The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-05-03
FROM LOUISIANA
THE CASH AND COOPERATIVE Y

THE CASH AND COOPERATIVE VERSUS
THE CREDIT SYSTEM.
Editor Patron: Mr.. Bertram was one
of those honest, well-meaning men, who
would be good Patron if he could. Year
after year it was tight matter for him to
settle up; he always fell little behind,
and had not one dollar left from his cotton
crop to join in the cooperative store or
send in bulk to T. 7. Carver, New Orleans.
On the Goth of January last he sold his
whole cotton crop, seven bales, to his mer-
chant, at an average of $35 per bale-in
all, $245 His account was all purchases
of actual necessities, and when summed
up amounted to $25o.53. In orde- to meet
his Indebtedness, he deferred purchasing
till he had settled up the old account. AS
usual, he supplied himself beautifully on
the day he opened his new account and
went rejoicingly to his expectant family,
with bottle of whiskey, which he emp
tied before he reached home, and pres
ent for each of his seven children.
His noble wife, after all the goods were
exhibited, carefully examined the account,
which read about as follows; GOO lbs. clear
sides, I2tc., $75; 90 lbs. coffee, 3oc., $IS;
100 lbs. sugar, I5c., SIS; shoes, per pair,
$2.25; tobacco, Soc; flour, per bbl., $I2;
nails, 1oc.; etc.-sum total, $25o.35.
She then turned to Carver's old price
list, and found BACON quoted at 61c., sugar
&c., shoes, $1.1st, -four $3.50, soda &C.,
nails &C., molasses 4oc., etc.
Mrs. B. compared each item, and found
that with the cash she could have dupli-
Gated this $3.50 for $I25. She was troub-
led, for she too well remembered how
hard she and the children had toiled to
help make this sa4s worth Of cotton.
While rejecting over this hardship, Mr..
B. cried out
"Credit wife"
Credit, indeedr' said his better half
"Haye we got to give one-half our hard
earnings fof siy months credit? We have
actually paid for I,aae pounds of meat and
only got 600 pounds, SO gallons Of mqlassess
and only got 40, $50 worth of cloth and
got $35 worth, and four barrels OF hour
and got two. 1t is duty we owe to our
selves and our children to give them sc
gallons of noiasses,. 4 barrels OF fio'n, and
1900 pounds Of meat, cut Of tneir marc
labor But see: every time we giys 9nl
poor children one pound of meat, one gal
lon of mo,asses, or ST of anything, we give
this rich merchant lust as much; besides,
our children are suffering Tor many neces'
sites, schooling. far instance, but we mus
take away what really beiQags to them
and give it to this rich merchant"
Mr.. Granger did not seek whiskey to
hide this discovery, but sought his gener.
Gus merchant for an explanation. Ihe
merchant did not pretend to deny these
undeniabie figures, but took down two OIL
three ledgers, and in his portfolio showel
him worthless Rotes and papers to the
anorn,+ of thousands of dollars, all Of
which he once thought geed. One hun
dred per cent profit is a legitimate stedi'
business. "Now," said the "e'c -. y
somebody had to make these good. -.
thousand dollars taken out of nv effects
the amount of these worthless notes. and
| would be bankrupt
ne Granger thought it was an outrage
20 tax him to make up these bad debts.
out the merchant silenced him by remind
ing him Of the old adage-"he that lietb
down with dogs must expect to get mn
with heas." Up
/ reiioW PATRONS, spurn all the allure
ments of credit. Speculation will often
prove snare to your feet. Anything that
taxes that seven bales of cotton out of
pro; Bertram's control, puts him in that
aog bed. The best paying capital any
farmer can have is enough money to paw
Tor ms supplies during the year.
How many Patrons give one-half their
crops to perpetuate this credit system /?
now "a, many that are ignorant of this fact:
ihey see and feel its bitter fruits, but do
not understand the real cause: *. 80
| Fraternallv, Joseph ABBorr
Union parish. A nr;i 10