The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-11-22
SARGE PLUNKETT.
Tho hard Times and the Cause Thereof,
and the Remedy.
atlanta. Constitution.

I am sure that not more than one
third of the land in Georgia is in cul-
tivation. Place yourself upon any
high point where you can overlook the
surrounding farms, and the sight that
greets your eyesis distressing. Sedge,
briars, sassafras bushes, ruts and
washes are turning the old hills of
Georgia into waste places. Thousands
upon thousands of acres Of land any
where in Georgia are lying idle, going
to waste, unsightly to the eye, and
distressing to contemplate, while from
the towns comes the wall OF hard
times, and thousands of idle men pre-
tend to wonder why the times are so
out of joint.
There is not enough folks making
bread and meat. No use to howl
about silver, nor tariff, nor par
ties; the cause is in the idle hands.
Invention has overdone itself. Every
genius is strained and has been strain
ed for years to lessen the labors of
man and flood the land with luxuries.
The carpenters jackplane is laid away
to rest, the fire at the blacksmith 8
forge has died out, the shoe and boot
maker is common, cobbling patcher
and half-soler; all the trades have
been revolutionized by the inventive
genius and the men turned out Of
work by the easy plans find it hard to
accept the changed conditions.
Agriculture, the only thing that the
inventive genius has Jagged in, is the
very thing that all else depends upon.
Agriculture has not at all advanced in
proportion with other things, and sad
it is that all the time the people have
been fleeing from the pursuit. The
climax is upon us. Out from the
towns the tides must turn. No use to
wait, there is no other relief, no other
hope. The poor town man need not
delude himself with the notion that
any kind Of fancial legislation will
bring him relief. The production Of
more bread and meat, the reclaiming
Of the waste places, the training up Of
all the household to produce some
thing, help the old man, and save in
everything-this is what is wanted in
Georgia and it must come.
Any sensible white farmer should
see that the towns are to be left to
only the very rich and the negro-this
as rule. No use to discuss previous
conditions nor inferiority. The ne
groes will get the work and the work
ers will be the survivors. It is a pain.
full truth that right now four negroes
are at work to one white man. If you
don't believe it, walk about the towns
and count the workmen-four to one
is short, I think. The negro is just
!, as natural to the towns as the English
sparrow. He is the town laborer.
If rents pinch them they will live
three and four families together. II
they can't get new clothes they will
seek for old castaway garments. If
the man can't get dollar day for
his labor he will accommodate himself
for so cents. The women will cook
for some white family and feed her
own household from the scraps she
picks up as waste. I say not this in
disparagement to the negroes, nor dc
I intend to reflect upon them. 1t is
plain truth. 1t is the thing that
makes him so formidable as a com.
petitor that the white man cannot
compete, and all sensible white men
should heed the handwriting on the
wall, and as right now is the time to
procure farms for another year they
should stir themselves to do it.
Within the next two months all the
land will be rented for another year
The land owners must do their part in
this matter. The town people are toe
poor to get to the country without
some help and sympathy-ye owners
of thousands must help them. Immi.
grafton is invited from foreign coun'
tries. The money it would take to
bring over ship load of immigrants
would start many poor town fellow
on toward making q crop. The dispo,
sition to hold great bodies of land idle
must be gotten over. Land owners
must turn it loose or rent it out. II
makes old Georgia too unsightly; and
then, even now, the question is asked
as to whether one man has the right
to hold so many acres while his fellow
man begs for a home to shelter his
little ones. This might get to be Q
great problem some day and disturb
the country, a thing we would never
see if these waste acres were blooming
with bounteous crops and dotted with
happy homes. Mr.. Grady said ;
mighty pretty thing as we'll as mighty
truthful thing when he said: "Every
man who kindles a fire upon his OWL
hearthstone burns incense to liberty.
While the land owners must be gen
erous and charitable the town people
must be sensible. A false pride vii
keep many poor town family from
moving to the country. They hate tt
humble themselves and acknowledge
their poverty. There must be a sight
of humility and hard livingsand above
all things, the females in the poo
families must enter into the spirit o.
the thing. The old man and the boy.
pulling one way and the old oman anc
the girls pulling another will cause
any effort to fall fiat. Industry, econ
omy-live hard and work hard, is thu
nearest way to the solving Of these
hard times that are upon us.
The poor whites have not had the
consideration they should have hac
throughout the South. Everything
has been crowded on the "poor mig
ger" I tell you that your anxiety
about the "poor niger" is otneeded
He will take care of himself-but hi
will accept every advantage you thrus
upon him and thank you, too. Wht
blames him On the other hand, tht
poor whites must develop humility
in keeping with their needs: No ust
to put on any more airs. JUS
acknowledge the corn, come out to tht
country and help to make the waste
places bloom with good crops, raise {
pig and next year this time you car
L..Ll ttf,