THE COTTON CROPPER Since he requires no additional capital the plantation laborer may easily set up as a share cropper. He needs only to be willing to take a part of the risk of cotton production and to gain the confidence of the plantation owner.
J. T. Walker, a Negro, of the Marshall farm community in Macon County, Alabama, while working as a monthly wage hand wished to test his ability in operating a small farm. He secured a plot of ground from his employer, which he worked at odd times while keeping up his regular work as a monthly wage hand. He made a very good cotton and corn crop on his small farm. His experiment was so suc cessful that he gained confidence in himself and the follow ing year, contracted with the plantation owner to work on halves as a share cropper.' Mobility, low standards of living, attempts to rise in tenure, and reverses characterize the lives of many share croppers. The following is the case of a white cropper from Texas : A share cropper began for himself 24 years ago in Ten nessee, and farmed in that state ten years as a cropper, moving five times. He has moved eight times and has had four reverses in tenure during the 14 years he has been in the Texas Black Lands. He attained the share tenancy stage and remained in it for one year only.
Eleven people, including a married son and his wife, live in a house of four rooms. The cropper has lost an average of four dollars a year since he began farming 24 years ago.' The following white cropper, age 53, from the Coastal Plains of Georgia tells his own story. In 1913 he had moved eleven times in twenty years and had lost on an average $9.09 each year he farmed. His change of farms was the result of lack of success with each landlord. Suc cess has come to be reckoned in terms of "corn, bacon, and money." I have been a share cropper and shared with different landlords. I have six children living with me, two others grown and left me; one a renter and one a share cropper.
The first landlord I was with two years and left him with a little corn and bacon. No money.
Was with second landlord two years, and left with 50 bushels of corn and 300 pounds of bacon. No money.
The third landlord I was with three years and left with 50 bushels of corn and 500 pounds of bacon. No money.
Fifth landlord had me three years. Left with 75 bushels of corn and 500 pounds of bacon. No money.
The sixth landlord I was with three years. I left him with no corn, no bacon, and in debt $20.00.
Was with the seventh landlord a year. Left with 100 bushels corn; no bacon; no money, but out of debt.
Was with eighth landlord one year and left with 150 bushels corn, 800 pounds of meat and no money.
The ninth landlord I was with two years. Left him with 125 bushels corn, 800 pounds meat and $50.00 in money.
The tenth landlord I was with one year. Left him with 75 bushels corn, 500 pounds bacon and no money.
Was with the eleventh landlord two years 1911 and 1912 and left him with 100 bushels corn, 500 pounds bacon, and in debt $130.00.
Have been able to give each child twelve months schooling so each can read and write. Can read and write myself some.' A cropper's statement of earnings presents the eco nomics of growing cotton without other crops to furnish food and feed supplies. The excessive amount of man labor required for returns on cotton is also evident: I, James Smith tenant farmer for Charley Childers on what is known as the N. M. Dellinger farm located two miles West of Lincolnton, N. C., make the following statement of my cotton farming for the year of 1920.
The landlord, Mr. Childers furnished the stock, land and tools, while I did the labor and the cotton crop was divided half and half alike, I receiving one-half and the landlord the other half.
13 bales of cotton grown at 150 makes a total of $700.42, cotton seed at 300 per bushel makes a total of $39.00, Total value of crop $739.42.
Less guano used under cotton $198. $541.4'z; Less ginner's toll, $48.00, Total net value of cotton, $493.42.
James Smith the tenant received one half, or $246.71.
By counting the number of days labor consumed in making and gathering said cotton crop, I hereby certify that my one half interest in cotton paid only 290 per day for labor producing it.
I am a cotton farmer and have been such for 17 years. In 1920 I planted only one acre of corn and no wheat, but placed my entire time and that of my family in producing the above cotton crop.
Dated at Lincolnton, N. C., this the 8th day of Dec, 1920.
The restless, roving cropper continually looking for something better comes to be regarded as shiftless and dishonest. His mobility brings him into conflict with the landlord: How may the unscrupulous tenant farmer be controlled? About December 15, 1924, a large family of darkeys moved into a farmer's tenant house.
They got Christmas supplies, wood, house rent, etc., amounting to about fifty dollars.
In January, 1925, they moved out without notice for parts unknown.
About February 1925 a white family moved in and stayed three months. After getting house rent, wood and supplies for three months, they moved to a cotton mill.
Another white family moved in and stayed one month. What is to be done with these dishonest, unprincipled, nomadic tenants? There should be made a record of all of the sorry ingrates with the name of the landlord involved, the date of the of fense, etc. All this should be presented in the name of a blacklist and sent to all farmers within one hundred miles.
Every tenant who applies for a farm should be required to give testimonials from former landlords as to character, dependability and industry.
This would make a better class of tenants and would pro tect the landowner against dishonest and sorry