The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-05-31
For TEE HERALD.
TENANTRY-BY NEGROES.

MEssRs. EDITORS Your comments on
the extract you made from Mr.. Davis, in the
last number of the HERALD, are in my opin-
ion very just and appropriate. You have
touched subject which involves the ques-
ton which lies at the foundation of the
agricultural thrift and prosperity of the
South. The unusual crops of last year have
had the effect to withdraw, in o measure,
the attention of the people from the con-
sideration OF this subject They seem to
have lost sight Of the fact, that Dature did
more for them than they did for themselves.
Scarcely in the memory of the living, has
there ever been a year, during which the
seasons were so propitious for all kinds OF
crops, grown at the South, the great staple
and all the cereals, as they were last year.
Neither our system Of labor nor of cu!tiya-
ton had much to do with the results.
We need "a system Of tenantry" not only
sto till the land" but to till it right; which
will make the soil produce the largest yield,
under all the variations Of seasons to which
it is exposed. We need not only steady
labor, but labor controlled and directed by
intelligence, in order that our lands may be
improved, and made 10 produce their MAX
mum yield. This is the great DEs1DERATUH.
Now, negroes, left TO ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF
lands, 10 be worked by them as they please,
and when they please, are curse 10 the
country. And they prefer their system,
whether they realize anything at the end ofthe
year or not. The great majority OF them are
in elysium, if they are allowed to occupy
lands. cultivate them at will, in the old "s!ip-
shod" way, consume the provisions furnish
Cd to them by the landlord or merchant DUR
ing the current year, and then begin another
on the same line. This plan, which has
been adopted by some Of our landholders,
will prove serious TO the country. Unless
the modern agricultural Improvements, in
modes of culture and farming implements.
are generally adopted. the farmers and
planters will find, in the end, their invest
ment to be without profit, and their fields
impoverished. The negro despiscs all iunova-
tionS in cultiyating the soil The old weed
ing hoe, scooter, shovel, or tTister pIoW are
all the implements he wants, The first 10 be
used by the hands as he wills, and the three
last mentioned TO be drawn BY half-starvcd
animals, furnished by his landlord, or bought
BY him, under 4 LIEN, from somebody who
is glad 10 get rid Of the creatures Il: any
price. How many farms in Newberry are
run in this way, l do not know, but there ire
several of the sort within my knowledge.
How to remedy the evil is. as you say,
perplexing question. To displace negro labor
with that of white immigrants would be
slow process, if practicable at all. By the
plan now in partial operation, do not
believe it can be done-and / do not know
that it would be desirable; for as mere
LABogER, doubt whether the immigrant
would better the condition Of things.
What the South needs is an increase in the
number of landholderS, hardy. industrious
white population, who are interested in the
soil. If any scheme can be devised to this
end, something may be done towards reviv-
ing the agricultural prosperity Of the State.
If the persons who own large tracts of un-
cultivated lands would have them divided in
to smaller tracts, and offer them for sale,
upon reasonable terms, purchasers would be
found at home, and would come from abroad,
to settle them, and in Z few years the State
would present an entirely new aspect. This
would be an inducement TO immigrants of
the right sort to come amongst u.s. VIII the
present landholders do this? II looks as if
they would rather buy more land.
A SMALL FARMER