The weekly clarion., 1879-05-28
Relief Measures.

EpIToRs CLARION: The point 10 which
have been driving has been anticipated, and the
public mind has accepted the conclusion that
the lien law in its practical cOrkingS, Is an un-
mixed evil. Ii was benefcently intended to
meet A peculiar necessity existing principally
among the negroes, and if men had been an
cels the Legislative viii would not have been
| frustrated 1t is not now necessarv Tor me
| 10 enlarge upon this theme repeal OF the
agricultural lien law. leaving upon the statute
books some law creating and protecting re-
ciproeaI liens. as between landlords and ten
ant or laborer is what We need Even then
| there should be an express limit fixed both rs
to articles which might be furnished and the
profit which could be made l would not
| favor statutory lien for anything but meat
| breed and shoes, nor allow profit TO the plan
ter exceeding ten per cent. My idea is that
| to build up our State, We must break down
the credit system and promote the immigra-
ton of utite TURNER'S who may Pecome Perma-
nent citizens and property holders
Besides this measure of relief there is an
| other OF much greater present value. Our
colored people, as rule, are all i'll debt
the poorer white people are in the same con-
dition They cannot prosper with this incu-
bus resting upon them. Many of them
have left the State to escape Constables
and Sheriffs, and those who remain
| live from hand to mouth upon the daily
or monthly wages earned. They have no
| ambition or desire to become property hold
ers because they can nothing from the
! grasp of creditors. They not like mer-
chants. who, when they fail call meeting OF
creditors. exhibit their schedules of assets, al
low vepy liberal margin for bad debts and
settle al thirty cents ON the dollar" The
former haven't introduced that summary mode
of adjusting matters with their creditors they
are bound up by cut-throat trust deeds and
manacled i'll advance they are not in posi-
ton to demand terms. Like the goose i'll the
fable they have got into the thankless habit of
| laying gold eggs " for other people, and can't
get out OF it. Let the Legislature, therefore,
come to their relief, and pass an inexpensive
| State-insolvent law, under the operation OF
which our farmers, white and black,-Our yeo-
manry, poor though it be-may get rid of
their debts at the end of each year if necessary,
and start fresh The main features of such
| law should be to expedite discharges, cheaper
| application for insolvency to the lowest point,
! SO as to give the poorest the benefit Of the law,
and arrest the useless litigation which has
| grown out of " liens. Its details would
quire care and great deliberation the Legisla-
ture should approach the subject in spirit to
benefit the many and protect the weak; the
money lenders and usurers should be completely
| ignored to all particulars, except in so far
as the Constitution and laws State and Federal,
required some provisions to give them the
| benefit OF the debtors property and oppor-
tunity to show against his discharge
| | will not elaborate this idea.
| But interest is too high here. Government
| bonds are toated at four per cent. legal
| interest ought to be five, and greater rate
allowed by contract than seven per cent. A
| A clamor would, doubtless be raised that all
money would be dricen out of The State but we
| have heard that before and all the laws that
| have been passed for the benefit of the money
power have only resulted in lettering the
! people. Abolish usury laws and interest goes
up to the very modest rate of "twenty-four per
| cent. Better try the other tack, and make all
| contracts of usurious character absolutely
null and void. 1t is a mistake to suppose
| that there Is no money in the country. There
| is abundance OF it. Start little b ank at
any roads and the deposits will aston
| ish you All the old stockings in the neigh
| borhood will be empted into its Golfers and
| nterest-bearing certificates of deposit take the
place OF the boarded treasure. You never
| hear of these certificates when vou go to assess
taxes, and the only way to find them is to
/ inspect the bank lists and lcdgers. When you
90 to collect your privilege taxes just consider
| these deposits capital of the banks and you
will catch them. People think their
money is safe in the banks and that
, their certificates of deposit are beyond
the reach OF the taxing power. | have
become extreme ia my views on this sub
| ject that | think the law should reduce inter
est to the very lowest point Our people, if
protected, can produce more money than they
| need and can build up factories everywhere.
Ii liens and trust deeds and mortgages on crops
are disallowed and repudiated and the credit
system abolished, get along. Then
let the Grangers introduce their cooperative
stores and factories, and our relief will be
sure
We want another law: very short lmi-
tatlOn statute: open accounts four months
after due; promissory notes and bonds two
years. All old debts should be barred unless
put in suit within six months from the pass
age OF the law regulating the subject. With
all this, the homestead should be extended and
exemptions increased especially in respect to
personally and money. l broach these views
to invite discussion. What is for the good of
the whole State and the advantage of the la
borers and farmers l desire what is not / de- |
plore. n.