The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-01-23
NEGROES AND POTATOES.
The Real Question il Bread and Neat
for the White Man--A Pleasant En-
aOrscsuent OF the Press and lSaH-

DUE WEST, S. c., Jan. l9, 1879.
DEAR Old FKIESD:-Permit me TO express
my thanks To you for your editorial Inc
Negro prOblcm W. Potatoes AN aStoundcd
that men who set themselves up for statesmen
and phianthrnpists are continually asking
tne question, what is to become OF the negro.
1t Is admitted the prospects oil lhc negro M :tLc
no: very bright, but are the prospects oil the
poor white men of the country any Dcllcr ::
rhe negro may inquire what Is TO become oi
the white man: No insigniilc;nt numpcr o!
the white people OF the country are very ue-
uendent ON the negro, and besides they are
covered all over with mortgages, liens ana
promises TO pay. The negro Is poor but nc Is
generally out OF debt, for he has, as RUE, mo y
credit. 1t is as clear as day llSnt lhas our
country cannot long live At this poor dying
rate. \ few are, ii may be, growing rich; out
the multitude are on the high way WHICH
leads to beggary.
The South is emphatically an agricultural
people and the majority OF her people who
labor 1T all are tiilrrS OF the soil; Sill nearly
everything we eat and everything our 9onies-
tic animals eat is produced hundreds of miles
away from us. We buy it all-and ali on
credit.
The cry il made by the farmers in every
section of the State that their crop last year
did not pay the expenses of making 1t. This
cry has been heard year after year until every
man and woman has become perfectly lahil-
iar with its sound. Unfortunately, lor poth
white man and the negro it is no ial sc alarm.
The naked truth is, the multitude OF the
hite men are hopelessly involved i'll debt
ior bread and meat. NotwithStandinS TINS,
our would-be statesmen are WronSlnS the
country with the silly7question what is 10
become Of the Negro
The bread and meat merchants get the
largest amount OF the cotton crop. Iney get
the white mans cotton and they get inc ne
rro's cotton. With these facts before us we
may well ask what Is to become of us. Are
we 10 20 on for generations abusingithe North
and all the time eating Northern Hour ana
Northern bacon and feeding our horses,
mules, and COWS on Northern corn and hay.
The only remedy for this condition OF things
is for our people, our white men and women,
TO go to work, live within their IN
come, give no liens, buy nothing ex'
cept what they actually need and have the
money TO pay for. \ few years hard work
and judicious eeonomizing on the part OF all
financial condition. This is visionary. The
poor farmers and his family have learned
how to initiate the rich merchant and bank
erS and they will not be likely to mend thelr
ways. -,
things when the many are TO be the Herlest
slaves to the few. The many are now work
ing nearly all their time for the few. This Is
slavery in disguise.
CRATES on the ears Of the white men OF our
country is, what is to become those who have
no other way Of making crop but by giving
a lien upon 1t before it is made.
Our farmers need not abuse our legislators
on account Of bad legislation. No body ol
Southern legislators is able to make corn
grow when it is not planted or reduce the
price of Northern flour or bacon, or raise the
price OF cotton or prevent man from Decom-
ing poor who makes five dollars and spends
six. think your editorial "The Negro Pro
blem VS.. Potatoes is sensible and eminently
oppo' ''i'e' r. LATHAM.