The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1894-05-12
FOR SOUTHERN PLANTERS TO PONDER

we nnu tne lOllOWlng IN coMmu-
nication recently published in the
Columbus (Miss) Democrat-Index.
AS the writer, evidently q man Of ex-
perlcnce, has learned some things of
value, We commend II to those of our
Delta country who arc seeking light
in the darkness:
In writing of some Of the condi.
ti1ns Of our country 1t will not be
necessary to enter into the prosperous
snte-bellum days or even necessary to
discuss why the planter left his farm
to the genius of the negro; but to say
that this was great cause Of our less
prosperous condition now l think, no
one would deny. Our large farms
have bceu under the degenerating
influences of the negro labor for over
twenty years; and no agent in forming
these soils could have wrought so
rapid chsnge in their formation as
the negro has in their destruction.
II land valued at $4,000 before the
war has deteriorated to $1,000 now,
what will this $1,000 land be worth at
q future date say some 80 edd years
hence? Is this question absurd? No.
For this reason; the land should have
under proper management retaiued
its original fertility. How are we to
raise the fertility OF our farms? How
are We to make our profits surer aud
large? / would answer that all
prairie lands now have the same mine
raj elements that ever were In them
and only need humus, or vegetable
matter TO make them available for
plant food.
think that twenty-five or thirty
years is sufficiently long 70 test the
validity Of most questions, aud by
common consent we should have ar
rived at these conclusions:
/. That If we intend to own farms
we should study the problems involv-
ed aud have our farms properly man.
aged
2. That the negro as q tenant and
hls own boss is utterly worthless and
direct loss by destruction Of land.
g. That in large arcas constant culti-
vaiion Of the cotton crop by primitive
methods, such as the negro uses, is q
loss Of land. money aud energy.
4. That our entire spstem Of farm
ing Is not up to the time and 10 fall.
ure.
5. That we must change system ol
crops.
8. That we must settle our young
men on,-small farms, or look fol
foreigners or Northern men.
1t has been my fortune to witness
lands, prairie lands, with no better
mineral analysis than ours, cut up In
small farms of forty and eighty
acres, yielding their owners one
thousand dollars clear profit annually
and these are no exceptions. We car
do 30 here, but the farms will 6rst
have to be made smaller and more
| thoroughly handled with better imple
\ ments and higher degree of intelli'
&c lco. Our condition is this: Oul
young men are rs'sed up with fals'
notions as to their best future Interests
II a young man has bright intellec
,ud grasps the situation, he secs moth
Ing but meagre existence upon th'
farm. (as 1t is) aud having no hopo Il
this line, his mind dwells upon th,
m cans of escape; which are only three
a profession, cerkshlp, or tho profit
of the West. II he has means b.
takes profession; II not o clerkship
| il failure here he leaves soon as pos
sible for Eldorados Of tho West. A
q general thing he prospers, showing
tbe ability and grit Of our young mel
when not domineered by this awfu
pre stige, this everlasting habit Of rails
| ing cotton. Change this system, sci
to 70 ur young men small farms Of
long ime, and there will grow u
here q land Of beautiful homes,
prosper ous people aud wealthy coun
try. | repeat II, sell to tho younI
men small farms, farms Of forty an
eighty acr, IS with small cottages an
we'll fenced; aud give them the oppor
tunity you have given the negro; I'D
vance him m, vans to begin operation
aud give him lime to pay IL, and ht
given this, will prove that the Eldorad
Is here.