The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-07-19

aAANs AtN'tA stNtf " AAAA nv IhAAANtL x VII
orally to be well directed indus
try, which includes diversified
farming, manufacturing, etc. In
many parts Of the country the
whites do not work at an on the
farms, and the negroes often
very poorlv--they have little idea
of the value of time. and little
provision, and are not likely to
improve in this respect.
The especial, crying need, is
for the land owners to live on
and control their farms. The
proof OF this is seen by a compar,
ison Of conditions where farms
are rented and given up to me-
groes, and whore they are under
the personal supervision Of own
ers engaged in the operations. A
great multitude Of farms are Civ
en- up TO negroes, while the own
ers live in towns and villages.
Many evils result. The land is
impoverished; the improvements
Of all kinds decline; value is less
ened; little is made compared
with what should be; the control,
the conservative influence Of the
white man, resulting from his
acknowledged superiority, his
intelligence, his example as an
object lesson, are withdrawn,
and the negroes thus deprived
and left SO largely TO themselves,
descend still lower in the scale Of
humanity, and embrace idleness
and often times crime from which
under different circumstances
they might, and probably would,
be free. How different would il
be if the white owners lived on
their farms, furnishing society
and neighbors with the numerous
advantages sugge ting them
selves TO all, and relieving to d
large extent the present hard
conditions Of country life, which
drive SO many from the farms, TO
say nothing Of the incaIculable
gain from intelligent and inter-
ested personal direction Of the
farms by the owners. Imagine
every quarter or half section Of
land occupied by its owner with
his family, interest in its deyeI-
opment, directing and controlling
all operations on it, with his
hopes and those Of his family all
centered in it. Contemplate the
society Of respectable people in
cident to this condition, with re-
ciprocal interchange Of social
and other advantages; the mu-
tual protection afforded; the
healthful moral atmosphere Gre
ated; the powerful moral and re-
straining influence exerted down
ward and operating on the in
ferior population abounding and
50 much IN need OF il, and we
have delightful prospect.
That this Is not now the spec
tacle presented ii lamentablyI
true. That it may. and should
be, is equally true.
II is not difficult to account for
present conditions. The history
is brief and plain, and well
known 10 all intelligent observ-
ers. The question is, how 10
correct the evil, for that the
present condition is full Of evil
must be agreed. The towns and
villages abound with people who
would be far better off in the
country. The tendency to the
towns is full Of evil. The coun-
try has suffered greatly in this
respect. The towns are depend
ent on the country for support,
and yet we see many desert the
country in the vain attempt to
get support in town.
The truth is, the towns abound
in idlers, paupers and vagrants
preying upon the industrious in
town and country. No doubt the
gregarious instinct is partly re-
sponsible for this, and the great
or conyeniences and advantages
Of town life have much to do
with it, but the hard conditions
of country life under present cir
cumstances have more to do with
it than all else. Among these
hard conditions the one most
productive of dissatisfaction is
the absence of the respectable
owner CT the neighboring farm,
and its surrender to the dominion
and control Of irresponsible ne
groes, without the restraint the
presence OF the owner would i'm
pose, besides the withdrawal Of
the individual and family, which
residing there would help make