The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-09-10

ers who live under their own vine and fig
tree. Some of the nations of the old world
are beginning to appreciate this fact. and
have passed laws whereby the tenant
with thrift AMI energy may eventually
become owner Of the land he rents thus
giving to these people an interest I'm the
land and an incentive to improve the soil
and keep up the prosperity.
That EARN ownership is desirable and
beneficial to country. / think. no one
will deny; but still we have the fact 10
face that renting is on the increase at the
south, with the inevitable conclusion that
the ind yidual owner has I'm many cases
failed to make the farm pay. and mas con-
sequently rented II out. or his property
has passed into the hands of his creditors
to be in turn rented out by them. We
come then to the question. why has farm
ing failed to pay the southern farm owner,
and what is the cause OF his western
brothers success?
We find that almost without exception
the farmer who has failed at the south
has devoted himself almost exclusively
TO the growing of cotton and corn, while
purchasing in n large measure his home
supplies. On the other hand the sue
cessful western farmer, the successful
wheat farmer | may say, where wheat
is the staple crop. has living outside
of his money crop. He has a good gar
den, he keeps n number of cows, his wife
raises chickens, there are pigs TO con-
sumo the waste: in short. his diversified
interests furnish steady employment for
himself and family the year round. and
gives him his living. so that his principal
money crop comes in free Of tncum-
brances. The big bonanza wheat farms
OF the west cannot compete with him.
and are being divided up into smaller
farms Their crop comes I'm burdened
by large bills of expense. and only when
prices are good can they hope to pay a
dividend.
The farmers institute has been OF In
estimable benefit to those western farm
ers. and has contributed not "a little to
their success. T. Il. Terry. writing of
these Institutes IN Minnesota, says. The
meetings are invariably well attended,
the farmers often driving twenty or
twenty-five miles, and great good has
been accomplished. Here the farmers
have learned newer methods, and have
had the discoveries of science explained
To them in a practical way so they can
applv them to their farm work. Then
he sides these people are intelligent and
pushing and no wonder they get ahead.
The southern farmer, then. IS losing
hts land through unscientific methods,
and his devotion TO one crop. If. then.
the farm owners who have an interest
in the land are falling behind, what
can we expect of renters who have no
interest in the soil they cultivate beyond
what they can set out of IT. No wonder
tba south shows small percentage of
agricultural wealth with those people
FORMING over half of our farm popuid-
ton.
Won win find that the successful. pros
1orous farmers-and there are many of
Them in spite of the showing the south
men who own their farms
ana nIan and direct the work themselves.
The successful renter is rarity. You
will also find that these successful men
have a diversity OF interests FhIch gives
them and their families, handS ana STOCK
work the greater part OF the year. II
Is manifestly impossible Tor men cuitl-
waiting but a single crop ana working
only two-thirds OF the year 10 malD "A
success in competition with the man
who works all the year and has more
than one string to his bow
The south needs more sood Farmers
and fewer tenants. The intelligent, Wide
awake farmer at the south is doing as
well. and In many cases FAR better than
his northern brother. There are adNan-
tages In his favor in the way OF climate.
iens-th of seasons. and variety of crops
OF which our northern friends know niue
or nothing To one who thoroughly un-
derstands these advantages Il seems
that the south should re-
main at the tail end of the procession
Jlut what shall We do? ManifeStly. first,
do all i'm our power to encourage farm
erS TO work their farms themselves and
rent as little as possible. secondly. maui
rurate a thorough system OF farmers
institutes throughout the south and teach
the farmer improved methods, showing
him where a diversity of crops will help
him and how with cattle, hogs ana
garden truck he can live and have his
money crop-cotton-freed from all in
Thirdly. induce good farm
ers to come south and buy the land now
rented and make homes here. And fourth
Iv encourage land owners to offer IN
ducements 10 renters so that with proper
enterprise they may be able To eventually
buy the land they now rent Ana at
any rate deal fairly with them and give
them a lust share In any Improvement
they NAV make either in buildings or
through the increased productiveneSs of
the soil Anything to give the renter
an interest I'm the land so That he VIII
improve, instead OF ruin II. The land
which has up to the present been the !
Southern farmers last consideration must |
receive his first and continuous thought.
| am no single taxer, but do believe |
that the land is the place for the ma |
iority of the people, out under Gods 1
sunlight where they can produce new
wealth and sustain themselves at the /
same time. / am also firmly convinced |
that the southern people have sufficient l
with this question and SO shape the /
laws and govern their business that a /
farm home will increase instead Of di- |
minish and the calamity of tenantry /
system of farming be averted and our |
in that direction changed for /
the better. f. j. MERRIAM.