LAND TENURE AND PLANTATION ORGANIZATION 49 
Methods of holding tenant labor. — Plantation operators agree that 
there is no rule-of -thumb method by which laborers may be satisfied 
and held on the farm, yet those who are successful in controlling the 
labor supply consider certain measures as important. 
In the first place, it is essential for each planter to analyze individual 
conditions with respect to policies and practices on the plantation 
which seem to satisfy or discourage the laborers. An understanding 
of the laborer's problems and difficulties, whether real or imaginary, 
enables the resourceful planter to attempt a solution. The planter 
has found that he must deal firmly but kindly with labor and make 
no promises that are not fulfilled. 
It is generally thought that plantation tenants are better satisfied 
and more stable in occupancy if they have a balance of cash at the 
end of the year. Their disappointment is none the less if they them- 
selves, through extravagance or poor management, are to blame for 
their f ailure. Therefore a consistent policy of management, wherever 
possible, conforms to this end. Some planters encourage the pro- 
duction of foodstuffs on the farm, with the object of restricting store 
advances. While those engaged in the supply business realize profits 
from advances, yet it is believed that the risks on bad accounts, 
unstable labor, or dissatisfied tenantry are scarcely compensated for, 
over a period of years, by temporary gain from the supply business. 
Some planters express the opinion that tenants are inclined to 
move when their profits are larger than usual. This is doubtless 
true in some cases. The landlord, on the other hand, then has the 
opportunity of directing at least some of the tenants in desirable 
investments of part of their earnings, which would give the tenant a 
start toward accumulation of capital. 
It is also found advantageous, whenever possible, to pay cash to the 
tenant for extra work done outside his own crop, instead of crediting 
his account. One of the main incentives for the tenant to be diligent 
with his own crop may be the possibility of his earning spending 
money on the outside. This is especially true in the case of the 
women and children on the tenant's farm. Plantations with sawmills 
have this extra- work, for which cash is paid. It has also been 
suggested that factory or shop work on a small scale for women and 
children during idle seasons would have an influence in stabilizing 
the labor supply on the farm. Public and community interests 
sometimes satisfy and hold labor. These are often developed in 
connection with school and church activities on the plantation, the 
landlord providing buildings and financial assistance and taking a 
personal interest. 
A planter in the Mississippi- Yazoo Delta has provided on his plan- 
tation, at private expense, a modern school building and equipment 
for the accommodation of about 100 negro children. (Fig 12.) 
This school has a small demonstration farm and facilities for teaching 
practical home economics, and the best teachers available are 
employed, largely at plantation expense. The school term is 11 
months. Small children attend the full term, and those large 
enough for field work attend five or six months. Attendance is 
practically compulsory. This landlord disclaims any philanthropic 
motive in providing special school facilities, but desires, he says, a 
more practical education for future labor on the plantation. 
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