The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1888-05-19
DELTA FARMERS CONVENTION.
MAY 9Th, 1888.
address Of Col. J. 7. Stokes, OF Bolivar.

NIX L IhESlDENI:-
In obedience TO your request. sub
NIT this address. You left me free to
select my theme. None occurs to me
more german to the purpose of this
association than the negro's relation to
cOtton-planting in the Yazoo Delta.
do not care TO enter into his civil or
political life; neither station reflects
bim. lie neither earned his freedom
nor invited his privileges; both came
to him as surprises and prove nothing
in his case. AS well might the winner
at the lottery urge his luck as evidence
OF previous good business methods, as
to contend that the present civil and
political status of the negro proves
him to have been worthy of either cit
izenship or franchise. lie was doeile
slave, and suddenly and unconsciously
became free. Scarcely wrapt in free
dom's swaddling clothes, he was car
ried into the great American franchise,
in the arms ola demented next friend,
neither knowing the other. Those
most identified with his welfare, who
knew his nature and to whom he owed
his progress from hcathendom, were
not consulted or allowed to speak
while these unparalleled political
strides were being made in truth his
ballot was to be used as a mop to blot
them out. But these are not methods by
which freemen have been made. The
manumitted slave suddenly advanced
to political favor. construed freedom to
mean license and exemption from toll F;
and until restrained by the hand of in
telligence, easily played the rutfian, but
latterly has sunken into political insig-
nificance unless blown into prominence
by the selfish wrangles of Southern
white men.
But he is here, and here to stay. lie
may be a thief, he may be ratty,
inefficient and rarely honest, but the
stubborn fact remains that your
material prosperity is interlaced with
his. Long since he occupied this
garden, and it makes no difference
whether you regard him as bane or
blessing, the handicap of enterprise, or
the "best labor the world eyer saw
you and he are joined together for
better or for worse, for long time,
and our ability to pay our debts, main
tain our wives, educate and provide
for our children, depends on our
capacity 10 mobilize him. II is idle to
affect the methods of the North and
West. Their condition is many years
in advance of ours. These localities
chose American freeman for laborers,
while our ancestors were breeding
negro slaves; and the present comes to
us impressed with this immense differ
ence. Under the genius of our free
institutions an Illinois rail-splitter be.
came the most renowned of American
Presidents. But in no part of this
broad country would Anglo-Saxor
advance, even if worthy, dusky Mis-
sissippi rail-splitter to such great pro
minence. There the social state has
been and is NATURAL; here 1t has beer
and Is ARTIFICIAL, and since the close
of the war solicism in the world
history.
In the paths of material develop
ment we are more prominently
pioneers than our fathers were befor,
us. Their task was comparativel,
easy; ours Is beset with difficulties
If il were a fact that diversified farm
ing is practicable in the Delta, the sub
jcct would be much simpliiied. Wer,
it possible to devote one-third of ou
present acreage to the improved varie
ties of cotton, and the remaining two
thirds to grain and hay, the morals o
the negro would instantly improve
The good would be retained and ti'
bad dismissed, and the negro taugh
that good name is of value to him
The improved implements of advanced
agriculture would probably put him OF
his mettlc, awaken him from his sleel
and lethargy by the stimulus of neces
sary effort. The situation would b.
rosy indeed if Nature allows thu
planter throughout this gorgeous
Delta to paint his cotton bloom on
canvass of golden grain.
For the purpose of this paper w
will take it as true that to agriculture
here, only one money crop is possible
and that crop is cotton. Any on
crop system is bad as II forbids t.
agriculture that principle of husbandr.
which is its life-blood, and Ia at bes
only form of speculation. This /
true whether the one crop is cotton
grain, tobacco or sugar. 1t seems as ]
it were incumbent on the agriculturis
to search out the congeniality of hi
soil and climate for the production 0
all of Ceres gifts, and if from sloth o
other cause, he neglects this intelligen
devotion to Nature, her active, circum
ambient laws dooms him to defeat
If he can extract from her warm, faith
full bosom only one crop. he is a slotf
full votary and does not merit her horl
of plenty. and does not often get i
The phenomenal fertility, however, Q
the Delta. the salubrious climate an
perfect seasons are all SO favorable t
the production of cotton, that the ris
of this one crop system is here, so ia
as natural conditions apply, at the low
est and the profit or loss to result fror
it should only be question of method
It will be conceded that a good lahore
is much to be preferred to a ba
laborer. that sober negro is NOR
tractable than a drunken negro an
that prosperity is more easily reachc
where honesty is the rule and theft I'll
exception. 1t is plain enough that ou
side of any moral aspect whatsoever,
is t. our material interests to build III
negro up in honesty. intelligence an
industry. and it is TO discuss these onl.
that we are here. 1t is grave inju
tice to apply TO negro the standar
which is applied, or should be, to
white man. Their past is widely di
fercnt. The influences tending to I'll
development of the character and goo
habits in the one, was entirely wantin
to the other, and the universal esteel
in which they have been held is
keeping with these influences.
1t is not out of place to enquire int
this great radical gulf. and perhaps
it we may find useful lessons. III