Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-20
Agricultural Conditions There in a
Bad Way.
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION EVIDENCE
The Negroes Are Bar to Indus
trial Prosperity.
THE OTTON CROP

The witness was MIR. ]. Poke Brown OF
Georgia, president of the agricultural so
ciety of his state. Mr.. Brown is extern
slye planter in the southwestern section OF
Georgia.
He did not think the agricultural condi-
tons of the south are prosperous He
though there is today more labor employed
in the south than at the beginning of the
war. This is the result of natural in
crease in the population. The negroes are
increasing in numbers and the statistics
do not show the entire increase. There is no
immigration there. There are more people
blowing barefOoted, barebacked and hun
cry than he had seen since the war. The
laborers Of the south have less of the com
forts and even necessities of life than
before. The landholders have lost ground
In the last few years The small farmer
who does his own work and stays at home
does better than the extensive farmer.
These have the necessities. but not any or
few Of the Injuries Their prosperity, so
far as it exists. is merely the result of the
fact that 5hey do all their own work, and in
that way they kept out of trouble. But
both among extensive and small farmers
il is all the agriculturists can do to keep
out of debt. The tendency is for them to
get into debt and to lose their places
Cause of the Trouble.
The trouble with the south is not with
the soil or the climate. and he was satisfied
it was not to large extent because of
the tariff, because they buy things from
the west that they could raise themselves
and on which there is no tariff The south
had also been forced by conditions to raise
only cotton. 1t the only crop on which
they could raise money to tide them over
for the year. He believed in diversified
crops and in the last year he had succeed
ed in raising Yearly everything he needed
and which formerly he had bought and had
been atle also to sell corn. butter, sirup.
potatoes. &c. The trouble with the negro
was tEat he could not be induced to use
improved implements, and he believed that
the negroes are the great detriment to the
south.
The negroes he said. love watermel-
ems better than any other people on the
face OF the earth. but they do not want to
make watermelons."
When they have improved implements
Put in their hands they break them, and
they don't want to them.
Wants to Get Rid of the Negroes.
He believed In separating the races. He
wanted to get rid of the negroes and to
have white immigration come from other
countries. The Fitzgerald colony in Georgia
had shown that white settlements were a
success in the south. This colony is adj
VancIng, and the town established in its
midst is being rapidly improved. No negro
Is allowed to own any property in this
town He had no suggestion to the place
where the negro should be cOloniZed. His
experience was that the negro would have
d hard time getting along away from white
men. and they did not. he thought. want
10 leave their present homes. One negro
had told him that Bishop Turner could go
To Africa if he wanted to. but he didn't
propose 70 do it. He thought the relations
between the white and cOlored people would
gradually get worse than they are now,
although his own relations with his colOred-
laborers had been very friendly. If the
negroes could be put soma where else he
was satisfied that white immigrants would
come in
Agricultural Education Needed.
The south also needed agricultural edu-
cation. as the education now given there
tended only to make the boys feel that
they would not have to learn. There are
no opportunities there for much profession
al work. and the people must work with
their hands in some way and they are not
trained for II
He had paid all the way from ten to
twenty-five per cent a year for money.
When money is borrowed on land securities
for period of five years the commission
is so high that it really amounted TO fifteen
or twenty per cent year.
Referring again 10 the negro problem in
the south, he said the negro would retro
grade il left alone. That would be the first
effect, at any rate. though ne did not know
what the result Of agricultural education
might be for the negro He had seen nu-
merous cases of negroes accommodating
money. but they universally lost what they
had after a while or course white men
lose their property, but with the negro such
loss was universal. The per cent of colored
mep in Georgia who become land owners il
Very small He had had hopes that the
negro would advance in his ability to be
come se.f-SuppOrting, but he had been dis
appointed They are careless in their meth
DDS and naturally averSe to the use of
improved implements.
Local Option Laws.
The state of Georgia had done what 1t
could to discourage the drinking of whisky
by negroes so tina lii out of 49, counties
in that state have prohibition laws. This
done to keep the negroes from drink
ing. for their protection and also for the
protection of the whites, for the reason
that the crimes committed by negroes are
usually committed by the drinking class
among them.
1, would be a great advantage to the
south 10 have the cotton IL raises manu-
featured there. and the same principle
would hold good in respect to other ar
t.cles the south has use for.
The stores of the south charge a very
big rate of profit on what they sell, but he
believed the losses of the StOrekeepers ara
great that they do not really make great
net profit His observation was that al
though 30 or loo per cent is secured on the
goods, the merchants do not show great
prosperity.
The Cotton Industry.
Speaking Of the cotton industry ne said
there seems to be an idea that there Is
some legislative or other disadvantages in
the south that are not found in the north.
If there was any such disadvantage in
Georgia he did not know what II was He
knew that the people would welcome cotton
mills. He wanted them because the cotton
crop Is now worth So 900 GEO, and II ii
We're made into the cheapest kind of cotton
cl0th II would be worth S40.O00,0O0.
Merchant and Planter Testifes.
After recess Mr.. Brown again went on
the stand and suggested that in addition to
diversified farming and manufacturing the
10 per cent tax on state banks of issue
should be removed. there should be less
complication in the transfer of land and
gambling in farm products on the stock
market should be stopped. He thought the
south had been talked to too much ahout
the government being against them. for
when man gets the idea that the govern
ment is against him and should be Changed
he Is apt 10 wait for the change before he
does anything for himself
Mr.. l. B. Lovetoy of HawkinsviIle. Ga.
a merchant and planter, went on the stand
NATIONAL, ACADEMY OF NUsYc