The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-22

D. fencing ann 1ANf~. ttF "a l'FnNtNiN ~
sell this surplus Of surface, it would aIOit
great relief. TO 90 this has been iound
SO far impgacticablc. The aspect al the
country 10 q stranger, who has been &C.
custOmed TO looking over an eXpanse OIL
| cultivated fields and cheerful looking
homes. Is far from iHyiting. lie misses
the village with its pointing spire, Its
embowercd cottages. and its banner OF
smoke. He travels over nc well located
and temp,ing roads, marking the smiling
landscape over hill and dale; and, al
though he NAV occasionally be startled
by the sudden appearance OF some stately
mansion, and the decayed remains OF a
faded prosperity, ne rarely sees any other
than in Reconstructed and Ieiapidated
dwellings. That there are parts OF Viz
rinia which afford the opposite OF
all this must be admitted but these are
exceptional cases. II the reader THINKS
the case AZ herein stated is exaggerated
let him 90 upon a tour OF investigation
through the country, particularly at a
reasonable distance from the railway
lines ana from of the larger rivers. In
this connection he may be reminded that
i'm tower Virginia between tide water and
the Chesapeake, there are large districts
Of country where are 20 be found only
the cabins Of thrflless negroes, sur
rounded by forests in which may o be
seen the evidences Of a former culuya-
ton i'm the traCcs Of corn ridges and
shallow bitches. More than this In
some Parts of this same region wild ant
mails are returning 10 their ancient
baunis. The beaver, once entirely extinct,
has been allowed 10 reasserl his dOmin-
ion, the wild deer is more abundant
than be is in the mountainous paris Of
the state, and within the past ten or
fifteen years several Wild cats Lave been
killed within twenty miles of the capital
of the State.
From the peculiar situation Of Virginia
she can only produce such sources OF
traffic as are successfully riyallcd by the
OUNCE and more productive states Of
the Northwest. The lands further south
produce a .pccislty which the world must
have, and Nhich has now no successful
rival. Although Egypt and Arabia still
grow cotton, India has yielded
the sceptre of that staple to America
The low price OF grain grown in
Virginia has almost brought her TO
ruin, and even the profits accruing
% the cultivation Of tobacco are, 10 say
the least, very uncertain. Even sheep
h|usbandry. once considered The safest re
course for the struggling and dissppOint-
"a land owner, cannot be prohtablY car
Iied on In Virginia. The narrow margin
left for 'he grower, IN the low price OF
wool, j. generally destroyed by losses
from dogs and other causes.
Above all other considerations, and
overriding All other subjects in connec-
ton with the agricultural interests of the
State. is the labor question. We do not
venture upon q discussion Of his subject
No man. unless be be diSinely endowed
with what Mr. Carlyle called vision,
can undertake q solution OF this problem.
We do propose, however, to state a few
facts which NAV have escaped the Obser-
walton Of some, but which are pOrtents OF
evil. As a farm labOrer, the negro Is in
valuable under certain conditions. But
these conditions cannot now exist. Al
best, as he now appears in this capacity,
be is the mos, expensive hiTeling in the
world When a farmer pays eight or
ten dollars a month for his services
ne is really giving sixteen or TWEEN
~ dollars, especially when II Is
considered De has 10 feed that ne
gro, supply him with house and
fuel. and allow him such other privileges
rs no other peasantry in the civilized
world enjoy. lie is paying him double
wages. because, with very few ex-
captions, the field hand rarely does more
81 IL Q-LH. -...H VA liz. mon On
the.r own lands ia other States take three
steps % the negroes one here, n what
they DO. is doue with intelligent purpose.
SO 500 .th The negro. While his N
mover I, in sight he will make a show Of
grnAt attention TO what Is going on, but
AS soon q, opportunity affords the
wonted Incidence Of his nature asserts
itself. and this. in conjunction with his
utter indifference causes him 20 relapse
into his inherent l~aziness. Besides all
this. We cannot but express a welltOund-
ell suspicion, that over the entire STATE
ongthenegr there is an understand
Ing that they will do for their white en-
ployers - much, and only so much wOIK
They have found out their position that
they are indispensable 10 the welfare AMI
even existence of the whites. More than
this The heads Of families do not, in many
cases, allow their wives or daughters 10
work, except for their " comfort.
They do not, "a they express it, 80 go into
service" This new departure Is spread
ing. so that, whereas, The time was, when
all worked who were able. Now there
Is a sort of light infantry Of busy idlers,
creating certain causes, which must IN
The future bring about unavoidable con-
sequences. In close connection With this
is another movement which probably IN
the end may prove d stll more serious
matter. All over the State they seem 10
be saving their wages in order TO acquire
"A home. a small piece Of poor land, upon
which they erect a cabin, and around
which are soon gathered q pig, q few
fowls. and often q WORKOUT mule
or horse, and an unknown quantity "of
ours of low degree" A patch Of vege-
tables anda small area In corn make up
the picture. In the upper country they
retire to the poorest ridge lands or 10 the
rugged slopes of the mountains. In The
lo,p lands their settlements are to be