Des Arc citizen., 1866-04-07
For the Des Arc Citizen, l
 CREDIT SYSTEM.

Some one has said custom is second
 nature, and we believe the saying is cor
 rect. Few things are more difficult than
 to quit of or abandon custon1-or if you prefer 1t, we we will call it ase or habit something that inslduously, but gradually and imperceplibly steals upon us, and fastens itself in the very fragments of life.
 Reason sits quiescent, while fancy and passion impel us on, in the broad and fre- quented road of custom. The credit sys-
 tem that has prevailed to such an alarming extent throughout the country, is certainly q very bad custom, if we uay judge of a thing from its results; 1t is needless forus to instance facts, or point to isolated cases, in demonstration of the evils of the credit system; every man, at least every business man, is competent witness to the fact. But like most other evils, it has it's adyo- oates and defenders. The drunkard has his reasoas for driHking. The card player his private right of judgment. The to- baoco chewer and smoker, have the priyi- lege of their defence; their plea is, that others do the same, and even more than they. But the credit system is two fold evil, it materially injures the creditor and debtor, both parties arc damaged by the operation, and the farther it is indulged tho worse it becomes. >It lays the founda- ton in many instances, for fraud and false hood, for heavy fees to magistrates, con stables and lawyers, and worse than all, il destroys confidence. The term sbrokor
 merchant has become a by word, even
 taunt, but how comes it in most instancest
 Simply because the merchant is too indul
 gent, too kindly disposed to refuse credi
 to his customers or patrons; he credits out
 his goods to Tom, Dick aud Harry, anf l when pay day comes, these redou6ta5b l patrons don't dance to the merchants tune
 they fail to come to time, the merchant if
 pressed, and his paper passes under protest.
 his business is suspended, he seeks the last
 altornative---the only remedy--in legal
 process, but finds the lands, chattels and
 goods of his creditors covered with deeds
 of trust, mortgages and other incumbran-
 ces and here $ fbroken merchant"
 without means, friends or sympathy. Has
 he a family that look to him for bread? l Has he children that need to be educated2 i Are they in rags? while the children of his creditors, like the rich man, are faring sumptuously every day; and do you tell
 me this is right? that it is moral honesty?
 And yet we every day witness similar re- suits, the fruit of the credit system. And
 does any man believe that such things would happen, under strict and rigid
 cash system? Under it we might move on more slowly, butcertainly more safely and surely. There certainly is c species of dishonesty, in too many cases, lurking in this thing called credit. It has tendency in, and Of itself, to make men unreliable; and therefore, it is q bad system among business men. But some tell us there are instances wherein 1t is justifable, to-wit Some are honestly and earnestly striving to resuscitate themselves in the way of means, by planting crops; and in order to do this, they must have meat, bread, mules and implements, with which to operate and not having money to pay these things, (tin the crop is made, matured, and put into market they must buy on credit, or they can't proceed in their farming operations. We grant that in such cases there is some necessity for the credit sys- tenn but this is +eH@porary, and need not