The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-14

1 mains untarnfsl,ea through tho sstrifo
oftfade, whose judgment, attentiw.
ness, foresight and business tact hayc
tplaced him in a position for solial ute
tulncss and comfortable repose2
Now, To your first question. "Are
onr people prosperous? | will estab-
lish in my own mind standard and
select 3 standpoint, and by the one
and from the other, will shape my nn-
ever. The standpoint Is january,
1s8l--ovcrlooking the epoch 1866,
from that to lS7G,-then the succeeding
four gears. and recall and consider tho
surroundings of all classes of our pco-
pie during tho lapse Of that time. Just
q little over fifteen years ago IAN in.
fitessimal fraction in the life Of a M
tion our people had just emerged from
u most disastrous war, and the conse-
quencc of its results, we Gun find no
pBra!lel In htstory--a much cherished
principle burned in a lost cause-for-
tunes destroyed, all properties deprc-
elatcd-our people 'sobbing over the
graves of beloved oncs-socicty up-
heavcd- energies paralyzcd, labor de-
mora alizcd-matlness ruled the uation-
al mind, passion prompted and rc-
vengc dictated oil Congressional Leg.
isiation-fGt> eleven years of the fifteen
years, intelligence was throttlcd, igno..
rance ruled supreme, and villainy rut-
ed at prcmium-our State government
In the possession Of sharpcrs, whose
only statcsmanship was q skillft,l fncil-
ity In levying taxes upon our impoycr-
lshcd people, appropriating the rcvc-
nucs or State to self, and squandering
it In the qualification Of semsuousncss,
And this until after the Hampton cam
palgn IN 1876, when in q few months
the state was regeneratcd into pow
or that Is clevating her to the prestige
she once had accorded her. We now
have gentlemen Of honor and ability at
thc head OF State affairs, the govern
| ment administered with economy and
integrity, taxation not burtllcnsome.
ana public money expended in lepiti-
mate channels, interest on the Slate
bonds promptly paid, State credit re-
viying-a all institutions getting into a
| healthy condition-courts Regularly
opened and justice metcd out to all
convicted criminals humanity punished
colleges increasing their catalogues
from year to year--a free school sys-
| TEN practically cstablishcd--new en-
terprises projected throughout the
S'ate--the cash systcm gradually root
ing out "going OH tiek''-our county
out of debt--all public contracts hon
s'tly made, and when complied with,
promptly paid-almost all nble to nav
taXcs-waste places being built UP
old settlements being repaired and
new buildings being erected, and al
air Of comfort and contentment spurn-
ing the place Of despondcncy. These
are clear indicntions that there is life
in the old land yet. Now, sir, from
this standpoint, and summing up all
that has transpircd within the first
eleven Of the fifteen past years, and
remembering that it has been only
four years ago, that time dated 1877, l
am inclined to answer your question
oY saying we are prospering people,
And think no other nation or pco-
pie under the sun has shown such
wonderful recuperativc powers (not
even Francc) as we have done. Now,
know, we have the class "croakcrs''
amongst us, and we have "Nlicawbers"
thing Eo3d to turn up" These have
been left out Of the estimate.
AS to the second interrogatorv,
"What will make them more so?"
will respond, kee-like--interroga-
lively. They generally answera a qucs-
ton by asking one. Are our people
cXtrnvagant? AS general thing, do
tl.cy live bcvond or within their in
come! If this is so, can legislation
IorreetP C"n law regulate expense
and compel the practice Of economy2
! Wlll the'ct,nrdctcr Of O1lr government,
tho spirit Of the age, and the genius OIL
our people tolerate sumptuary laws?l
Is not the cultivation Of good common
sense, the application md practise OF
Its prccepta, the only remedy? Is not
class legislation, for or against, dan
gcrous1 Would it be proper. lust or
wise, to protect one class to the injury
OF another2 DO not good many of|
our people consider the lien law the
fandoras' box, from which leop all
our evils and its repeal the psnecca for
al our Ills! Cannot much bc said on
both sides Of this Question: Have all
classes advanced to that plane that no
credit is nccdcd?. Can credit DC OBJ
tanned unless based Oh the fifth of|
some species Of property, present or
! prospective? Ia it not said that the
lien law creates extravaganza, and
permits the merchant to charge cxorbi-
tant prlccsI Does the lien force 4
man to buy anything beyond the actual
H~NNto"i 'So VI itlC1 " Ill u repeal OF
this law stop credit, or will its repeal
give a conscience to the merchant or
shop keeper? Can any law be enacted
to force credit without security?l
Cannot any person get credit on the
mortgage OF land, any good collateral
on horse, IN OK, Il mule or COW;
and if credit is extended under this
security, cannot the holder of the
mortgage sell his goods at any price
no sees fit, the same as under a lien T.?
IS the lien law anything but condi-
tionally restricted mortgage on crop
to be made. Can law be passed to
regulate and limit per cent. or profit
on merchandise? If passed would it
be permitted to remain in the statute
Dookf Would it be wise policy to re-
peal laws respecting mortgages?
Yours respectfully,
| RYLLIs.
+. S.-~There may be ono class not
In prosperous condition--the land
| lnN 81 e