The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-05-18
The Lien Law,

in discussing the question of repeating the pres
ent Lien Law.
II Is well known to our readers that we are
decidedly in favor Of its repeal; but we think
reasonable time-say from the pitching Of one
crop to the pitching of auother-should be given
for the law to take effect after its passage. Our
editorial cotemporary, Il. r. Hemphill. appears
to think that rs the 'law was necessity Of the
times, when enacted, the unsettled condition of
our financial and political affairs has rendered it
necessary to keep it on our Statute books" still.
The Lien Law has been in operation yearly
ten years and tho financial condition of our far
mers-particularly those who have made crops
on lens-is as bad now as when the first lien
was given. In fact. we are not so sure that
they are not worse off, for then the land owners
in most cases, held their property free from
debt, but now large ma jority of the lands
and stock too-that have been cultivated under
the exorbitant demands of liens, are partly if
not entirely owned by the Merchants who were
able to borrow money or command credit at the
North. Show us a farmer who is not worse off
than before he gave lien and we will show you
q rdrd avis
We would ask Mr.. Hcmphill, or any other
person who believes the lien law to be necessity,
when he thinks the necessity will cease to exist?
If the law was a necessity once and under its
operations the farpers are getting poorer and
poorer every year, in the name OF truth, what
will it tring them to in few more years? We
may be told that il is not the fault Of tho law,
but of those who submit to be gouged by it.
True. 1t Is, as We have often before said, the
farmers own fault. They wU not make the least
sacrifice to keep clear of liens. They will not
submit to n little Inconvenience or refuse them
selves single luxury, or stint themselves and
families in anything, so long as they can buy on
lien.
There is want of moral courage about the
farmers which they appear to be unable to over
come. They cannot resist the temptation-in
most cases now it is the demand of the merchant
who holds licn-to plant Cotton to the exclu-
Of provisions for the next year.
The merchant bases the amount of the lien
upon the number of bales of cotton he ex-
poets the farmer to make and. to guard
against any falling off in that crop, he includes
oil othcrproduots of the farm, stock and imple-
ments. The farmer generally estimates his crop
of cotton, at planting at least rs per cent high
er than it turns out atthc ein snd Is sure to e1-
pect from one to two cents more per pound
than he sells it for. He gives the lien upon what
he expects to make in cotton, and nine times out
of ten that crop falls short Of his exrectations
70 per cent, in quantity and price. The result
is, the Merchant, at the end of the year has
claim on his cotton, corn, fodder mules cows,
plows, wagons, and everything else he may have
pledged. Well, he'll do better next year, he
thinks, and goes in ON another lien; but he finds
this time he has nothing to give q lien on but
the crop lie r1pects to make, and his credit is not
SO good, unless he includes his land in the lien
Down goes the land upon the lien The same
high estimate is placed upon the crop, the same
purchases are made and the whole machinery of
the farm is run in the same cxtravagant man
ner as before; and in the Fall he finds himself
without dollar in his pocket, not n bushel of
corn, Of his oorn in the crib, his stock owned by
the Merchant, and his land song fast the same
way. The next year sells him out-hes broke
flat.
Now, this is no fancy sketch. It's q common
occurrence. And it is n natural result. No
business on the face of Gods earth can be made
to prosper under the pressure of from % to so
per cent tax upon everything it employs to con-
duct it.
But the end is not with the farmer Under
the operations Of the lien law nothing that the
farmer produces brings money into the commu-
nifty in which he lives. No money passes into
his hands, nothing that ho buys is raised or made
here, consequently he patronizcs no one but the
Merchant, the Merchants factor and the North
il again to The North to the West to pay for
the provisions he has sold to the Southern far
mer, on II credit, at from % TO 80 and often
100 per cent advance on cost.
We have come to the following conclusions:
1st. If Southern farming can be made profit
able 10 the farmer, after paying from % to 100
per cent on all it requires to produce his crops,
it is the most profitable business in the world,
for no other business could prosper under such
a drain.
I'd. The Lierr Law has the most demoralizing
effect upon the people. Men who formerly had
the reputation of being strictly honest, and
would scorn to Stoep to any attempt to avoid
paying debt honestly con ractcl, are now sche-
ming to secure few dolors every fall out Of his
crop that really belongs to the man who hclds
lien on it, 1t is species Of stealing to which
they become accustomed, and from this small
beginning they 60 to larger ones, until they wink
at frauds Of all kinds.
Sd. The Lien law prevents the farmer from
diversifying his crops, because the Merchant de-
mands cotton for the lien.
4th. Under the Lien law our collaterals for
credit are "growing smaller by degrees, and
beautifully less" AS it was just after the war,
when, it is argued, the Lien law was u necessity,
all that the farmers have got is their bare land,