The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-09-23
FARMER AND PLANTER.
LANDLORD AND TENANT.
4 story Illustrating How Many Of
the Troubles Complained OF
May BE Avoided.

SUGGESTED In the lOllOWluS StoTy, WulCu
is taken from true characters of the !,
writer's acquaintance.
A farmer, whom We shall call Mr.. !
Thompson, owns big farm in Mad |!
ison county, Georgia. He is big
hearted man, and was considered a
good farmer after the old methods. He
had his farm arranged in one-horse
crops of about 40 acres, with house
for each tenant. For many years his
hands made about ten bales of cotton
TO the pillow, which was one-fourth to
one-third bale per acre. 1t took all, at
best, to pay for guano, meat, corn, flour,
molasses, etc., and Afforded only q
hard-strained living at that. His land
got poor, washed and worn. His white
tenants became discouraged and went
to seek work in cotton mills and else
where. His colored laborers had run
into the habit of attending all the fu-
nerals, meetings, picnics, secret orders,
etc. This necessitated conveyances,
Sunday clothes, extra cooking, sewing,
starching, ironing, ETC., for themselves.
Also made much loss of time, caused
them to be slovenly and discontinued.
They had been happy on 40 cents day,
but now this became high and unprofit-
able labor for the farmer, and INSULT
cient for the modern wants OF the Ia
borers. They began to go to the brick
yards, rock quarries, sawmills, rail-
reads, ETC., where they could get 75c
and 81 a day. The old-time house
,,J In
Mr.. Thompson had to worry with his
field work, stock, tools, his fencing,
buildings. and everything else out OF
doors. Mrs. Thompson could get only
poor help at high price, even in time
of sickness or other emergencies. Be-
sides there was so much louhging, loaf
ing and idleness it was unsafe for her
to be alone even in daytime. All these
were stubborn facts which all saw, but
few could remedy. Neighbors were
renting out their farms and moving to
town. there to be without employment
for themselves and children. Their
incomes got smaller and their farms SO
dilapidated that 1t was sad even to
see them.
MI. luOulDcOn HCAiOAC, PioSSiSN,
Judgment and good-hearted, sunny,
Christian disposition suggested some
thing different. He experimental on
small scale until he finally resolved to
adopt the practical, intensive, scien-
tific methods of farming.
At this time a man whom We shall
call Burrell was tenant on an adj
joining farm. He was industrious and
honest. AS with most others of his
class. he had such poor crop, his
landlord agreed for him to give 1t ur
and move in August. He was so &C
customed to discouragements that NJ
had drawn his face one-sided into
habitual frown. His wife, though
young, was stopped and faded; hi
children shy and forlorn. This poo
nan cut and split wood in the old field:
from August to October. Then he wen
to Mr.. Thompson for home for thu
next year. Mr. Thompson told him tina
he had decided not to allow more thai
90 acres to the pillow. Mr.. Burrell woul'
be glad to live with Mr.. Thompson
but he feared he could not pay out will
SO little a crop. Mr.. Thompson toll
him that there was lots of land there
but IL he would take that and follow
his advice he would sign contrac
that If he did not make good livin
he would give him what was lacking
He took his word for II. Mr.. Thomp
son let him have a wagon and tear
to move with. When they arrived h
fhau hq
brought all their belongings at on
load. Mr.. Burrell presented not
drawn for $50 the $3.50 odd money hav
ing been left off, in favor of the ma
he left, 1t being the balance OF pre-
vision account. Mr.. Thompson We
asked to sign. No, he was sorry tina
he (Mr. BurelD, was not able to pa
for honest meat and bread, but ne al
not propose to do more than he ha
contracted.
He sent them food and other imm'
date necessities from his home.
n short time he handed them SIS, an
told them to go to town and buy whi
they needed. They hesitated in takin
what was to them such big sum
soon. When they returned Mrs. I. II
yited Mrs. b. over to her home, thu
she would be glad to assist her an
give her the use of her sewing machir
in making the winter clothing ST
gave them some spare milk and blu
ter and other things which they then
selves could not use. After Christina
Mr.. T. asked Mrs. B. whether she woul
like TO have a COW, and about pair I
his thoroughbred pigs. 0, yes,
course they would, but they feared the
could not afford so much. Well. sa
Mr. T.. 1t is true your account is no
slc5. bur | promised you living, al
Won shall have it. He advised them
send their children to school all WI
ter. In the meantime Mr.. B. had G
the privilege of Mr.. T. to get the mu
of another of his one-horse share GRO
pers 10 pillow half the time. He tho
oughly prepared with turn pillow al
subsoiler three of the 20 acres I
wheat. borrowed some cottonseed al
broadcasted them, bought some &C
phosphate and potash, his half
which he paid for in doing some ca