The Longest Memory Lesson Plan

How does The Virginian's editorial writer summarize opinions on running a plantation firmly or kindly? What does he think about the debate?

Those who run their plantations firmly believe that a firm hand keeps enslaved people in their place and differentiates slaves from the Master and Overseer. They believe that that distance helps their plantations to run smoothly. Those who preach the kindness approach think the firm hand is inhumane and unnecessary. They question why, if the firm approach worked, there were so many runaway slaves from the plantations with those practices. Those who argue for kindness believe it to be just: if the enslaved people work hard for them,...