The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-09-22
Thirteen Reasons Why the Lien Law
Should bo Repealed a Novel sub.
>titutc Suggested,

Stltutc suggested
EDITORS INTELLiGLN, Ei: Farmer
has madc out strong case IN ihN 'i,'i the
rcpcal OF the Lien Law, hHt l,r no means
has exhausted the subject Another far
mer would ask small space in your col
umns 10 present his views. and. Il, the
risk of rcpcatin., what may have been
already said, viii otlcr in the dearest and
simplest manner he can the following
reasons Why the Lien law should be re-
pealcd once and forever:
lSt. BE" use the law i, All uninitigat"d
evil, without one rcdccming virtue false
in theory, rtIiilnus in practice. II Will he
Il curse to both landowner and tenant rs
lun,, rs il runbcrs our statute books
md l'ccausc il is founded on fiction
and aiI unrcalily, creating u wholesale
credit system where there is no real basis
Of credit. whereby extravaganza and wild
speculation arc fostcrcd and encouraged.
Srtl. Because its effect is class legisla-
ton. II takes largely from the control Of
the landowner his lard and labor, and
transfers both to the merchant and dealer.
This is shown By the G0,0OO or 30. .rc liens
given tho present year.
9Th because it induces the most care
less and slOvenly farming, thwarts every
effort towards advanced and skillful cul-
tivatiOn, and destroys constant and GER
tain labor, whereby all permanent inn
provcmcnt can be effected.
9th. Hccause j! encourages large cotton
planting L. the neglect OF The grains and
grasses.
9Th. I,ecausc it !; tho credit system
with vengeance the credit system
which every farmer in tho land knows by
experience is ruin and sclf-murdcr, and
which every newspaper III the State has
denounced withou! stint
eth. because II violates this clause in
the great Petition, Lead us not into
temptations" holding good in both morals
anu economies. II cannot he denied that
the law is a temptation To tho unwary
and ignorant.
sth. Because the late convention Of
farmers assembled at Grccnville. from
every quarter of the state, without any
known concert. almost unanimously pro-
nounccd in favor OF repeal.
10Th. because no agricultural people
be they in the plains of cal,ea, the val.
ley of the Nile or Mississippi, or our own
favored land and cline. can pay so large
Il per cent. over cash prices for their prin-
cipal supplies and prosper. II what has
been asserted and published to tho coun-
try be true, that tho lenor pays from
fifty To two hundred per cent. per annum
for his supplies. then it becomes self.evi-
dent he must soon go under. 1t is not a
dcbatable subject. Tho simple statement
OF fact is enough. If, however, what has
been asserted he not true, then it is duty
they cannot escape for the merchants to
show that the assertion is not correct and
that they may not want Orcusion to show
tho contrary, do herein renew the
charge and challenge them to fair cx-
hihit of thcir books to provo the reverse
llth. because it makes the poor poorer
and the rich richer. Like tho mirage Of
the desert alluring the "cary traveller by
its glamour but rotreating rs fast as he
approaches or like the beautiful apples
oil tho Dead Sea, tempting tie hand to
reach forth and pluck, when It bursts
into cloud Of dust; - The cooling
drinks and choice viands OF the tabled
Tan:alus, ever just beyond reach So in
like manner tho Lien law has held out to
the poor tenant the tempting Inorscl, and
he has clutchcd ~ it, and followed this
will of the wisp through brake, briar and
bramblc, and, scratched, torn and bleed
ing, his strength is exhausted and his
will To resist gone, ho pursues on and on.
l!o has seen himself grow poorer and
poorer year by year. On down grade
for the last ten years, he is going how ut
II tremendous speed down, down to the
bottom. a decade of toll, hardship and
struggle, and the country is impovcr-
iShed. Every Obscrvaut farmer must
confess that i'll means and resources we
are poorer than we were Il dozen yca.+
ago.
18th. Because it issues to the poor rla.l
currency, confederate money, worth
from thirtythrec to seventy five per cont
in the dollar What dcnunciations and
anathemas would DO hurled against law
that allowed the farmer TO hire labcrers
ut from eight to ten dollars ner month
payable at the end Of twelve months, and
who, from time to timo during that
period, should pay these laborcrs from
| three to seven dollars per month, would
pronounce tho contract fulfilled and tho
| obligation satisfied. The principle is the
| same. DO not deceived poor man. Bet
| tor, far better, to hire yourself for from
| 800 to $50 a year and get your board than
| to try any longer the Lien law Ioi
| would havo double, thribblc more money
| at settling up time.
| 18th. Because it Is an incubus upon the
prosperity OF the country. 1t antagon.
| ICES the tenant and landlord, where there
| should be mutual interest felt 1t rem.
| ders labor independent OF the lanG where
| there should bo mutual dependence.
| 1T has been suggested that the law
| should not bc repealed before u substitute
| is provided. That suggestion might hoiC
good If the law was possessed of defects
only and was Il necessity but as tho sur.
rounding States have no Lien laws o
! this character, it is fair to infer that We
do not need it, and. as tho law is unnat
ural, abnormal and ruinous in its prac
teal workings, it follows that repca
should come first and substitution see
| ond. Furthermore, it is urged that the
| widespread drought, and the great wan,
and destitutiun that will cnsuc, ought tC
| put OIL the time Of repeal. 1t is eminent
| ~ proper that the condition of tho coun
try be considered, ana that our sympa
! thies should DO with distress in ever,
| form, but to pcrpetuate an evil neither
| belongs to wisdom nor charity. This i.
| an illcgitimate, and must be cut off from
| it,1t tnt, I
the national bank became an evil and ;
curse to the country, cvon ut n time O
! great money pressure and still creator
, prospective embarrassment, Presidcn
| Jackson did not hesitate to abolish it il
the face of the strongest opposition anC
most doleful predictions Time ha.
| proved the wisdom Of the lcaSurc. And
moro recently, when it w. IS proposed tc
resume specie payment ut certain day
| it was predicted that panic and wide.
spread distress would follow. Nothing
of tho kind took place, and now we have
| specie at II discount. To put OIL repeal
| for one or two moro years would DO only
| adding to the difficulties and cmbarrass.
| nents, and rendering the rnin more Ger.
tain and general. Lot di' gent enquiry
| be mado by all our Legislators rs to the
situation Of the country up to the time OF
| the assembling of their body, and should
it appear that tho emergency is so great
that the efforts of tho people themselves
cannot overcome il, then let the Icgis
lnturo help in such substantial way rs
will confor real benefit upon the people
Mt large. Examples are not wanting
where governments have stepped in and
helped their subjects by loans secured by
| mortgage on real estate ar, other good