Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-09-08
The Lien Law.

Of tho lien laS7 we must look not to the
number who derive credit under it, but to the
length Of time the law has been 10 existence
the object Of it's passage ind whether the
humber who avail themselves Of its provis,
ions are increasing or diminishing annually
The law was passed in 1866 as TEMPORARY
measure to relieve our people from the doso-
lation OF the war. It has been in forco fol
sixteen years and its merits MS q base OF
credit and means of rcouperation has had
ample time to become known. Have wc
who get credit under it increasol2 Our an-
tual productions have certainly increased in
quantity and value, but has tho mass of
people become richer2 Is not tho bulk Of our
people poorer and deoper in dobt than in
1862 If it bo true, os we submit il is. that
the number and amount of liens hGto ahnu.
ally increased, can any one entertain u hopo
Of the time when our people will become
prosperous and independent and haro no far
thef occasion for tho lien Iaw2 Will not tho
law become moro and more indispensable until
its repeal will become impracticabo if not
impossible? Will not tho 100000 dependent
on it increase TO 10000, and on until tho
property of tho State will bc accumulated in
the hands Of few, the great bulk Of the
people laboring annually for a subsistence
okedout through this precarous credit? L.
such state of things desirable or even pro-
motive Of good government
We will admit that the highest productio n
Of q country and the highest degree of pros
perity ore attained by tho largest number of
small, Independent. farmers, but as u country
virges towards tenants and laborers living
upon thsir mere earnings and shifted yearly
from place to place, every interest Of tho
government, moral, financial and political, is
put at hazard. If any one, then, can show
us that the lion law is likoly to correct its
own dyils by becoming yoarly loss ncccs.
sity, then we will advocate its continuance
But If, MS VIC fear, the evils Of the system
Ore extending in the numbers it foods and
the amounts secured by it. thon it can only
tend to general poverty. Is not this the case?
stantly increase2
The law is ono which specially concerns
tho farming interes ls and as the present Leg
islature is composed largely Of that GLASS;
they will have its decision. as q matter Of
self intorost professional men would oppose
the repeal of tho lien law. as It gives their
tenants credit for supplies without risk to
thom and ut tho Same time secures their
rents, but we look to the general welfare. IF,
in tbe public Judgment, this law promotes il,
then wo are satisfied, otherwise no consd-
Grafton Of personal benefit should control any
one. Believing the law unwise We advocate
it's repeal, leaving to all thoir free privilege
to entertain and advocate other views. We
all want to sec the bulk of our population be-
c,me prosperous and independent The
laboring class constitute tho bone and sinew
of every country and to elevate them and
enable them to acquire property will give
character and stability to our Institutions W.
have tried the lien law sixteen years and if
this class has grown poorer and the law
thereby become more necessary, it is evident
its influence is not wholesome.
Should the law be repealed to take effect
at once2 In view Of the present short crop
all will agroe the law should not be repealed
at oncc. To repeal it absolutely Mt the end of
one year might be hazardous, but if the
present law should bo repealed to take effect
year hence and an Act passed that for two
years thereafter lien for supplies might
be given on some definite proportion of tho
crop, say one third of the corn and two thirds
of tho cotton belonging to the licnor, the
effect would bo to enable each lenor to re-
tain some money md corn for future use and
would limit his credit to his necessities until
no made start. The system has been in
operation too long to cut it off suddenly, es-
pecially at this timo of general disaster; but
upon some arrangement of tho kind referred
to the law would disappear gradually and
without injurious consequence to any ono.