
to cultlvstors ct low rate Of inter.
est, and TO allow interest on the cav.
ings Of depositors. The result is that
Thuringia 10 home OF peasant prO.
prletors, = country where the univer.
cal and unceasinR craving for land 10
exceptionally we'll satisfied.
Let 10 look now at the peasant
holdings amODglthe French Baeuues.
who have managed to avoid that ex.
ceesive subdivision which undoubt.
edly entails some hardship In Thur.
ingla, and which, 1t IL constantly A.
serted, would take place In Ireland.
An English observer who has been
acquainted with the district some
twenty years tells 10 that 10 the
south western angle Of France, which
Includes land Of the most varied
character and even different climates.
owing to tie varying attitudes. the
culture OF small properties II uni.
formly profitable. Outside OF the
towns there is no such thing az mis-.
cry or poverty; there are no poor
Laws, and begging is forbidden bv
statute. Tho clothing OF the agri.
cultural classes ia not only sdennste
10 respect Of quantity, but OF excel.
lent quality, comprising plenty OF
good linen, besides substantial Gar.
ments Of wool; the small farm hons.
60 and cottages are most solidlv
built, With huge beams OF oak or
chestnut, and roofs tiled, not with
thatch, but With stone or slate, while
even Ia the poorest mountain dis.
tric!s ell the windows are Glazed
The food. indeed. Of the rural popu.
!ation, 70 lees substantial than would
20 expected BY % Englishman equal.
y we'll lodged and clad, for very ne.
tie meat 70 eaten, except ct church or
family festivals. The ordinary fare
10 . sort OF maize porridge, together
With SOUP bread, potatoes, csbbaQee.
and hertC0t beans, 70 which chess Il
sometimes added. and on last dsys
some kind Of salt or fresh ilsh. Tie
drink % . rough vine or cider, and
Il1it y largely consumed. the peas
ant OF southwestern France having
10 this article Of diet . decided od.
vantage over the English lsborer.
Il appears that near the towns IN
this part OF France only fOur.tenths