The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-01-30
The Lien Law.
WEsrvILLE, January D, 1877

(
| To the Editors of the Clarion:
As the repeal of the lien law is now be-
| ing generally discussed both in and out oil
| 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.
| err in cultivatiug 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-
verted iuto an engine of tyranny and OPP
| presSion-for who is not aware of the fact
that 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 a 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 lien.
Now both men are poor, yet one is required
to give lien whilst the other is not. Is not
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
in cotton. very rarely any in corn. Fur
ther, having liens on the crops of the ten
b.x nd I,,a M fan 70 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
zeal 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 or 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
compulsion for him.to take it. True, ''lead US
not into 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 I: few years, a very few, the
lien is Stclosed out" The next step, a 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, invar1-
ably, who becomes the purchaser p the
merchant who has the lien. And, in few
days, a 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
Will the friends of the law plead this phase
of its workings in their advocacy of it?
Hardly, but still the old haekneyed song,
without the law t1people will starve." A
gentleman remarked in my hearing, re-
Gently. to another, that nine-tenths of those
who had been sold out for several years past
within his knowledge. had been sold out
under the lien law. The reply was: Yes;
ten-tenths- challenge the contradiction
that not one farmer in thousand in the
State has taken the lied law in four years,
who made his own corn and meat. Why
not, then, call the law by its proper name
something like the following: "a law
to compel people to make cotton to
buy corn and meat with and thereby en-
courage the growth of the same in the
Northwest; also TO eventually sell out of
house and home those who go into it." Such
/ think would be more fitting title for IL.
Those counties which want lien law let
them have it, but don't burden the many
for the few. Left to the choice of the peo-
pie OF simpson county, Tomorrow there
would not be twenty-five votes, black and
white, given in favor of it- believe II the
law, according to its workings, was fully
explained TO the people, there would not be
one-third of the voters of che State, of eth
er color or party, who would indorse it,
and / say, In no boastfng or threatening
way, that the mem bers Of either House who
votes against the repeal OF the lien law in
some shape during the present Legislature,
should they ever become candidates before l
the people, viii be very apt to be remem- |
bered. am small farmer (not poor one |
hope1 make my own corn and meat |
and that too. without the supervision Of |
lien law neither do I, &C the end OF the |
year, have 60 render an account or my /
stewardship 70 my mister.
Legislature f0r the wishes Of the majority, /
lam, respectfully, VOx PoPULI.
. {
Song Of the oleomaraarina men-stTn the L