Our Farm Department
Devoted to the Interest of Those Who
Till the Soil
CONDUCTED BY J. M BEATY
FALSE REPORTS.
November let The Journal of
Commerce and Commercial Bul
letin of New York publiehed the
following (alee report of the cot
ton crop:
"Smithfleld, N. C.-I'icked, 40
percent. Have largest crop ever
raised in Johnston Couuty; what
the froet damaged would never
have been picked; gins not re
porting what they have ginned;
all gine crowded to their fullest
capacity."
The man who wrote the above
knew absolutely nothing about
it or else he had a lot of cotton
sold for future delivery and want
ed the price to go down so he
could buy in the cotton he has
sold at a low price. He certain
ly was working against the farm
ers. He ought to tell the truth.
How Shall We Meet the Labor Situation?
We Southern farmers have
several vital problems before us
for solution. It is an old saying,
"Man proposes and Hod dis
poses," and Providence has most
effectually settled the 11 cents'
cotton question in our favor,
though His method was certain
ly a very harsh one, and one that
has worked a great hardship
upon many thousands of poor
farmers. Some questions Provi
dence will thus settle, others He
leaves entirely for us, and among
them none is more pressing than
"How to settle the labor qnes
tion."
THE I.AllOK CONDITIONS OVEH THE
SOUTH.
We have traveled a good deal
and have seen much from per-1
sonal observation. We have
talked with our farmers upon the I
trains, at the fairs, in their j
homes and in our thoroughfares;
all admit a deplorable state of
affairs and a necessity for re
form. Our condition has become
very complex.
1. We have our small white
farmers who desire additional
help in cultivating aud in gath
ering their crops.
2. The man who wants one or 1
two "standing wage hands."
3. The small farmer who cul
tivates a portion of his farm and
desires one or two tenants for
the balance.
4. The farmer who lives upon
his farm and eudeavors to over
see the tenauts who cultivate his
place. (
5. The large aud growing
class that own large plantations,
but live in towns and rent out i
their lands to negroes. I
It is very difficult to get all
these various parties to see that I
their interests are mutual and
that they should all work to
gether according to some well -
defined system. Our plan of j;
"every man for himself and the j
devil for all," will not work any |
high degree ol efficiency for our 1
calling. Our farmers, as a whole, '
are a good and well-intentioned i
class, but this lack of system has j
caused neighbors to utterly dis
regard duties to follow neigh- 1
bors in this matter of securing
labor. One man gets another's
hands by all kinds of questiona- f
ble methods. The negro is thus 1
taught by the white man to have
no regard for his obligations to <
his landlord; the result is he in 4
turn betrays the man who se- ,
cures him and grows in his unre
liability, until now the condition
causes universal comment and
alarm. 1
THE NECESSITY FOB llETTEH f
METHODS IN OUR FARM WORK i
DEMANDS A DETTER SYS- j
TEM OF TENANTRY. i
One has only to travel,?look i
out of the car windows and see (
the alarming extent of abused
land, the absolute absence of
anything worthy the name of
preservation or of cultivation of
so many of our fields, to realize
that we must have better farm
work. We do not wish to be
considered as one unduly alarm- j
ed, but it needs no seer to see \
that Northern capital has our ?
railroads. They own our mines.
They have bought and are de
veloping all our water powers;
they own our cotton factories,
oil mills, guano factories, and
unless we wake up to betterfarm
ing it is only a question of a short
time when they will own our
lauds. They know too well the
possibilities of our Southern cli
mate and soil. If a man can
make ten times as much from
one acre than another, he has
ten times the advantage. Ten
dollars an acre production can
not stand against $50 and $100
an acre production. As a means
for the immediate amelioration
of our condition, we know noth
ing more potent than a written
contract; a longer rent term
than one year, and to quit med
dling with your neighbor's help,
but to assist birn in every way
you can to render it more relia
ble and efficient, lri England
tbev lease for a term of seven,
fourteen and t weuty-one years.
We are not prepared for this vet,
but we can adopt two, three and
five-year contracts. The negro
needs all the trainiug we can
give him in three things?thor
oughness, reliability and per
mauency, and a weil-detiued
written contract for two or more
years will at least have a tenden
cy to inculcate all three of these
in him.
WHO IS TO SETTLE THE LAHOR
QUESTION?
To this question there should
be but one answer, viz , the land
lords. We have no desire to treat
the negro unjustly; we advocate
dealing with him only in strict
justice and no more All leuieuc.y
and kindness are thrown away
upon him. Cruelty aud injustice
can only work evil upon both
giver and receiver. We have no i
patience with this complaining,!
almost whining, we hear among
our farmers about the labor con
ditions. We have it absolutely
in our power to control them. If
we withhold our support three
months they would be forced to
accept terms. It is utter folly to
think we must cultivate all our
lauds. It is far better to allow
all to remain uncultivated that
we can not have cultivated right.
