64 Negro Migration 



this pre-eminant importance have been determined by the 

 breakdown of the plantation system and the growth of ten- 

 ancy which were outlined in the previous chapter. 



The growth in numbers of Negro tenants has naturally 

 been much greater than the growth in number of owners. 

 It requires no capital to become a share tenant, and very 

 little capital to become a cash tenant. It is also less of a 

 step toward independence for a laborer to cultivate the crop 

 on shares, with the supervision Of the landlord, than to 

 cultivate it without supervision as a cash tenant or the 

 o wner. 3n evertheless, the foregoing chapte r indicates that 

 betwee n 1880 and 1900 the cash tenant class showed a 

 very great rate of incr ease! This is" due to the fact that 

 the breakdown of plantations was very rapid, and that in 

 their efforts to keep their plantations going, the landlords 

 abandoned the share system. Then both white and colored 

 men had ample opportunity to rent lands. Since 1900 the 

 movement has slowed down somewhat, and the cash tenant 

 class in the Black Belt has filled up. The tendency of share 

 tenants to increase at a greater rate thaTrxa sh tenants has 

 therefore* asserted itself again. Between 1900 and 1910 

 cash tenancy increased 4U.2 per cent and share tenancy 43.2. 

 As the land becomes less plentiful, and the standards of 

 agriculture require better implements, and work animals, 

 and hence more capital to stock a farm, the passage from 

 laborer or share tenant to cash tenant becomes increasingly 

 difficult. Therefore, while the system of tenure continues 

 in a state of flux, and while laborers have the double 

 opportunity to become share tenants or cash tenants it is to 

 be expected that the majority will choose the easier step 

 and enter share tenancy. In the case of the white 

 man, the situation is slightly different. The Negro 

 passes from laborer to tenant, but there are comparatively 

 few white farm laborers. The white tenants, in numbers 

 of cases become tenants with little previous experience as 



