The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-06-09
LAND PIRATES.
How Il Soutl, is Abused by INSCRIPTIONS
Storolzeepers.

How Il Q Soutla Is Abused by INSCRIPTIONS
Storolzeepers.
Southe IN Cor. New York Tribune.
One of the worst features of the existing
condition Of things in-the south is to be
found in the character and method Of a
large number Of men who sell goods in the
smaller country towns and villages, and at
the cross roads and landings almost every
whele. Those men are mostly foreigners
or northern men, but of late they are, in
some parts of the country, a few native
southerners taking up the same kind of
business, as good southern citizens now
and then confessed to me with shame.
These merchants, or stOrekeepers, are as
rapacious as pirates, entirely destitute of
principle, conscience or honesty. Observe,
do not say that all the small merchants or
dealers in country places in the south are of
this character, but the class is a very large
one, and it has its representatives almost
everywhere. These men are growing rich
faster than any other class in the southern
states. They sell goods to negroes and
poor whites at 200 or 800 per cent. profit,
and much of the time they simply take all
that man has A large part of their bus
mess is conducted in this w.y: A dealer
Of this class makes an agreement during
the winter with a negro or white laborer to
run him for the season. That is, the
merchants furnish the small planter" with
all his provisions and supplies of every
kind for the spring, summer and autumn,
agricultural implements and everything
needed On credit; all these are to be paid
for out of the crop, when it is matured and
gathered. Each dealer may thus supply
or run" a dozen, twenty, or fifty men.
During the summer and all the time tho
crop is growing, the dealer rides about and
inepects each mans crop, or sends some
competent man to do this, so that he can
estimate the probable product. OF course
an experienced judge can do this very &C
curately. Thus, when the cotton is ready
to be picked, the merchant knows exactly
how much has been produced by each man
that he has "1un." All along through the
season be has, Of course, entered on his
books eacharticle furnished to the planters.
Now he goes over his books and puts down
the price Of each article, the amount which
the customer is to pay for it; and the price
is so arranged that the aggregate charged
for the seasons supply will exactly take the
planters whole crop. The poor laborer is
thus left, at the end of the season: abso-
lutcly penniless.
There are often stormy scenes on set
ling usly. OuCn merchant Will SuDmlC
without resistance to the bitterest curses a
wronged, disappointed, enraged negro can
utter. Often there would be violence, but
the merchant is armed and his dupe is
cowcd. The end or result OF it all is usual
~ that the dealer makes the man a cheap,
snowy present, and arranges to run" HIM
again the next year. But sometimes, when
a negro is concerned, the outcome is diff
ferent. The merchant buys cotton. In
many cases he has a gin Of his own, OF
cotton press. This gives the wronged,
helpless negro an opportunity for revenge.
The gin Or press is fired some dark night;
there is Il deduction from the dealers
profits for the year; the negroes of the
region exult among themselves, and there
IL q new ''politica} outrage" for the news
papers and politicians.