The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-08-04
VOL. 1e.
4 Change of Base Needed.
LAKE WAsnrNerox Inlr ..

SeheIdisIHp 10 realize when the
necessity arises requiring a change
OF base, and demanding a renewal
OF operations upon another line.
that he should not waste his ener-
gles upon a hopeless tasks Ger.
tainly such is the tactics of war.
and | think applies to every effort.
II appears to the writer that
there is room for some such gene
ralship in the agricultural inter.
ests of our section. We are Ger.
tainly making progress backwards
in our efforts to achieve wealth
under our present system of labor
and management, and it behooves
us to change base, and renew the
attack upon a new line, better cho-
sen and giving greater promise of
success. With the advent of rail
roads, and increased facilities of
transportation, l trust that a new
era is about to dawn upon us, pre-
senting opportunities that we
should be vigilant enough to OBJ
serve, bold enough to seize, and
strong enough to possess our
selves of.
For eighteen years we lave ex.
pended every energy both of mind
and body in earnest, patient, la.
bored effort to achieve success,
and to build up our waste places
and restore the wealth and pros.
perity that once was ours, and
which nature in her lavish abund-
ance still offers us, and with what
result! What advance have we
made! Certainly but little in pro-
portion to the effort expended,
nor at all commensurate with the
possibilities of our situation. Sure
ly there is some cause for this. 1t
is not attributable to want of in
telligence, or lack of energy on
our part, nor yet to the unfertillty
of our soil, unhealthfulness of our
climate, or unpropitious seasons.
These, all, will compare favorably
with any. Let us see, then, where
the trouble lies, and if it be not in
our power to apply the remedy,
One of the first elements of sue
cess in any business is economy;
for economy is the parent of thrift,
and without this fundamental ele.
ment prosperity and a healthy
growth cannot be attained. Has
our system been such as to permit,
much less encourage and foster,
the first principles of economyi
Have we not schooled ourselves
to the idea that the credit. system
is essential and an unavoidable
necessity in the prosecution of our
planting operations! A system
that encourages waste and extrav-
agance, destroys self-reliance, and
prompts the recipient to rely en-
tirely upon the hand that extends
this false help, and to cease to de-
pend upon the resources that lie
within himself, every exercise of
which adds to the reserve, promo
ting a vigorous and manly growth,
securing q firm foundation for in
dependence and substantial sue
cess. Can we blame the ignorant
and thoughtless laborer upon
whom we depend for the cultiva-
ton of our soil, for his habits of
Incidence, thriftlessness, and in.
difference, when we ourselves
have used and encouraged the
very means that could produce no
other result-in that, it DESTROYS
the incentive to exertion, being
directly at variance with that ele-
| ment of nature which demands at
least prospective gain as the re-
suit of every exertion. With this
demand being supplied in advance,
the natural stimulus is wanting,
and the result is apathy and indif-
ference. Industry becomes para
lyzed and every element of sue
cess is impaired. The result is as
we find it.
1t is urged that necessity COM
pels this course, as our tenants
are poor and unable to provide
themselves with the necessary out
fit and means of subsistence. This
is true. Therefore they are not in
a position to be tenants, q speak
of the masses and not of the ex-
ceptions), and they have not at
tanned success, and cannot succeed
because of occupying a position
for which they are unprepared,
and can only be prepared by first
having attained some degree oi
self-reliance, acquired by such
habits of industry and economy as
shall enable them to realize the
necessity of self-support, and to
feel that their future well-being
and advancement depends upon
their own exertions.
The true system is that of wages,