The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-11-20
A Word to All.

MR.. EDITOR: The farming industries
of our County are now undergoing a
strain the intensity of which has never
before been surpassed. For years tho re-
suit of each farmers operations has not
been satisfactory. The prices of last
years crop, though large one, ruled so
low, that in summing up results the
question was left undecided as to whether
the bulk of the cotton crop was not sold
for less than the cost of production. Gen.
johnson Hagood several years ago made
net calculation as to the cost Of produc-
ton on pound of cotton, and he figured
it up over ten cents. And it is generally
believed that when it falls below ten
and finding ourselves. The present
years cotton crop throughout this region
of country has been cut Off fully one-half,
and the price will scarcely average ten
cents. In addition to this drawback the
corn crop on uplands was almost an en-
tire failure. In many cases that know
of the cotton crop all told will scarcely
do more than pay the guano bills. Just
in this eXigency comes the decision of
the Supreme Court, taking from the
debtor class the shield of the Homestead
Act in certain important respects, and
then the avalanche of sueing commences,
the like of which has never been known
since the war. The result to the farming
class will be most unfortunate if not ar
rested. The renter class, most of them,
and that, too, on old debts, will be so
crippled in their means that they will
scarcely be able to make another crop.
This, again, will react upon the land
holder, to cripple him in the cultivation
of his farm. For the most part, to their
credit be it spoken, it is not the merchant
that afforded this years credit that are
maxi G the most ado, but older debts.
This policy, if pushed to extremes in
such unfavorable circumstances, will be
about as follows: The creditor will get
only a moiety Of his claims, after heaping
up costs upon an already over-burdened
debtor, leaving the debtor hopelessly
stranded on the shore of insolvency. DO
not understand us as espousing the cause
Of either of these classes, but rather of
both. The interests of the whole country
demands that this state of things should
cease. AS did the Factor in Charleston
with the rice planter, who had failed in
his years operations-"go on another
year and will supply you again" This,
of course, could only be the casc>where
ways misfortune to any trading COM
munity when any member fails in his
financial engagements; but the evil can
be greatly modified, if confidence has not
been shaken, by the creditor class ex-
tending the needed aid even to the un-
fortunate man, thus enabling him to 60
on with his business. This feeling pre-
walls so extensively in business circles,
that in one case that we know of in
Charleston recently, Of the failure of a
large and honorable firm, when the news
began to be flashed along the wires of the
probable failure, telegram after telegram
came from their largest creditors to "go
on and we will sustain you." Thus
should it be among farmers as among
merchants. There always have been,
and perhaps always will be, certain eX-
emptions from levy and sale on all debts,
for the benefit mainly Of women and
children. And the present sweeping,
defective as it is, homestead, when first
adopted, sheltered many an unprotected
head from the pelting of the pitiless
storm. But the time is rapidly coming
when the homestead will claim earnest
consideration, and such modification and.
amendment as will render it unnecessary
for the Supreme Court to explain away
its provisions in order to make it better
adapted to the eneeds of the people. Until
this can be done, however, in constitu-
tional way, let us, among ourselves and
with our neighbors, at least, hold our
hands from driving to the wall the honest
debtor. Il. II. r.