The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-09-29
The Other Cheek.
anderson Journal.

Mr.. EDITOR: Allow us to say just a
few words in behalf of the much -calum-
mated farmers of Savannah township.
The Anderson Intclligencer, the Charleston
tion have each and all assailed us with O
unanimity of invectiye and an agreement
of Misrepresentation which strongly sug-
gest unity Of inspiration.
The head and front of our offending
seems to be that we have held meeting,
and presumed to take our own affairs
into our own hands. Aggregate the mer-
chants and segregate farmers is the rule
of modern law and morals. 1t Is all right
for the merchants to orgonize their
boards of trade for mutual benefit, but
the devil is to pay at once when the farm
era begin to organize. Three several
charges arc made against ns, 81! OF which
are equally false:
]. Reputation.
q Subyerting tho law and particularly
the blessed and O-be-sufficiently-
glorified Lien Ldr.
itors who collect their lust claims by
law.
1t is we'll known that the crop over the
greater part of Savannah township Is an
almost tote! failure. The estimate of the
meeting was for cotton % per cent. and
for corn 81 per cent. of an average crop.
1t Is now known that this estimate was
much too large and that the crop will
not exceed 20 per cent. for cotton and 2j
per cent. for corn. The class of farmers
for whose especial benoft the meeting
was called were generally in debt about
I5 per cent. of an average cotton crop.
This, added to the general failure of pro
made decidedly an ugly outlook. How
were debts to be paid and families sub
sisted? This T1as the problem which
confronted us. In our opinion its solu-
ton was to be found only in q generous
policy on the part Of the creditor, and
the most scrupulous honesty ON the part
OF the debtor; and the maintenance oi
the latter was tho ostensiblo object of the
meeting.
Three classes of debts oppressed our
tenant farmers: first to the landlord for
rent-for standing rent" Is the almost
universal ~, custom of the township. second
to the guano dealers for fertilizers, and
third to the merchants who grub-staked
| them for necessary supplies. OF these
| the landlords claims had precedence.
The meeting was composed principally,
and the committee on resolutions exciu.
sively, of landlords. Now. let it be re-
| membered to tho credit of the landlords
| that they proposed TO submit their superior
claims to the pro rata rule. No resolution
was adopted nor was any proposition
| made looking to the subverson of the
law or impairing the validity of liens,
out ~ Was tne aotdeJS OF he hTSt ten who
proposed to admit the merchants and GU
ano dealers to an equal share in the di-
vision of the crop. Moreover, no ole
present ut the meeting ever supposed for
| moment their debts were to be settled
by pro rata payment. Else why iie
! appeal for discount and indulgence for
tho tenant farmers? The plan adopted
as understood by every ono was to di.
vide the proceeds of the crop pro rata
among all the debts incurred in making thu
crop, and to mako, every man for him.
self, the best terms possible for the re-
mainuer, and we will hold ourselves
debtors to any of our censors who will
| point cut o better. o more equitable, q
more practicable plan.
As to tho public enemy,' resolution
we can't take 1t back. We do believe
that any man who will add cost and
trouble to the burdens OF an honest, pool
man who complies in good faith, with
our third resolution, Is not only public
enemy but a-brute.
| Tho remaining accusations and insinua,
tions are beneath contempt, and come
| with happy propriety from tho represen.
tative paper of "the wickedest city in
America" and from the partners OF the
Infamous Woodruff in the Republican
| printing fraud
| For the moral lectures and legal dis.
quisitions of the Inteiligencer, God help us
10 DO thankful. SAVANNAH.