The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-09-29
Charity, Not Passion, Should Kule Tie
Hour.

Mn. Editor: 4 great proridentiai ca
lamity has ovortaken the farmers OF ,ilis
State along with other sister States; ana
the effects OF this calamity must necessa'
rily touch and chill every other business
in the community, and more especially
the merchant. elimination ana recriul-
iuation in such an emergency would DO
moro than uscless--t would be sinful.
"Bear We one anotbcr's burdens, and so
fulfill the law Of Christ DO unto
others as We would that they should do TO
vou.n Those golden maxims. darting
like electric sparks from the 'Ihrone on
High should be received and practiced
by ali. Thus acting with humble depen-
tide over these calumities, and come out
of the crucible, it IS 20 be hoped, q wiser
and better people. Normally, thero
should be no antagOnism between the
farmer and merchant, but rather the full
est svmpathy. II one Of these classes
fail, the other is sure to go overheard.
II the farmer fails 10 pay tho merchant,
haps, destroyed in his business relations
Under these sad circumstances there ID
no disgrace in asking for readjustments
OF debts, and great honor in Offering
such comDromiscs as can be afforded.
We are all readjusters, aud have been
ever since the war. South Carolina re,
adjusted her public debt and thus aCsted
the burden to the tune OF Mree mlutis q
dollars and upwards. Every other South
ern State has done the same thing. Some
called it reputation, and serious stab
on the public credit. But was it SO? Not
bit Of it. After these rcadjustments
had assumed the force Of law, the credit
Of every State Immediately improved.
Georgia bonds are quite equal or nearly
SO to the United States government
bonds. South Carolina's credit has won
dcrfully improved There need be no
apprchensions Of difficulty in these road
iustments from outside sources. Not a
bit OF it.
The Northern merchant, strangely
enough, has always shown more readl-
ness TO yield to the exigencies of his
Southern customer than the Southern
merchant was to show similar favors to
| his neighbor farmer. Perhaps it was be.
cause he was ADLER. In the past the
Southern merchant has made lucrative
trade out Of the products of the farm.
| While this trade has, in most instances,
paid handsome dividends TO the mer-
| chant, the farmer, who produces these
articles of trade by bis daily toll, IS salts
| fed if he can make all ends meet. The
dividends arising from the cultivation Of
| the farm are but small comparatively.
| The Savannah township people have
done nothing more in their proposition
| for readjustment than what has been done
over and over again in the past, all the
| senselcss twaddle of the Nctcs g. Courier
and other papers about reputation and
| Mahoneism to the contrary notwith-
standing. For three successive years has
| that portion of our county been visited
with drouth. 1t requires no sagacity to
perceive that these people are i'll great
strait. They are as honorable people as
| the State affords, not even excepting the
home of the INelss 4 Courier. They don't
go into bankruptcy to get rid of paying
| Just debts, but stand square to the rack
fodder or 10 fodder. All they ask Is a
chance to live, and reasonable reduc-
tion, which the merchants wW not, cannot
hesitate to give according to their several
ability. Other portions have not suffered
go much. Although the crops every
where have been cut off, yet in the upper
counties of the State, particularly, even
with half crop of cotton, the farmers
will be able to meet their obligations to
the merchant Where the farmer has
been spared, lie should be prompt no:
only to meet his own obligations, but to
extend helping hand to others less
favored. Let the farmer, without shrink
ing or taking any advantage, pay all he
can, and the merchant compromise all he
can, and thus mutually help each other
to tide over our difficulties. Bear We
one another's burdens, and SO fulfill the
law Of Christi A FARMER.