The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-06-02
FARM VILLAGES.
PLANS MUST CHANGE.
AAD THEN We PROSPER.

diUlclc lOT me SOUtHeTn CUttl Gator
about farm villages. The article
has been very generally copied
and approved by the press at the
South. Indeed, the plans submitted
have met with such general favor
and the demands for such change
seem so imperative, that feel in.
cllned to discuss the subject little
more at ienght.
l call attention to the following
ends to be met:
l. Intelligent, cultured farmers
are not willing to isolate themselves
IN the seclusiOn of the country, and
such farmers Will abandon their
farms before they will consent to
rear their families in localities
without social, educational and re
lgious advantages. If this be true
agriculture at the South, will be
| finally abandoned to such farmers
as are compelled, from necessity and
not induced by choice, to ramain
on the farm.
2. The peculiar conditions of
our society demand some security
and protection from the lawless and
violent not found in sparsely settled
rural districts.
). Our farms at the South are
entirely too large to induce inten-
sivt farming, and this condition
keeps our system under expensive,
wasteful and runious methods. l
know of no better plan to get our
farmers down to intensive methods
than under the plan proposed in
| my suggestions about farm villages
| Fhese are the main points to be
met, and they are, III Iny judgment,
| imperative.
| 1t is quite evident that educated
young men are abandoning the
farms, aud this tendency will con
tluue to increase as the conditions
grow gradually worse. A greater
necessity for some such change as
that suggested Will he found in the
absence of protection for farmers
families as they now live. No man
who properly cares for the weak er
people of his home Is content 10
leave them without protection, ex-
posed to the peculiar dangers that
snI1ound them under our present
farm conditions.
These troubles can be met and
the further advantages of intensive
farming can be secured by gather
ing the farmers into localities easily
| accessible to their farms, and at the
Same time, furnishing them such
social, educational and religious
advantages, under proper protec-
ton, as are absolutely necessary
for the advancement of the people
and the prosperity of the section.
Farm villages are not an expert
ment. All the farming in Europe
is done by people who live in com,
| munities contiguous to their farms
The scheme is far beyond an ex-
pertinent, and 1t is settled by years
of approved success as the best So
luton of agricultural difficulties.
The main question after having
accepted the idea as practical il
how is the matter to be put into
shape? This question ! discussed
in former article, but to be a little
more specific, l would advise the
project as business enterprise.
A company of citizens unite and
subscribe to capital stock of one
huadred thousand dollars to build
and equip cotton factory After
constructing the building and set
ting up proper machinery, the CON-
pany will erect forty or fifty nice,
attractive cottages as homes for the
operatives. This makes a manu-
featuring village run by corpora.
tiOne
| Now apply the same methods,
| purchase 5000 acres Of land and
suitably lay 1t off into one hundred
acre lots, all touching upon same
central point at which the employees
With their families can occupy the
homes and the corporation, If you
please, can run the farms as the
corporation runs the factories,
making the tenants or employees
participants In the results with the
prospect Of eventual purchase.
If some such plan should be
adopted IN the southern States
and the farms run on shares by the
companies establishing them. or
sold outright to the colonies settling
upon them, there is hope of build
ing up our rural districts If, Oh
the other hand, We leave these in-
terests to take care of themselves
it is only question Of limited time,
IN my candid Judgment, before the
rural districts at the South will be
abandoned to the thrlftless, indo.