Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-02-05

were white farmers. Thus during the last ten
years the farm tenant problem has become
more largely a white problem. This is merely
a continuation of the trend for several decades,
accumulated during the last decade, and espe-
cially the last five years.
A study of the trend of tenancy by races
during the last decade gives some very inter-
esting and significant results.
For instance, the negro population increas-
ed slightly above twenty per cent, but farms
operated by negroes increased less than one per
cent.
Farms operated by negro tenants increased
by 3,222. During the last five years there has
been a decrease in farms operated by negro
tenants.
Farms operated by white tenants increased
almost exactly seventeen thousand, eleven
thousand of which is the product of the last
five years.
During the last five years farms operated by
white farm owners have decreased nearly six
teen thousand, while farms operated by negro
owners have decreased just a fraction over two
thousand.
One of the most alarming facts is the large
increase in the cropper type OF tenants, the
lowest form of tenancy. During the last five
years farms operated by white cropper tenants
have increased by more than twelve thousand,
and farms operated by negro choppers have in
creased by four thousand five hundred. Thus
the five-year increase in cropper tenants has
been approximately seventeen thousand.
Farms operated by white ~part-owners, who
are part-owners-part-tenants, have increased
by nearly four thousand in five years, while
farms operated by negro part-owners have
actual decreased.
Thus it every turn it is evident that the trend
has been in the direction of increased tenancy
on the part of white farmers. The ratio of
farms operated by white tenants has increased;
the number of white tenants has increased
much more rapidly than negro tenants; the
number of white owners have decreased much
more rapidly than the number of negro own
ers; the number of white croppersh has %increas-
ed much more rapidly than negro choppers,
and so on. 1t seems to be very definitely estab-
lished that white farmers have Jared worse
than negro farmers, though both have lost
ground in the struggle to move out of tenancy
into ownership.
Ten years ago 1913 per cent. of all white
farmers were tenants. Now 39.7 per cent. of
all white farmers are full tenants while a con-
siderable per cent. are only part-owners.
A decade ago 70.7 per cent. of all negroes
were full tenants. No. 1915 per cent. of all
negro farmers are tenants, while a consider
able additional per cent. are part-tenants. Thus
again, the trends are against the white opera
tors.
There are twenty-five counties where more
than half of the white farmers are tenants. All
are important cotton or tobacco counties, or
bob. Twenty-three other counties have from
forty to fifty per cent. of their white farmers
classed as tenants.
In s~ixty-six counties more than half the ne
gro farmers are tenants. In twenty-one coun-
ties more than eighty per cent. of all negro
farmers or tenants. Every county that has a
high white tenant rate also has a high negro
tenant rate. Most counties that have low white
tenant rates have fairly low negro tenant
rates. There are a few counties that do not
conform to this rule, such as Davidson, Ca
tawa, Allamance, Rowan and Stanly that have
high negro tenant rates.
There are sixteen counties where the per
cent. of negro tenancy is lower than the per
cent. of white tenancy. All such counties have
relatively few negro farmers.
Tho +hoorie+e c,, call If what thew n1ease b1t