New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-15

force into flower and seed 1t Is tho TACT that COTTON
is a seed-fbre that makes it valuable to thus
country. II it the fibre of the stem, or bark,
as of flax or hemp much of the land Of the cotton
region, and much of the cultivation employed upon
it, would be entirely inadequate to the production
of the fibre in paying quantities. But nature cares
more for seed of course than for anything else, and
in making the seed of the cotton plant she makes the
fibre which is of such great value; and in soil al
most utterly barren and with scarcely any cutiya-
ton there will still he matured. on each dwarfed
and stunted plant a few bolls of good. marketable
cotton.
TOO MANY HOLIDAYS.
Riding much Of the way between Houston ana
San Antonio in the frst-cass cars heard much
conversation between wc-tO-do planters, merchants
and stock-rai.crs The talk was chiefly of fertilizers,
of prices for various products of the country and OF
different methods of managing the negro laborers.
Several men who work many hands had found the
Saturday holiday very serious difficulty In the way
of profitable farming. Ten years ago no negro
would work on Saturday. 1t was usually day OF
dissipation which was continued through sunday
and which left many Of the negroes untitled for
work or indisposed TO begin, even on Monday
morning. One man, member of the Texas LeglSla-
tnrc. said that no country could be prosperous or
increase in wealth if the aboring people took two
or three DAYS every week for rest dissipation. He
enough for rest He referred TO the Northern states,
and said their people would never have become 80
wealthy or prosperous if they had wasted one day
in each week in going into the towns and IN drink
ng and visiting lie had made mp his mlnd some
years ago To try some plan which would, II possible
keep his hands at work on Saturdays. ;" he was
accustomed 10 give his lahorcrs "A half day some
time during a., week for work ON the pieces Of
ground on which they raise Vegetables or sometimes
even cotton. for themselves. BIT he never t"id
them beforehand when their holiday would come.
He would say AT noon sometimes. OF alter dinner
" You can have this afternoon Tor Your own work,
lmt you must not leave tr place unlr>N II is ncccS
>ary" lie said they did not Of cour~r obey very
strictly: be- didn't expect that hut the plan bad Ger
family worked well. II had increased the quantity
and improved the quality labor on his plantations
tbourht his talk cninruily sensible and practical.
and that ne seemed competent T." manage hi0
lahorcr, proGtahly without injustice. All im taxi
was Of nature and q tone which Indicated That
there j, no friction disturbance IN the relations
let wccn the two races in the r-ri'n vh'rr these
men live II va. in every way such talk ~ New
York farmers have when they meet ana compare
notes about cattle huitcr cheese apples ana "hrat'
| noted especially that there was no expression
Of unkindly feeling towanl th" negro; nothing
to indicai, irritation or worry ou hi- account and
ton of Southern people; hut the Foreigners ard
Northern people IN the country axe u>uiiiy rn"r"
severe Thr-c men had a.. the talh &" Themselves
and did not know who ! va-. ~ purp""'' rc-
Trained from taking any part go The CONVERSATIONS
wishing 10 hear what they would say when not
aware of the presence of q Northern listener.
TIIr INrVITABrE THEME.
Tic talk finally changed to politics, and III" mem
Der If tho LEGISLATURE expressed tho wish {" lc lh
Washington az the time Of the nauguuu"n Ia"
other, coucurrcd. and then al spoke OF th'ir "H-
pectatlon that the new Administration would br
good ono fair and just. and not sectional ""l
course" they said viii be- partisan IN the ~cn~"
Of being Republican, but We need not object I"
that" No." said one. If the Government will
leave the labor Of Tie South undisiuT"d d" NOT
can who ills the Offices 80 that they ar" competent
business men" To this all n-scnted. Here. IN san
Antonio there are not 80 many negroes ~ have
found At other points but soinc of them arr Inirlli
gent and superior men can myself scr that II Is
not pleasant place for them. There j. % public
sentiment here against negro being wclI1lrcN-e'i.
self respecting aud prosperous. DO not mean that
the best people her feel tbs but % j. %" average
and prevalent feeling Of th" place. Il'r' i-
hat-h and fierce kind of contempt i'r The h"sf".
feeling that Ia, should br m'uIil and r"'hr- 'l'.
n p,r-on 10 hr liCLcd. ,uH,d ard Cursed. treated
Just 49, caprice or impu'~" mly dictate. without &c.
-I,ou,ibiliiy OF OBLIGATION "n the part "i th"-' "h'
may cloo-" 10 matrral Barn. II n'"" ''.'f'-
with Hopr"'y. lives quietly makes money Ai'
dress, well. many "i t"o foreigners ana N"''" I'
men say: hat Id Niger Init" "h .'i" I''
must be- ta'rn do"n ln'.". ami m'i' h'."N IDS
place." They prr:'r that n"s;' should 70. .' ...'.
drunken. vorthic-- ,a,Ih"ud.
TN Ap,INT OF >U:IiirHN ENI ,EilIef.
Thr railroad mrn 900 TIA, region air n'ift 90.
Northern mru-.thr engineers. g"il1'i.i-. hf' '-'