The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-01
krNe corroM
A TyrAnt THAI, mas the Planters or Ala.
baua By the Tkront-More Trpek Needed.

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| TyrRnt That, has the Planters or Ale
ba@a By the TkrOnt-Mors Trpek Needed
MONTGOMERY, Ala, April 9O.--Tho indus
trial disturbances in the South. indicated from
time to time by large exoduses OF black ant
colored farm lRborers from one section to an
othor have been inexplicable to persons out.
| side OF the South. who have sought in vain ir
the leading newspapers Of this section for q
satisfactory explanation. The most common
explanation given Is that the negro as q free
laborer IL failure; that he ia wholly untrust.
worthy. and without the simplest knowledge
OF economy. But do not ind that the farm
ers endorse this opinion.
What are the facts In the cassp Selma Tas.
keRee, Montgomery. Opelika. and Eufala may
safely be considered "a tho urban centres oil
cotton culture, Here. n anywhere prosperous
farms, opulent farmers. thriving merchants
and contented. well-paid laborers should he
found. My observations along these centres
justify me In concluding that the reverse Is
sadly the case. / find the farm stock OF the
most hopelessly inferior kind; l never saw
worse find the farms wofully run down and
mismanaRed, the soil fearfuly worked to death.
the ono leading purpose being to wiring
from its reluctant poverty rs many stalks Of
cotton as possible Mt the expense Of every 9TH
or form OF produce. There is little diversity Of
the CROPS. King Cotton rules and tyrannises tho
Industrial roost and everything and everybody
must pay him court and homage. Tho farmers
are ground to powder by tho merchant, who
has n mortgage on his crop for supplies, and
the merchant Is In turn pulverized by tho
money lenders from whom he must borrow TO
buy his stock, and carry 1t for twelve months
before he can realize on the farmers
cotton. The black laborer. as n matter Of
course. being the force upon which all
the others rest. Is mangled to death when
accounts are squared at tho end Of the year.
He always comes out in debt to somebody, the
merchant or the planter. Is 1t any wonder
therefore that he should be restless and dis
oontented. ever ready to follow any man who
holds out to him fair promises OF q better con-
diton mora advantageous opportunity
somewhere else, oven II IL DO but ten miles
from the plnce where he labored.
Cotton culture is the curse OF this section OF
rather than a prediction of the planter 1t Is
the only staple upon which the money lenders
upon which the merchants will furnish him
supplies for tho year. He has no money. no
mas no supplies. lie therefore Is comuelled to
lucky and Tennessee stock ralsers,. when
II he had the time or could alternate the pasture
land and the land Tor corn and hay crops nee:
essay Tor the purpose. tle buys bis corn and
nay from Intermediates, who buy II OF western
markets. Land adapted to corn and hay and
any other purpose is burdened with cotton
stalks Just as reiglously us the uplRnds,
which Will produce nothing but cotton:
Everybody goes to town once week. Most
AL colored people and negroes 90 on Saturday.
The highways groan under the Tread OF i'm
the weight Of wagons Of the rudest mantlfac-
tnre or most antiluated styles. Every vehicle
goes into town empty; every one comes out
meal and bacon produced in the West, and
gewgaws manufactured in Lynn, Woonsocket,
centre. King Cotton alone will satisfy NOR
chant and money lender and to placate these
sh9 Of food Dats
section that l have talked with :. recoe-
niaes the various characters Of this nolicy, but
ers do not pay the laborers any better wages.
because they simply cannot; and they never
Tg ase 0 no 20 ba nSy ge Sn 0I ne
d,ton OF affairs They must shake of King
Cotton or they are doomed; and as many in
thoy cannot do this. the situation has many
aspects OF hopelessness In II.
M 1 trom nr ms point OF veT the
It's disposition to pick itself up and follow the
FIRST tramp who comes along with Q promise
the next county or the next State. ceases TO be
An enigma.
had a conversation with one Of the most prom
lnent men OF the latter place. who declared
that AS to the agricultural situation 1t was we'll
nigh hopeless In Alabama AS to the black and
colored labor force, that all things being con-
sidered, whereof the facts here given are the
world, and that he did not believe that It could
oyer be snpplanted by any immigration from
Europe. This gentleman was emphatioally Of
the opinion that free labor was q vast i'm
upon slave labor and that
y the question ITO was Put to q vote the
The whites get more out OF the free than out
Of the slave aborer. and are in no way re-
.ponsible for him or his provision after the
day 3 work is done. He also declared that he |
condition o. 1t was Just after the war Many
)f them have bought farms and homes, and |
have splendid regulations and credit In their |
Their word OF honor was Rs good |
- some white mems notes Of promise.
Industries of Birmingham. Admission. aad |
other places would bring any appreciable re-
lief to the farmers OF Alabama. and hO de- |
Jared emphatically that they would not |
Pressed for his reasons he replied that manu- |
districts when the latter furnished
he former Its food products We don't pro- |
luce anything but cotton. and people can't eat |
hat" said he. How, therefore. can the de- |
OF the manufacturing help tho az |
only be done By revolution in our farming
,r supplAntinR the latter. believe neither OF |
he-e possible alternatives. The tariff oh, |
he taEln Is . local issue" he declared. Cot |
on II king" |
spDed the life blood out OF soil or Of people.
Il. THOMAS FORTUNE