We have seen thousands of acres
that will not pay expenses, aud
where is the gain in such cultiva
tion?
There is no secret that the ne
groes are bound together in se
cret organizations to protect-!
themselves aud to get all out of
the white man they can. They
meet from once to twice every
week ip their churches and lodge
rooms. Things have reached a
pass where definite action on our
part can not longer be postpon
ed with anything but loss to us,
no matter what your position
may be If you have the pros
perity of our farming interest at
heart, it behooves you to act. If
personally you think you can
manage your own farm without
any further plan than you now
have, you are still dueconsldera
tion for your fellowmen who are
not so lortuuate. Kvery com
munity and couuty should meet
and formulate some plan, and
absolutely boycott any farmer
who ignores it. Hut if you can
secure concert of action let such
individual begin to exact better
treatment of our soil. It is both
a siu and a shame how the ma
jority of it is abused. Do not re
main satisfied with merely re
ceiving a day's work on your an
nual rent; demand good work or
none; your land preserved and
properly cultivated.or to vacate.
We know in many cases this
would work a temporary hard
ship; but the ultimate results
would be infinitely better for eve
ry one.
IN UONCLL'SION.
1. Uave a better understand
ing with your hands.
2. Have your contract in writ
ing.
3. Do not allow them to un
dertake to cultivate so many
acres
?4. Insist upon some system of
rotatiou of crops.
5. Make them keep up the
terraces, remove the stumps and
rocks and cultivate better.
(1. Get down to work to have
the lien-law repealed.
7. Remember that utilizing
your land is far different and
more importantthan attempting
to cultivate all of it.
8. There is money in growing
hay,?grass for pasture; trees
and various other things besides
cotton.
0. For half of your land to
rest is much better than to be
only half cultivated.
10. There is such a thing as
' paying too dear for your whis
tle" or whistler.
11. If you can not make things
continue right?at least make
the right start.
12. Learn for the future from
the mistakes of the past, and
surely our present unsatisfactory
condition calls aloud for us to(
readjust ourselves. ?Southern j
Cultivator.
TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY
Take LAXATIVE BKOMO Quin
ine Tablets. Druggists refund j
money if it fails to cure. E. W. |
GROVE'S signature on every j
box. 25c.
A Superb Life.
The life of the farmer is fitted
to be the ideal life.
Farming is suited to give occu
yatiou to all man's best powers,
lere we fiud science and art go
ing hand in hand most happily.
The work cannot justly bt said
to be of a taxing sort for the1
most part, if at all. It is most
ly in the open air and is usually
promotive of health and loDg
life.
The service is with nature in
her most fascinating and in
structive moods. There is no
important work on the farm that
does not exhibit many pleasing
points.
Here we may have the perfec
tion of that Mother Earth from
which life of every kind must be
supported. Just think of what
every farmer can have on his ta
ble from his own farm or garden
?all the fruits and vegetables
that can be grown in the climate, 1
all the dishes that can be mude
from fresh milk, butter and eggs, I
honey and syrup, and the meals 1
and flours. '
The farmer is allowed these
goods all fresh, and so that he
knows what he is getting exact
ly.
Pause to think what it is to be '
absolutely sure about such ma- '
terials. The feeding of the stock i
can be regulated so as to have <
the choicest afforded on this ac- j'
count. This is particularly
worthy of note as regards poul- <
try and swine.
We clearly see that if there is a
living lor any person there is
Burelyonefor the farmer. "We
venture to say," says a person
thinking comprehensively on the
subject, "that never in the histo
ry of the world had people the
opportunity for luxurious living
that American farmers possess
to-day, and it only requires a (
little aptness to take and enjoy -
all that is so provided. Long
life extends such diet and work." ;
?Home and Farm. ]
imporaisw Soil
Impoverished soil, like impov
erished Mood, needs n proper
fertilizer. A chemist by analyz
ing the soil can tell you what
fertilizer to use for different
products. ?
If your blood is impoverished :
your doctor will tell you what
cou need to fertilize it and give
it the rich, red corpuscles that
ire lacking in it. It uiav lie you
need a tonic, but more likely you
iced a concentrated fat food,
uul fat is the element lacking
n your system.
There is 110 fat food that is
10 easily digested and assimi
ated as
Scott's Emulsion
[)f Cod Liver Oil
It will nourish and strengthen
he body when milk and cream
ail to do it. Scott's Emulsion
s always the same; always
lalatable and always beneficial
vhere the body is wasting from
tny cause, either in children
ir adults.
We will send you a sample free.
IV sure that this pic
ture in the form of a
label is on the wrapper
of every bottle of Euiul- 1
sion you buv.
