The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-18

With so much said in explanation
of my attitude, let me turn now tc
some comment on some OF the things
/ said in the beginning that did not
see.
L said 1 saw no cabins. We cannot
hope to get thrifty and progressive
tenants on our Southern farms until
we provide a better type of houses
for these tenants to live in.
L said that / saw no gulIics. The
| farmers in the West keep the lands
| filled with humus, keep the land grow
ing something all the year round. and
so it does not wash away. We must
grow winter cover crops in the South,
and we must also use more soiling
crops and more stable manure, there
by getting humus into the land to hold
the soil together. Commercial ferti-
lizers furnish no humus. Before manv
years land is going to become too val
liable in the South for anybody to let
1t wash away. But the difficulty is
that great areas are already running
before that time comes.
said that 1 saw no forest fires
Our carelessness with regard to forest
fires in the South is almost a disgrace
to our people. If a man by his care
lessness started fire which burned
up your smoke-house or barn, YOU
would raise a great disturbance. but
some worthless vagabond may start
a forest fire that will do damage equal
to the value of a dozen smoke-houses
or barns and nothing Is ever done
about it. Timber is becoming scar
Ger and scarcer every year. and our
farmers must begin to realize that the
timber crop is just as valuable and
just as surely a money-making
crop" even if it does grow more
slowly, as any other crop. The thing
to do is to begin putting these men
who are careless with fire behind pris-
on bars. few of them wearing
stripes would each be a very valuable
lesson.
said that saw no big plantations.
The hope of the South lies in the
breaking up of our big plantations
cultivated by shiftless unintelligent
labor and the development of a great
democracy of thrifty and intelligent
white farmers, owning their own
homes. In saying white farmers.
do not mean any ill-win toward our
colored farmers, but it is best for
them and best for every interest in
the South that our white population
should increase by immigration and
natural Increase until the proportion
ol negroes in no State is large enough
to he oppressive. The chief reason
why SO many of our white farmers
nave gone to town has been a lack of
adequate white society in the country
districts. When the farms are small
er and the farm homes closer togeth-
er' as they would be with a great body
OF so to 1OO-acre farms, the situation
VIII be materially changed.
said that saw no stumps in the
lelds. Having just made trip
through six Southern States this fact
impressed me especially. \ stllmpv
held means that the farmer must use
the most expensive labor and tools.
The saving that would result from the
use OF lahor-sa ring tools and machin-
cry would soon pay the whole cost of
taking out the stumps---to say moth
ing Of the increase i'm the crop from
ih' greater area Of land made avail
ahie by removing these Instructions
I" progress and productivity.
said that | saw no farm home.
"npaintcd.. With the increasing pros
pcritF Of the South there is no rra-
son why W" should not have the same
beautiful farm homes one secs in Wis
'"nSin ana Illinois. The whole farm
looks different whom it is set off by
" beautifully painted larm homo. and
" seems l." mo that II must make "a
difference i'm the spirit Of every MON
hcr Of tho family. \ pretty home i'm
spires am atmo-pher. Of u..jo and
'hcorfulu,se which ..H 1l .-.. ri,r
N"We anl old % ...,r .j..d dig
nifty Iut also make o,crl'odl on tho