The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-14
OUR AGRICULTURAL INTER ESTS6.
DANGER.
rEron, the Sumter watchman.l

We saw, with much concern, among the pro-
ceedings Of the Legislature, on the 9th instant,
a notice by Wimbush, Of the Senate, Of o bill
to repeal the act of September, 1866, which Sc
cures liens upon the growing crop, as security
for advances made for supplies to carry on said
crop. We were concerned, because we feared
that the withdrawal Of the security basis upon
which such advances were made would put O
stop 10 such advances, in the main, and Just at
thn season when arrangements are being
made for the present years operations, dlscon-
cert, disarrange, seriously cripple and obstruct
our agricultural interests-the great basis and
substratum of the rccuperation, prosperity
and development of the country.
A letter before us, from leading factorage
house In Charleston, under date OF january
one of enlarged lbcrality and conservative
vicws-one that advanced moro than sl0O, ,OOO
on liens the past year, aud, under earnest ap-
plicalion, was making arrangements to proba-
firms our apprchensions, and pnts the matter
even in more serious light than appeared to
us ut first thought.
We make the following extract from this
letter, addressed to parties at this place:
ave saw. this morning, In the dailics, no
tice of q bill repeating the Lien Law of 1865.
This stops all proceedings towards advances.
Yon will please suspend all issues Of liens, as
We shall fill no order for advances until this
question Is Sclllcu III Inc ASScluul}. IL tnia
act Is repealed it will nearly ruin our planting
friendS and at once throw out Of employment
25, 900 laborers."
II the object Of legislation be the public good
TO foster and develop the industry and ma
tcrial interest OF the Statc-thGn We are totally
ut n loss to discover the basis of argument and
reasoning for the proposed action.
1t is SO manifest as to be apparent to every
observer, that: the application of the limited
o1 Of
OF this act, to the industry Of the country has
been such rs constituted 1t almost the prime
basis of the action oflhe latter. large por.
lion of the planting interests of the State have
been conducted, since the war, upon this basis
and such was the destitutlon OF the country.
that it could not have been conducted upon
any other basis Is has added to the product
of the State thousands of bales of cotton and
lens Of thousands of bushels OF corn-pue IN
cultivation broad fields andi almost tnnumera
be smaller ones, which otherwise would have
continued to lay in fruitless waste, and given
cmuloyment, with lair earnings, to thousands
of the freed people. And very many OF these
pcopla, who, by industry and frugality, have
been enabled, from the earnings OF the pre-
vions year, to rent or purchase small parcels
of land for cultivation. have secured assistance,
and were now making arrangements to secure
such assistance-which they could not other
wise obtain-under the provisions Of this act
We know hundreds Of colorel men now
making arrangements 10 carry on their crops
the present year under this lien law, who, by
the inevitable results of its repeal, will lind
their whole basis of work In the soil for the
year checkmated and their operations brought
10 perfect standstill.
And so Of hundreds Of white farmers. And
if the Legislature repeal this act 1t cannot 9th
wise result than In reducing, to great extent,
the agricultural products Of the State the pre-
sent year, rs it will amount virtually to the
withdrawal OF large amount OF capital from
assistance of this great central, vital interest
If, therefore. the movement to repeal this
act be designed as blow at the landed inter.
ests of The State to cripple and obslruct this,
in order to force the sale of lands, and thus TO
wrcst il from the hands Of present owners
land We confess We can see no other poSsiDlC
motive)-it must not only sgnally fall OF Its
design upon this class. separatcly-sincc II
will tail upon the colorcd as well rs the white
man-and can only be accomplished by putting
an incubus upon the industrial interests and
energies of the country generally, and Inlet
ing u heavy loss upon the earnings OF the
State at large.
We call upon those in authority to pause
These arc the facts OF the case, disconnectct
from all political feeling OF princlple-rcgard
less of marty or racc-and We trust that those
who now sit In the councils of the State vii
not exhibit themselves so blinded and prelu
diced BY partisan feeling, as 10 rush wildly
into O measure like this, regardless OF tht
common good.