SCOTT i BOWSE
CHEMISTS
409 Pearl St. Jew Tort
, 50c. and 11.00.
All Druggists.
The Tobacco That Made
^Chewing Popular^
Man's fondness for chewing tobacco is created and
popularized by the tobacco produced in the famous Pied
mont tobacco belt Only choice selections of this well
matured, thoroughly cured leaf are used in making
SCHNAPPS. That's why SCHNAPPS requires and
takes a smaller amount of sweetening than any other kind
?and that's why SCHNAPPS has a wholesome, stimu
lating and satisfying effect on chewers.
There are many imitations of SCHNAPPS claiming to
be "just as good," but without the flavor or quality that
has made SCHNAPPS sales more than all similar tobaccos.
It is made in the Reynolds factories, famous for producing the best
chewing tobaccos, by clean, sanitary processes, under the same
direction, since 1875, of men who have made the business a life study.
They are the largest and best equipped fiat plug factories in the
world and are situated in the very center of the world's greatest
chewing tobacco district.
If you've never chewed SCHNAPPS, now is the time to get
acquainted with the cleanest, most healthful, stimulating, satisfying
and wholesome form in which tobacco can be used. Do not accept
imitations.
R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO CO., Winston-Salem, N. C.
^?<r
Has Less Sweetening than
Imitations
4k
^ FURNITURE.
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is IVTjiIUM -c
u Lywfli >
s |lliM z
hBfhSS SJ^
MFRAvr xj r>
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1 - ?
Headquarters f
For J
Furniture |
We also have on hand L
a large stock of Bug- %
gies, Surrys, One and 1
Two Horse Wagons, *?
and Harness of all M
kinds which we will f
sell very low. We
have just received: 2 T
cars Hay; I car best ?
Patent Flour; I car J
Corn; I car Oats: I car ?
Bran and Ship Stuff, f
Hulls, C, S. /Vleal and ^
all kindsfeed. See our M
stock of Dry Goods, \
Hats, Shoes. Crockery a
and Hardware, it is j
complete . . . .
I Cotter-Underwood : Co. ?
THREE HOUSES AND LOTS
FOR SALE, |
if The six-room dwelling now oc
cupied by Mr. O. V. Booker is
for sale. Good stables, wood
house, &c. Lot about + acre
size.
For sale a splendid new resi
dence, five large rooms and con
venient out houses with 1? acres
of land. The home of Mr. W. J.
Gordon at Forks of road in
Southern part of Smithfield. i
Come quick. Write to me or j
see me.
Prof. Merritt's house and lot
in front of the school building
is for sale at a bargain. Good
neighborhood and healthy loca
tion. Lot is large enough for
another building. Seven-ninths
nf acre in lot. Six rooms to
house.
J. M. BEATY
Smithfield. N. C.
HOLLISTER S
Rocky Mountain Tea Nuggets
A Baiy Medioine for Baiy leopie
Brings Golden Health and Reaeved Vigor
A specific for Constipation, Indigestion. L've
snd Kidney Troubles Pimples Leremn Impure
Blood, Bad Breath. Sluggish Bowels. Headache
and Backache. It's Roekv Mountain Tea in tab
let form, 8* cents a box Oenuin* made by
Hollister Drug Company, Madison. Wis.
GOLDEN NUGGETS FOR SALLOW PEOPLE
A nice line of Men's, Boys'
Hid Ladies' Shoes at the right
price at Cotter-Underwood Co.
New Home
Machines
I am still agent for the light
running New Home Sewing Ma
chines. If you need one write
to me. Mr. J. H. Easom is with
me and can carry one to you.
J. M. BEATY,
Smithfield. N. C.
Treasurer's Card J
ALEX. WI665.
Trearvkkb of Johnston Corvrv,
win. BE IN* 8MITHFIELP EVERT
Monday and Saturday and Court Week*
Offlce in back room of the Bank of Smith
Held. In hie absence county orders will
naid at the Bank
We have again sold out of
Banker Ponies but any one wish
ing to buy one will do well to
leave their order with The El
lington Buggy Co.
up-io-Daie
Drug store
1 wish all who visit Four Oaka
to know that I keep a complete
line of up-to-date Drugs, Patent
medicines, garden seeds and
stationer.! and in fact everything
usually kept in a first class drug
store. My prescriptioi depart
ment is well equipped and all
prescriptions are carefully com
pounded. I ask your patronage
D. H. Sanders*
Four Oaks. N. C.
Houses to Rent
The Rose house near Metho
dist Church.
A large house between Mr.
Radford's and Oakland Heights.
The Masonic Lodge.
Mrs. Pou's house in Brooklyn.
Mr. Charlie Hill's new house.
A store in the Fuller Building
Apply to
J. M. BEATY,
SM1THFIELD N. C.