The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-06-04

SduNV anu 1'AtlAO ANANHSS E@O
debt, the ir0n-gloved tyrant, was
robbed OF his terror, the wretched
slavery of liens and mortgages was
invoked and welcomed, TuinOus
pr fits on the necessaries as we'll as
the Injuries of life were freely prom
Used if not paid, stock was neglected,
liberalization of crops abandoned,
rates we're paid on money and sup
plies that would have wrecked the
whole financial system of this gov
eminent in ninety days, and finally
the lordly gambler, under the sane
ton of legal authority, appears on
this tempting and fruitful e of
wild and extravaganza speculation
and absolutely and arbitrarily fixes
the price of the whole crop. Our in
dependence as farmers surrendered,
usystem of genteel tenantry estab-
lished-that we may have the priv
lege of producing the leading COM
mercial crop of tee world, the price
of which we can no control
than can the shepherds in the high
lands of Scotland.
Why should the Southern farmer
pay one dollar, or more, per bushel
for corn, when he a produce it at
home at a cost not to exceed fifty
cents per busheI?
Why should the Southern farmers
pay ten to fourteen cents per pound
for bacon, when he a produce it at
home at five cents?
Why should Southern farmers pay
millions of dollars annually for com
mercial fertilizers, when for most of
our soils and crops they may produce
a better article for half the money?
Why should the Southern farmer
pay twenty to twenty-five dollars
per ton tor hay, when he may pro
duce it on his farm at two dollars per
ton? Fighting grass all summer and
buying it all winter!
Why is it that thousands and thou
sands of freight trains come south
ward loaded with the products of
Northern farm and so many of them
are returned empty?
My heart was moved this morning
with pride as l listened to the gifted
Grady in his thrilling and eloquent
portrayal of the magnificent resOur-
ces and capabilities of this Southern
land. But the browning argument,
in my Judgment, to sustain the claim
that it is the grandest country on
the globe, is the fact that it has IN
dergone this stupendous drain on its
energies and resources for these long
years and we are alive. 1t could
have been accomplished nowhere on
the globe except on Southern soil
and by Southern men.
The next detect, l notice, is
U TENANT" SYSTEM,
by which l mean that practice among
the farmers in the South of renting
or leasing lands to tenants TO be
managed and cultivated according to
their own methods. In my judg-
ment, no system could be devised
tor more unremunerative and I'm
profitable crops, or for the more eel
tain exhaustion and destruction of
our lands. With Z cheap and
naturally fertile lands, ii we had in
4 Na7}TrnD~ S1-171,l a,,l -a7fsHla L., I,r.
subjected to wholesome rules of
labor discipline and labor system, as
in England or other old and advanced
European countries, then indeed
might we hope for the best results.
But l hazard nothing in saying that
with this practice ~engrafted on
agricultural system, neither the ten
ant nor landlord may expect remu
Derative results, and the farmer who
persists in it will leave to his Chi
dren u legacy of old fields and gullies.
For If there DO any one phase Of the
lab II system of the South which is
settled beyond alquestion among in
teIligent Southern farmers, 1T Is that
we may hope for 40 Improvement Of
lands or crops II methods if left to
the control Of free-negro tenants
The w~age-labOr system, established
on the equitable principle of giving
d just price tor labor, and demand
ing in return Il just equivalent from
labor, would give TO the employee
and those dependent on him the tut
benefit of Il fair value for his labor
and would keep the care and cult
walton of the lands where it should
always be, under the direct cuntJl