The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1878-01-26
The LIEN Law.
WESTVILLE, January

ILLe, q auudIy IL, 1910.
To the Editors of the Clarion
AS the repeal of the lien law is now be-
ing generally discussed both in and out of
the Legislature, | hope the publication of a
few lines from this section will not be an
intrusion upon your valuable paper. Where
there is so much smoke there certainly must
be some fire. The intention OF the lein law
originally was good, viz: To assist the farm
er in cultivating lands which otherwise he
would be unable TO do; also in securing to
the merchant pay for supplies advanced,
but that necessity no longer exists. For
the past two or three years the practical
workings of the lien law have been con-
verified iuto an engine of tyranny and OPP
preSsion-fOr who is not aware of the fact
chat the lien law men all over the State pay
| more for their merchandise than any other
class, and why? Because no one will credit
them except those who have liens on them.
Merchants are aware of this and act accord
ingly.
Another objection is, it has tendency to
lower the standard or sense of honor with
| those who take it. A goes to B. and asks
for credit for $50 or 500. B. know
ing A. to be an honest reliable man,
says yes, never once thinking of asking him
for a lien; G. also asks credit for the
same amount, after several excuses, de-
murrers, etc., B. finally agrees to credit
him if he will secure him by a lien.
| Now both men are poor, yet one is required
| to give a lien whilst the other is not. Is not
| this prinla facie evidence that the honesty of
| the one is suspected? OF course then if G..
| could not obtain credit only on the terms
A. did, would it not be an incentive for him
| to establish character like that of A. !?
! Again, the law takes the control OF labor
out of the hands of the farmer and puts it
into that of the merchant, for it is known
that the merchant almost invariably orders
the lein law man to plant SO many acres
n
ther, having liens on the crops of the ten
ants he will and does rum said tenants in
dependently of the land owner.
Again, lien law man gets sick in the
very midst of his crop, sends for the doc
tor, the doctor gives him the required med
| ical assistance. In the Fall if he gives the
doctor one bushel Of corn Or one pound of
cotton for his services or medicine, both are
| liable to be indicted for felony. 'Shades of
Pluto" the Blue Laws of New England
| during the days of Cotton Mather, are no
| com parison.
Notice when you will, lien law man
hardly ever pays out, offering as the law
does inducements to buy many articles not
| of prime necessity in running his farm and
which poor man can i'll afford, yet the
| advocates of this law will say there was no
com pulsion for him ito take it. True, "lead US
notinto temptation" was uttered to protect
| the weak, not the strong. Yes; at the end
of each year, just little balance is carried
over, and in {. few years, very few, the
| lien is ssclosed out" The next step, notice
on the Courthouse door tells the story-a
| farm. stock, etc., is to be sold to the highest
bidder, by order of the trustee; and, invarl-
ably, who becomes the purchaser ?-the
merchant who has the lien. And, in few
days, man and his wife, with saddened
faces, often tears trickling down their
cheeks, peradventure with large family of
little children, are seen looking for home.
Would that these scenes were less familiar
than they are. Where is the neighborhood
in the State of Mississippi which has not
witnessed it within the past few years