The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-30
WHERE COTTON Is KING.
SOMETHING OF HOW ARKANSAS
HANDLES HER GREAT CROP.
How the Colored Men work-The Way
the Race May Redeem Itself-The
Timber, Fruit and Other Products OF
Arkansas.


The recent ARRAY at Forrest City oc-
Cured in county which is typical Ar
kansas county in respect OF its capacity for
development and the progress it has made
since the reign OF the carpet-bag element
ended. In fact, it enjoys some special adj
yantages, for while the St. Francis soil is
OF that alluvial quality which produces
above the average crop OF cotton, the
county also enjoys exceptional facilities in
the way OF transportation. 1t is given easy
access to cotton markets both by the Mem
phs 4 Little Rock Railroad, which con-
meets 1t with Memphis on the east and
Little Rock on the west, and by the Cot
ton Belt Route, which intersects the Mem
phis q Little Rock line at Brinkley, a point
in Monroe County near the west line OF st.
Francis County. Her normal, social and
political conditions are, however, the same
rs those OF other counties Of the State, and
are an interesting study just at present,
when they are being msrepresented and
distorted for partisan ends and purposes.
KING COTTON.
81. Francis County has black majority.
That is the basic fact TO be considered as q
premise to any intelligent conclusion. For
the first half dozen years following the war
her fields lay almost falow Capital could
not be invested safely, and black labor
which Is an essential factor in all the agri-
cultural operations OF the South-was then
demoralized. Following the restoration of
the Democratic party to power, the deyel-
opment OF the country began. 1t has never
been interrupted since. Tho road con-
Meeting Little Rock and Memphis was
pushed TO completion in 1874, after the
downfall OF the Clayton dynasty was as
aured, and that brought both emigration
from other points and gave higher value
to home products.
HANDLING THE CRoP.
Cotton Is the basis OF wealth in st. Fran
els, rs 1t is everywhere in the cotton belt
OF Arkansas, and the cotton belt may bc
said TO include all OF the State except the
more nothern tier of counties, the heavily
timbered sections and those districts which
are surrendered TO iron and coal mining,
although in mining localities heavy cotton
crops are frequently grown around the
mines. In all this region cotton is the
staple. II is the medium OF exchange and
the measure OF value. The bes, lands in
St. Francis County, produce more than
q bale OF cotton to the acre. This is above
the Arkansas average, which in its turn,
Is above the general average Of the South.
There are some large plantations all over
Arkansas, but neither in ST. Francis
County nor anywhere else in the State that
j have been able TO discover Is there n
condition approaching monopoly. Free.
holders are numerous, aud the ownership
al hg IL Leo
the middle and the poorer classes OF
society. All Of the cotton raising on an
extensive scale is, OF course, done by men
Of large capital and intelligence, who, after
having the crop raised, know how TO dis
4 pose OF Il 10 the best possible advantage,
and who have the mental ability 10 under.
stand the market and tho financial ability
TO hold stocks against il. number OF
such operators live in Little Rock and
operate plantations In various parts Of the
State. Hon. John u. Adams Is repre-
sentative OF the class. Such men may be
said 10 control the situation, and no doubt
they realize fair margins OF profit under
favorable conditions, but their invest
ments Of capital are large, and they dis.
tribute every year among the employees OF
their enterprises more money than they
take out OF them.
The negro is today rs dependent upon
his employer rs he was. in slavery days,
upon his master. Thisisspeaking Of them
rs a class. or ~ constituting q rule 10
which there arc enough exceptions TO
prove the rule itself. The great mass OF
them remain field laborcrs and will remain
30 for several generations 10 come. And
the majority OF them are not very active
or reliable laborers either. Tho condi-
al IL IN oil IN Ia.
people are generous 10 fault, no hungry
man, white or black, is ever turned away
empty handed from the kitchen door Of q
planters house. aud these facts created q
condition which tho negro prefers 10 any
theory affecting him or his race They
are content 10 live in the plantation cabin,
draw their rntlons from the ovcrsecr, aud
work Just enough 20 balance The account
and leave them something for the pur.
chase Of clothing. jowelry, aud millinery
and tickets TO the circuscs which ifc.
qLently wond their way through the cot
ton belt, aud never leave Il without bal.
anco on the right side Of their books
That Is the picture OF tho average plan.
iation darby Ills life is happy one, and
II left alone by domagogucs and scli.scck.
ers. he would cause the whites no othoi
trouble than that involved In the problem
OF whercwilhal he shall b"clothod and fed
The more intelligent AID industrious o
the race, who acquire nm interest In Affairs
|. Invariably act with the whites on all cues
- tons Of politics. some ofthcm become op
orators on u small scale. There are soyura
negro planters In ~. Francis County, ant
there IL hardly n county In the state tha
canno; show one or more. Tho majoft,
of those who have raised themselves iron
day lab6rcr's condition become Tcntcu
until they acquire money enough 90 bus
land of their own. These colorcd tcnant
OF large plantation owners eau be- found u
nearly every cotton county In Arkansas
and in no uncomfortable numbers. Til,
average rental Is so per acre, and with {
working force, including himself ant
wife and q good number NJ children, th,
negro tenant Is able TO make more out o
twenty acres Of good cotton land tia.
the owner OF Il could realize. With cottof
nt $50 bale, which was the average pric,
II commanded everywhere In the State las
year, and the conditions Of living no NOR
costly than they now are these tenants cal
continue TO accumulate m,ney, which
with economy and thrift, will eventual,
make thea owners rather than renters o
land. As II II, every year increases III,
number Of colorcd land owners In Ar,an
sas. They are not many rs yet, but the,
are increasing, and there arc enough 0
them already 10 prove that tho race cal
work Its own redemption II lcit,o time ant
labor.
THE TOWNS.
The towns of Arkansas asof every othoi