Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-01
sMkLLFARMs.


SMALL FARMS.
For years the Republican newspapers have
been denouncing the large landowners Of
the South because they would not subdivide
their farms and sell them to negroes who
had not money enough to purchase garden
rake, and 80 lazy that they would not accept
as a present forty acres of rich land unless
the gift was accompanied with a mule and
the premises were provided with all the nee
essary comforts. A year ago, as the columns of
the APPEAL will show, the New York Times
roundly berated the large landowners of the
South for refusing to sell part of their land
to incidents, who have neither money nor
industry. The whites were anxious to dis
pose OF part of their land, because it was
unproductive and they we're burdened with
taxes. They advertised, and held out every
inducement for skilled laborers, with small
capital, to come and purchase at their own
price and upon their own terms. But the
South was represented as the abode
of murderers and general lawlessness, and
immigrants sought and found homes in the
West. Ii the South had urged the rich
manufacturers W up bACh ldCbOtlcS
and sell them to the colored people of the
North without capital or enterprise, the
suggestion would be regarded as sublime
impudence, and the abuse of the large land
owners of the South for not dividing and
disposing Of their property to shiftless vaga-
bonds is the climax of impertinence. Indeed
it is pure and unadulterated agrarianism to
cry from the house-top, "dividei divide."T
But these fault-finders, who refuse to practice
what they preach in their gratuitous advice,
will breathe freer and deeper when they
learn from the last census bulletin that the
large farms of the South are rapidly being
cut up into small farms. In every State,
county and neighborhood will be found a
few intelligent, industrious and enter
prisiDg colored people who have saved
their hard earnings, and have no
difficulty in making the most salts
factory purchases of their former masters,
for whom they have faithfully worked
since they secured their freedom. The last
census bulletin shows that the tendency to
subdivision is greater in the former slave
States than any section of the Union. In
Mississippi there were 80, $50 farms in 1850;
now there are ,772. In Missouri, there
were "a ASS farms in 1850; now there are
2l5,575. In Louisiana, in the same time,
the number has risen from ,422 to As, 292;
in North Carolina, from 56,963 to 157 500;
in Virginia, from 77,013 to 11S,517. The
largest number of farms in any one State is
In Illinois, 255,741. Ohio comes next, with
No Vark id NTH OH 0SQ.
Missouri fourth, and Pennsylvania fifth, with
2l3, 542. OF course the percentage of rented
farms is greatest in the old slave States and
it is least IN New England. In Mississippi
there are 1858 rented farms to 81, PA occu-
pied by the owner, while in Maine there are
but 1881 rented to 81 ,52S owned. These are
the extremes in this respect, and scarcely
any figures could more clearly point the
difference between New England thrift
and Southern lack of it. The size
of the farms is another interest
ing classification. The figures show, as
might be expected, a healthy medium.
There are few very small farms and few very
large ones. In this State, for instance, there
are $40 farms Under three acres, and there
are 2s1 over 1000 acres, but there are 96,273
over 100 and under 500 acres, and there are
70,661 between fifty and 100 acres. Nearly
these proportions hold good in all the States.
Only in Michigan is the number of farms
between fifty and 100 acres greater than the
number between 100 and 500. California
has the greatest percentage of large farms.
In total of 80, 934 there are 2531 over 1000
acres, and 31O8 between 500 and 1000 acres
No other State has so many farms over 1000
acres in extent, but Illinois, Kentucky, Mis-
sissippi, Missouri, North Carolina and Vir-
ginia have a greater number over 500, the
greatest number being 5561 in Virginia.
The history of the world demonstrates that
small farms are essential to the pros
perity of a community, and the rapidly
with which the large farms of the
South have been divided up is another favor
able omen as to our future. 1t shows that
the poorer classes, whether immigrants, native
landowners, and of course become more SUBJ
stantial and reliable citizens. The man
who owns no land has no home, and is gen.
orally reckless. Having no ties or property
interests, he consults only his passions,
commits murder or some other crime and
hees to new community without incon-
venience or regret. But when men own
land, till their own domain, feel an interest
IN the soil to which they are anchored for
life, they are slow in violating the law, be-
cause reluctant TO abandon the home endeared
10 them. The smaller the farms the more care
full the farming and the closer are they titled. |
The subdivision of the old plantation lands
is subject for congratulation, as it is high
guarantee of national perpetuity and pros
peri,y, especially to the South. Our people
are rapidly emerging from the wilderness of
poverty and darkness into the sunlight of a
bright and beautiful day.