American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-01-18
Communicated, by ZEA
OUR MING.
CREDIT.


farming, is the next of the grea,
evils that demands our attention
THIS consists in buying supplies and
other things necessary to carry on
the farm, "On tim.;' every thing the
farmer owns, and also the crop tC
be- made, being transferred to the
creditor to secure payment.
Most men are tempted to unduly
expand thrir business by using
their credit. This temptation i.
especially great to the farmer, VIII,
is of all men the least able to wirh-
stand it. He easily deceives him
self, by little fg1,iug, that the
profits are large ard the business
safe. He resolves to make the ven
lure. The necessary papers are
drawn up, and he signs the warrant
of his future IuiU. The season
proves unpropiiious; labor disap.
points him the cror is suiall. Tue
price of cutron-his ouly money
CT op-is low his earnings therefore
tall tar b, low the expectations OH
which he based his Operations. On
the other hand he is much surprised
To fluid his store account 81 lal &c ;
he admits the correctness of every
item, yet he is bcwildered at the
He finds himself in
debt, with NO ability to pay. H.
Ieels the ing OF his condition, yet
he is hopeful of his ability To re>
trieve his losses. lie obtains indul
gence for ano,her year. The old
debt is Carried over. We need not
follow him further. The expenses
of Two crops cannot he paid with
with the proceeds OF one. He has
fallen to that condition of DEEPEN.
,ience upon the creditor which has
want and misery and sorrow
to 50 many homes that were Ouce
happy aud free. 1t may be that
Instead of making All account with
the merchant, he bOrrows money
and trades for cash. But he is
bound up in this us ia the other
Case, and as he generally bOrrows
moe than the profits of his busI
ness will justify, he is soon reduced
to the same straits. All this may
be true under very iHUder tie
charges for goods or for money
But where there is such demand,
as our farmers have created, for
these advances, the Rates must
be Eiah, and 80 much
the more surely does financial ruin
await the farmer who subjects
to the necessity of pay ing
Them. Unfortunately there are now
bu, few who are not already under
This necessity. LII tact with yer,
many all their means is goue aud
heir farming Is entirely for the
benefit of their creditors. ThIs
lakes away all interest in the busl
ness, and where interest is lacking
here Is want of that persevering
energy and close attention that is
necessary for success. Tie farmer
ike other men needs the incentive
Of hope, but what hope is there
y hen year alter year he Iespes
no iruit from his labor but sees II
ill swallowed up in til. high CHAR
gee of those on whom he Is forced
% depend ! Under this state OF
hugs can there De any wonder
hat the Turning business is iu such
1 low condition
We would not be understood as
c"ndrmning wholly and under all
the borrowing OF
money or buying upon credit.
moderate limits both are
'ate, and may Ue profitable. But a
man cannot farm with any hope al
success who has 20 go IN
iebt tor ever. thing needed To carr,
IN the farm. Capital is as necessa
~ IN Tins avs in amy other business.
There must be u solid basis upon
which tO commence. To this
may be added II propor,ionately
small amount of the capital of 9th
FRS, If to be hid Oh easy terms.
Then should there be failure--and
failure is iIcident to every underla ak
ng-,Le farmer will nor find hm
self at the Close of the year hopeless
y and helplrssly IN debt.
The demOta,IZing effect that the
;Iedit system has upon the labor of
hr c0untry, is another matter of
,rrious moment. For this we FREE
Iuentiy hear the farmer blaming the
but where tie farmer has
he opportunity, he is generally as
guilty as The merchant. Ii his prof y
are not 80 great, The effect OF rrmOv-
ng the lal,orer from intelligent coll
,rOl, and abandoning the farming
interest to the ignorant, is equally
70 be deplored. But this brings us
70 the subject of "bnd labor which
y the next Of the evils we propose
70 consider. YEA.
Uncle George Harper, the veteran
,dltO, OF the Raymond Gazette, says:
'We live among a people among