Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-12-13
Che farm and fiteside.
A FARMER ON FARMERS

y Texas correspondent OF Home Coo0 FdtW
says he reads with pleasure certain articles
of correspondents of that journal, and 1t
makes him smile to watch them trying to
solve the gigantic problem of how to farm
successfully in the South. One says scot
ton" and another says ''corn," both rearing
beautiful columns of figures to show how
their respective crops will ''pan out" He
has noticed that all crops do we'll on paper.
The figures prove it to a perfect demonstra-
ton, and Figures don't lie," but when the
real crops were gathered they wouldn't pan
out" according to the paper ones. Their
thousand acres each of corn and cotton make
splendid shoWings on paper, but let them
plant, 60 through all the vicissitudes to
which crops are subject, such as too much
wet, too much dry weather, bad stands,
frosts, winds, worms, stock breaking IN, ana
other ills, and when they harvest they TOO,
will realize that figures serve admirably 1or
the purpose Of calculation, but when made
the basis of a crop. prove amentable fail
ures.
Our failure in farming in the South comes
not from what we plant, nor is the detected
condition of the masses the result OF this or
that being grown, or this or that system OF
growing crops, but from their occupying the
wrong position in the social economy. Ac-
cording to natural laws it is evident that the
producer should, of right, control his pro-
ductions and dictate to the buyers, the
trades and professions, who must have them
in order to live, the terms of their sale.
But this natural order of things is reversed:
Instead of being the dictator he is dictated
to. Like Esau, who sold his blrthrlght for
a mess of pottage, he has given up his
glorious privilege to the middle men who
tempted him with the bright allurements of
luxury. OF right farmers ought to be the
proudest of mankind, because they occupy
the most worthy positions but they have
become the most abject-no longer lords OF
the land, but poor tillers of the soil for an
others benefit. Whathas brought this state
of things about? The credit system. Pause,
farmers, and reflect upon it. 1t has been
long practiced, handed down from father to
son, until at last it has engulphed the farm
ing masses, and creditors, like huge vam-
pires, lowering over and around them While
a drop of blood remains.
The remedy is very simple and easy, If
men could only be brought to see it. The
natural order of things must be restored and
farmers must resume their independence.
But before they can do this they must get
out of debt, and to do this they must change
their mode of living. AS they went in
debt to live fast they must now live slow TO
get out.
Extravaganza must give place to strict
economy; buy nothing but what they ac-
tually need; force themselves to endure
every possible self-denial and live at home.
They must plant, not for speculative mar
kets, but to supply their wants and pay
their debts. BY this system they could
soon discharge their debts and once more
become independent. Then will be time
enough to risk something for the rise in
fluctuating markets. Out Of debt with am
pie supplies on hand for the farm, the pro-
prietor can choose what he will plant, die
tate the terms of his sales, throw OFT his
detection and be cheerful, happy, cour,
ageous freeman. This, and this only, will
solve the problem of successful farming in
the South.