The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-02-19
TENANCY SYSTEM INJURIOUS.
JAMES ID. EVANS OF FLORENCE
EXPLAINS RURAL CREDITS.
In Address to House Hc Says State
Must Aid in Placing Agriculture in
Reach Of the People.

Columbia, Feb. 16.-The necessity
of giving legal sanction and State aid
to the efforts to place agriculture in
reach Of the people of the State
through system of rural credits was
stressed yesterday afternoon in an ad-
dress by James D. Evans of Florence
to the members Of the house. Mr..
Evans has been a close student of
agrarian development for several
years and has worked out the systems
now at work in England, Germany and
Denmark. He called attention, too,
to the increasing tide Of tenant
farmers in this State and maintained
that methods should be pursued to
check this undermining tendency. :.
This is one of the most important
measures that have come before you at
this session." said Mr.. Evans, "and
Is the basis of the requireation of the
agricultural people in countries where
some such measure has been adopted"
In comparing European countries
with South Carolina, the speak
er pointed out the great difference in
density Of population. He said that
the art Of agriculture which has been
dropped out Of consideration lately on
account Of the growth in industry and
commerce, is once more coming into
prominence. He called attention to
the difference in working hours and
compensation between farming and
industrial work and said that this has
much to do with the increasing ten
dency Of young people to go from the
country to the town. He argued
therefore. that some method should be
adopted SO as to draw back the young
people to the farm.
Mr.. Evans said that a system should
be furthered whereby the farmer can
get credit with the sanction of the
law. He said that such legislation is
pioneer work, partly missionary in eff
feet.
Mr.. Evans produced statistics to
show that since 1880 the percentage
Of farm ownership had decreased from
more than so per cent. to about 35
FER cent. He showed, too. the in
crease In the number Of negro farm
ers in the last IS years.
He said that an effort is now being
made in England to purchase the
large tracts Of lands there in order
to parcel them out as homesteads. He
told of the agrarian reform accom-
plished in Ireland and Denmark where
land has been reclaimed. He said that
there the average farm has only six
acres as compared with 70 acres in
this State.
Mr.. Evans said that it would be
necessary to aid the farmer to great
er extent than so per cent. He said
that the only hazardous feature is
the danger Of wild cat" schemes,
which. however, were frustrated in
Ireland and elsewhere. He pointed
out the need Of having the purchaser
from the State take out q contingent
life insurance policy as a matter or
security.
The speaker pointed out that placing
the man on the farm was only half
the work, as it is necessary to estab-
lish cooperative associations among
the farmers. He told Of the agencies
at work in South Carolina in this
held of activity. He called attention
to the large benefits arising out of this
mutual association. and said that the
loans' when made. are made out of
the surplus money and that the re-
cipients are not objects of charity. He
said that it is purely business prop
osition.
Mr. Evans maintained that the
requisites for State aid can be COM
Piled with in this State.
Let us keep politics out of it," he
urged, "and we shall start a system
that will spread throughout the
South"
The house at the conclusion OF the
address ordered n recess until s o'clock
last night.