The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-06-08
For the Times.
For the Times.
SOUND VIEWS UPON THE INTERESTS OF THE
FARMERS AND PLANTERS.
UNION COUNTY. S. C. 2

MIR. EDITOR: ask, with some hesitation,
place in your paper, which is always on the side
of right and justice, to give expression to GER
tain views in the interest Of the Farmers and
Planters of the State.
The views expressed by 49," as to the dis
tressed condition of the planting interest in
South Carolina and the much needed remedy
therefor, in{a communication addressed to the
Journal Of Commerce, Of q recent date, are, l
think, entirely correct, and 1 will plunge ut
once into the middle Of the subject, by saying
that the present stagnation of trade throughout
the &C untry is, in some degree certainly, attribu
table to the fact that the agricultural districts
around many of the towns and villages ore in a
state Of collapse. The farmers and planters
are reduced to the minimum of expenses, viz:
what is barely sufficient for subsistence; and as
the agricultural classes are largely in the maori-
ty here, trade is necessarily stngnant. The un-
just discrimination in freights on certain rail-
roads, though doubtless bearing some relation
to the matter ty no means accounts for the very
marked falling off of trade, in certain towns
AS WAS said BY S. in the communication above
referred to, the mercantile classes, by the enor-
nous per centage demanded on all articles Of
domestic Consumption, have killed the goose
that laid the golden egg.
It is time that the merchants, though often
tpnning considerable risk in their transactions.
might fairly have asked prices in advance of those
which ruled in ante bellum days but from one
hundred per cent. on provisions to three hun
dred, was much more than fair profit, and can
be designated no otherwise than as cxtortion.--
Moreover, with such security as valuable land
to back the consumer, the merchants were tolcr-
ably sure of getting back their money. Like
Dogbcrry, they have had their losses, but that
they have prospcred, on the whole, in spite Of
losses and risks, is well attestcd fact. I, for
one, do not grudgc them their prosperity, if it
had been attained while following the Golden
Rule" but prosperity built upon the total ruin
of numbers Of their fellow citizens, is not to be
envicd.
Suppose they had been content with q fair
proft-risks taken into the account,--upon their
investments, there are numbers of now ruined
men who, with home rule, minimum rate of
taxation aud the labor system in q better condi-
ton, as it soon will be, would soon be able, if
they still held their lands to retrieve their for
tunes, and place their families in comfort sand
independence. But it is now too late. That
spirit Of extortion, in some cases falsely called
splendid business talent" which has rcveled
in South Coroliua during the reign of carpet
bagcry, has wound up these unfortunate men,
just one or two years too soon and their cases
are now hopeless.
In reference to the subject in hand, it would
he as well to inquire what relation the laboring
class proper bears to the matter: The farmers
and planters reduced, almost, TO the last extrem-
ity, the condition of the laborers, is one degree
worse, if this be possible. lie and his family
are in q state of scmi-starvation throug ghout the
year. Is i: strange that the white laboring
classes are becoming bitter, rs ] think they are :?
They h.vc vague feeling of wrong and opprcss
sion, which, defined and organized, would be-
ccomo-nat startling thing called Communism.
Is it to DC wondered at, when the provision mer-
chant getting his grip upon the laborer and al
'o0y, debating cotton as has principoi crop sells
him provisions at 300 per cent. and at the close
of the second or third year takes not only his
corn and cotton, but sells the poor mans COW,
the only comfort left to his family, and takes
even his cotton seed and rough forage, the re-
fuse of his crop? Shylock must have the pound
of flesh from just above the heart though the
lfc-blood follow the knife.
Under the Jewish despcnsation, usury was
expressly forbidden, ard is repeatedly spoken
of in the Old Testament Scriptures as being OH
n plane with crimes of the most abominab bic typc.
And just here we recommend, to those who have
sufficient cnerest in the matter to do 80, TO read
the first portion of the 9th Chapter of Nehemiah,
as presenting case singularly coincident with
the condition of things just now prevailing in
South Carolina. Usury was distinctly forbidden
to the Jews-God's chosen pcoplc-uuder pain
of His express displeasurc. ale is the same,
yesterday, to-day and forever Christianity is
Judaism ennobled aad purified All civilized
peoples owe all that is most conducive to the
welfare and happiness Of the human race, in
their relations as individuals, communities, and
nations, to the spirit Of Christianity 1t is nll-
pervading, all-enfolding, so to speak, like the
very atmosl here we breathe though its inHu-
ences, like that of the atmos spherc itself, is en-
joyed by thousands who take no cognizance
whatever of the source of the blessings which
they enjoy. Nevertheless, il exists in all its
wonderful power. No candid person will deny
that the whole teaching of Christ; which consti-
tutes Christianity, is directly opposed to usury
and extortion. Is it possible, rs has been as
serted, that the Legislature of South Carolina
has no right to legislatc against form of op-
.pression4which is isad;rcctlyppposcd to the spirit
Of Christianity
In France, during the reign of Napoleon Bo.
naparte, who placed himself in distinct attitude
of friendship towards the Jews in his Empire,
he sent Commission to them with l2 INQUIRIES.
which he asked of them to answer truthfully