The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-17
HAMBrRG. S. c. March 3.

letter 0f February ~ and give ny
rcaaoMs FOR the answers make woulG
Perhaps require more space than yoI
car afford and certainly more tiInc
than / Lave at my disposal just
now.
Prof. White has broacIcd large
subject. and one that needs speedy
solution. both in South Carolina and
Georgia, indeed, all over the South.
I agree with much that lie says; in
some things I think he is wide Of the
mark. His description Of the ne
groes as they are, is in the main
correct, but ] DO not think they are
not ''susccptible Of that training
which enables them to work on lands
to The best advantage" I make bold
to assert that
TIE NEGRO AS \ LABORER,
is fully equal to the average land
owner as farmer. Whenever we
learn as people to farm instead of
plant, there will be no further trouble
about labor. The need Of the South
IS not labor. but better directed
labor. Tae negro is here, AMI he is
here to stay. lie is sliftlees, lazy
and careless Of tomorrow will not
lay up anything for "rainy day"
but he cannot be displaced by foreign
immigrants because lie will under
work them, and | am not in favor Of
dumping the scum Of Europe on our
shores Of State expense. AS a
'pcasant7y," or "n:udsills," the ne
groes are as good as any. We need
intelligent immigrants who will buy
Our land and
FARM, NOT PLANT;
but | fear the development Of the
older and more worn out States o.
the South must be wrought out by
Our own people. We have waited
twenty years for Jupiter to help us
out Of tie mud and lie is not yet
comc-and he Will never come. And
the idea that we can import a
'peasantry" to work our lands while
we play gentleman and are even too
lazy to oyersee-too apathetic to
study oar business-is simply moon
shine. White men emigrate to bet
ter their own condition, not that of
the people they 60 among. If any
Immigrants come, they will work for
themselves, rot Us, and that disposes
OF that part of the subject.
Now for tie remedy cn existing
agricultural depression. Professor
Whites remedy for the disease is
better than his diagnosis ofthe cause
of the disease. Ignorance is the
cause Of our trouble as farmers, and
SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL EDUCA-
is the true solution Of the difficulty.
Mississippi has the model Agricul-
raj College Of the South, and the
farmers Of other cotton States should
arise in their might and demand q
similar one to educate their sons,
practically, scientifically and cheap
L.. An insignificant agricultural
annex to q classical and literary col
! lcge is Of no use TO any one, and our
farmers should not longer put up
with such slam. Farmers pay most
of cur taxes and should derive some
benefit from them in an educational
way. Men classically educated usu.
ally seek admission to the prores-
sions; and the fools and failures
farm; hence the poverty and gradual
| decadence of our farming interests.
! But this education will only benefit
future generation. "While the
grass is growing The steed will
starye.' What slal! the present
generation DO? I answer. teaci,
farmers tie error Of their ways and
put them to thinking by means Of
.TARMEHs' INSTITUTES.
These are not costly, and the five
! thousand dollars which Prof. White
proposes TO waste in trying to find his
''?casantry" can be far better spent
in organizing q corps Of scientific
and practical experts who shall 60
from county to county during the
idle seasons Of the year giving lee
tures, reading essays, answering
questions, &c, and teaching the peo,
pie how to farm. This system is in
active operation all over the North
and many countries Of Europe and
costs nothing compared to its value
as q means OF advancing the intc.
rests Of agriculture. Over forty OF
these institutes were held in Ohio
last year at q cost ofless than Sl,70C
and Minnesota spends $1,000 thus
annually. and has salaried officer
whose only business is the prepara'
tion for and direction Of these insti'
tutes. The Legislators of Georgia
and South Carolina would do we'll TO
ponder the question and explain to
their constituents why we can't do
this same thing here; or rather the
tax paying farmers who support