The Colorado statesman., 1912-03-02
NEGRO FARMERS SHOW EACH
OTHERS PATH TO WEALTH

IuSKeSee, Ala.-AccOrdtng to state
ments made at the annual Tuskeges
conference here there are $50 900 more
negro farmers in the south than 10
| years ago and the negroes have
had a large share in adding $4,000
! 600 acres to the improved land OF
the south. More than 1900 farm.
ers were present to hear the discus,
sions.
The product of the negro farmers
in Alabama last year is estimated at
/ S40,OOO,OO0, which those in attendance
were told was the negros actual con-
tribution to the wealth of the south.
| The conference was held In the halls
of the institute and DR.. Booker Wash
ington presided. On the walls were
notices. Some of them read: Re.
pair old plows and farm tools on rainy
days" Now is the time to begin to
save something" and advice about the
care of stock and Living at Home"
by raising all that was necessary for
the family to eat.
The conference was the climax of
short course In agriculture conduct
ed at the Institute by teachers of the
school and Federal Demonstrators
Thomas NJ. Campbell and Washington
Tate, negroes, and William Rakestraw,
conference agent of the talks of the
negro farmers, white landlords and ex,
pert farmers, were the exhibits of pro-
duce from negros farms, free enter
tainment at the institute, free distribu-
tion at morning and evening papers
and free care for stock brought for
exhibit or as motive power of the WIS.,
itor. The conference was classed as
one of the best ever held in the south
| But the real feature was the heart
| to heart talk OF the negro farmers
| to each other. Many of them told
how they had started In swamp
with nothing and subsisted on a hop
and corn meal while preparing their
land for cultivation and how they now
own their own homes and-and while
very few referred to totals, 1t is
known that a number of them could
have said with accuracy that their
holdings are listed for taxation with
five figures.
Principal Washington in his open
ing address dwelt chiefly upon the
white and black farmers and honesty
between tenant and landlord, and he
scored the negroes who rent land and
move away before the crop is made,
or sell all their cotton when they have
pledged to pay rent in the staple.
| w. w. Thompson, white planter,
proved conditions on his estate since
he offered prizes for the best kept
homes, the most productive gardens,
the best kept bitches, and the big
gest yield of cotton from a one-horse
farm
The need Of better school buildings
was prominent topic and farmers
who could not read the newspapers
given them advised their neighbors
ito chip In and build school In your
neighborhood, to be sure of a teach
er sent there" Reports indicate that
the negro farmers are spending thous-
ands of dollars annually building
school houses in the rural districts.
The last days session was devoted
to How We Can Save" Buy More
Land" was the burden of the reply.
1t was stated that the negroes OF the
south were earning s500,000,000 an
nually and of this they would save
! $15, 100000 or s20,00O,000 "Stick to
the soil" was the advice
Between S15,0O0,000 and s25, 900, 900
worth of real estate in Pennsylva-
MIA is owned by negroes, according TO
| the forthcoming annual report of John
| L. Rockey. chief of the bureau of in
dustrial statistics in the department of
internal affairs.
In the AZ wards of Philadelphia ne
| groes own total of 1,0S0 parcels of
taxable real estate. and exclusive of
non-taxable property, with total tax
valuation of $2,S01,275.
Among the places in which the larg-
est number of properties are held with
the market value of each, are VIII
Transport 80, $4,000; Washington,
90. $327,050; Carlisle. 81, s309,500;
Darby, 50. s119,3OO Scranton, IL, s165.
600; Meadville, 81 $3S, 100; Lewiston,
%, $3S,750; Franklin 20, s31.700:
Uniontown. 81, s33,325; Ardmore, "a,
! 400; Harrisburg (two wards). Al.
s66 500; Langhorne, &c. 400; Lam
caster, 20, $4,000; Norwood, 8, S115,.
100; Chester, 1.-TWO wards), IA, $2S 5000;
Bristol II, $11.770; Sewickley. IL, 1872.
500; Braddock, 35, S156, 700; Reading,
IS, 62,750; Reading, 1S, s62,750; Gree
IS, $62750; Greensburg, 13, $27 800;
Three Tuns, 32, $4,000; Elizabeth, %,