the sequel of appomattox-第41章
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upations。 Nor could the desperate planters hire foreign immigrants。 Several states； among them South Carolina； Alabama； and Louisiana； advertised for laborers and established labor bureaus； but without avail。 The Negro politicians in 1867 declared themselves opposed to all movements to foster immigration。 So in the Black Belt the Negro had； for forty years； a monopoly of farm labor。
The share system of tenantry； with its attendant evils of credit and crop lien； was soon established in the Southern States； mainly in the Black Belt； but to some extent also in the white districts。 The landlord furnished land； house； fuel； water； and all or a part of the seed； fertilizer； farm implements； and farm animals。 In return he received a 〃half；〃 or a 〃third and fourth；〃 his share depending upon how much he had furnished。 The best class of tenants would rent for cash or a fixed rental； the poorest laborers would work for wages only。
The 〃privileges〃 brought over from slavery； which were included in the share renting； astonished outside observers。 To the laborer was usually given a house； a water supply； wood for fuel； pasture for pigs or cows； a 〃patch〃 for vegetables and fruit； and the right to hunt and fish。 These were all that some needed in order to live。 Somers； the English traveler already quoted； pronounced this generous custom 〃outrageously absurd；〃 for the Negroes had so many privileges that they refused to make use of their opportunities。 〃The soul is often crushed out of labor by penury and oppression；〃 he said； 〃but here a soul cannot begin to be infused into it through the sheer excess of privilege and license with which it is surrounded。〃 The credit system which was developed beside the share system made a bad condition worse。 On the 1st of January； a planter could mortgage his future crop to a merchant or landlord in exchange for subsistence until the harvest。 Since； as a rule； neither tenant nor landlord had any surplus funds； the latter would be supplied by the banker or banker merchant； who would then dictate the crops to be planted and the time of sale。 As a result of these conditions； the planter or farmer was held to staple crops； high prices for necessities； high interest rate； and frequently unfair bookkeeping。 The system was excellent for a thrifty； industrious； and intelligent man； for it enabled him to get a start。 It worked to the advantage of a bankrupt landlord； who could in this way get banking facilities。 But it had a mischievous effect upon the average tenant； who had too small a share of the crop to feel a strong sense of responsibility as well as too many 〃privileges〃 and too little supervision to make him anxious to produce the best results。
The Negroes entered into their freedom with several advantages： they were trained to labor； they were occupying the most fertile soil and could purchase land at low prices； the tenant system was most liberal； cotton； sugar； and rice were bringing high prices； and access to markets was easy。 In the white districts； land was cheap and prices of commodities were high； but otherwise the Negroes seemed to have the better position。 Yet as early as 1870； keen observers called attention to the fact that the hill and mountain whites were thriving as compared with their former condition； and that the Negroes were no longer their serious competitors。 In the white districts； better methods were coming into use； labor was steady； fertilizers were used； and conditions of transportation were improving。 The whites were also encroaching on the Black Belt； they were opening new lands in the Southwest； and within the border of the Black Belt they were bringing Negro labor under some control。 In the South Carolina rice lands； crowds of Irish were imported to do the ditching which the Negroes refused to do and were carried back North when the job was finished。* President Thach of the Alabama Agricultural College has thus described the situation：
* The Census of 1880 gave proof of the superiority of the whites in cotton production。 For purposes of comparison the cotton area may be divided into three regions： first； the Black Belt； in which the farmers were black； the soil fertile； the plantations large； the credit evil at its worst； and the yield of cotton per acre the least； second； the white districts； where the soil was the poorest； the farms small； the workers nearly all white； and the yield per acre better than on the fertile Black Belt lands； third； the regions in which the races were nearly equal in numbers or where the whites were in a slight majority； with soil of medium fertility； good methods of agriculture； and； owing to better controlled labor； the best yield。 In ether words； Negroes； fertile soil； and poor crops went together； and on the other hand the whites got better crops on less fertile soil。 The Black Belt has never again reached the level of production it had in 1880。 But the white district kept improving slowly。
〃By the use of commercial fertilizers； vast regions once considered barren have been brought into profitable cultivation； and really afford a more reliable and constant crop than the rich alluvial lands of the old slave plantations。 In nearly every agricultural county in the South there is to be observed； on the one hand； this section of fertile soils； once the heart； of the old civilization； now abandoned by the whites； held in tenantry by a dense Negro population； full of dilapidation and ruin； while on the other hand； there is the region of light； thin soils； occupied by the small white freeholder； filled with schools； churches； and good roads； and all the elements of a happy； enlightened country life。〃
All the systems devised for handling Negro labor proved to be only partially successful。 The laborer was migratory； wanted easy work； with one or two holidays a week； and the privilege of attending political meetings； camp meetings； and circuses。 A thrifty Negro could not make headway because his fellows stole from him or his less energetic relations and friends visited him and ate up his substance。 One Alabama planter declared that he could not raise a turkey； a chicken； a hog； or a cow； and another asserted that 〃a hog has no more chance to live among these thieving Negro farmers than a June bug in a gang of puddle ducks。〃 Lands were mortgaged to the supply houses in the towns； the whites gradually deserted the country； and many rice and cotton fields grew up in weeds。 Crop stealing at night became a business which no legislation could ever completely stop。 A traveler has left the following description of 〃a model Negro farm〃 in 1874。 The farmer purchased an old mule on credit and rented land on shares or for so many bales of cotton； any old tools were used； corn； bacon； and other supplies were bought on credit； and a crop lien was given； a month later； corn and cotton were planted on soil that was not well broken up； the Negro 〃would not pay for no guano〃 to put on other people's land； by turns the farmer planted and fished； plowed and hunted； hoed and frolicked； or went to 〃meeting。〃 At the end of the year he sold his cotton； paid part of his rent and some of his debt； returned the mule to its owner； and sang：
Nigger work hard all de year； White man tote de money。
The great landholdings did not break up into small farms as was predicted； though sales were frequent and in 1865 enormous amounts of land were put on the market。 After 1867； additional millions of acres were offered at small prices； and tax and mortgage sales were numerous。 The result of these operations； however； was a change of landlords rather than a breaking up of large plantations。 New men； Negroes； merchants； and Jews became landowners。 The number of small farms naturally increased but so in some instances did the land concentrated into large holdings。
It was inevitable that conditions of Negro life should undergo a revolutionary change during the reconstruction。 The serious matter of looking out for himself and his family and of making a living dampened the Negro's cheerful spirits。 Released from the discipline of slavery and often misdirected by the worst of teachers； the Negro race naturally ran into excesses of petty criminality。 Even under the reconstruction gove
