Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-02-12
Letters From
The People

Editor of The Times Recorder
Since YOU were kind enough to print
letter, | am asking for space sutti-
Gent for a second one. In this com
munication | shall endeavor to tell
YOUR readers something of the pros
porous conditions now prevailing IN
Rockingham county, North Caro-
lima, and the causes for this highly
desirable condition Of affairs. In
doing this, however, | shall not be
actuated by desire to boost the
county of my birth but rather by
desire to help the people of the
county of my adoption.
Rockingham county, when | left
it II yeals ago, was in much the
same condition Sumter county is in
today. Farmers were still praetic-
ing the one crop system and most
of them were greatly overcropping
themselves. Tobacco instead of
cotton, was their staple commodity
and they grew this almost 20 the
exclusion of all else. Each indivi-
dual farmer tried to plant enough
of the weed to exchange for cash
sufficient to meet his needs. Cor
3sequently the lower tobacco got
the more he planted. And while
this method enriched tobacco manu-
facturers, it only made tobacco
growers poorer
Eventually a farmer here and
there began to see evil of his
way and to set about correcting it.
He planted less and cultivated more
Furthermore, he began to diversity
and to grow more of the things he
needed for his table. This practice
spread, it became general. Inten-
sive farming is generally followed
in Rockingham county today. 1t is
doubtful if as much land is being
cultivated now as was cultivated
Is years ago The total production
Is greater, however, and it is prob
able that the acre production of
both corn and tobacco is rs percent
greater. The farmer who now over
, crops himself is a rarity and is
looked upon as a lackwit by his
more sensible neighbors.
But despite their modern prac-
tees, not all the credit for the coun-
| tvs prosperity is due the farmers.
Much of it is due to the business
men of the towns in the county.
These have bestirred themselves in
bringing in manufacturing indus
tries until taere is around 10000
persons in Rockingham county de-
| PENDENT upon such industries for d
livelihood, These 10000 person
must eat and they buy much of what
they eat from the farmers round
about them. The manufacturing
industries have therefore been OF
great benefit to the farmers.
Nor have they denuded the farm:
of labor. Some farmers, of course
have left for the factories and mills
but & sufficient number is still OF
the farms to produce whatever crop!
are needed. The factories hay,
taken many tenant farmers who
year after year. moved from one
farm to another, and other farmers
are bettered by not having to com
Ipete with this shiftless element. Tn,
good farmers, those who own Ian,
and those who desire to own Ian.
are sticking to the soil. Moreover
they find that agricultural condi
lions are improving each year.
The big land owner is the onl,
one who has been hard hit by tn,
industrialization of the county an,
by the intensiication of farmin.
methods, and he is citizen VIII,
can we'll be spared Too often h
has stood in the way of progress
anyway. The big farms in Rock
mgham county are being cut up an,
sold to those who wish home O
their own. When cut up thes
farms produce much more than eve
before, increase in taxable values
and are worked by a better class Of
citizens, citizens who are interest d,
in schools, churches and roads.
Rockingham county has a uniform
system of taxation. Land is as
sessed for taxation at its aetna
value, having in mind its location
and fertility. The county is nov
collecting taxes on property assess
ed at approximately $4,000, 600
Much of this, obviously, is assesse,
against values other than agricul
tural. The county is spending thi.
year and next close to million
dollars for permanent school build
lngs. At the end of next wear no
section of the county but will be
| IN eaSV reach of an oo,,,,, IL