The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-11-26


| p Editor Patron. | see in your iskne
fof the 6thi inst! a com munication n
from bownGes county, Alabama, by
a writer urder the nom de plume of
"Farmer."' presenting 'Another
Side of the Agricultural Lien Law p
My object is TO show the untena-
bieness of "Farmer's" position and
the failhty of his reasoning. That
fthe very effect be fears from a re-
peal of the law has already been
| realized TO a fearful extent by its
operation. It is true the Repeal Of
the law Would fpd many poor far>
mers in the helpless condition to
which the law has reduced them
and could have no support in re-
storing The stdtu quo, neither would
/ the continued operation of the law
do them any good, since it has de-
prived them of property and credit
There is nothing left tor them but
TO begin life anew, and to avoid the
rock upon which their hopes were
wrecked. .s-t ..f,-.... Tat
The question of repeal will be
brought before The next Legislature
as one OF great interest to the far
mers of this State; and whether the
Alabama law works we'll for the
farmers of Alabama or otherwise.
it il. absolutely certain that the
Mississippi Iaw--or that part of The
original act embraced in and now
known as Chapter 81 of the Revised
Code of 1880-has worked disas
! trousIy to the interests of the farm
ers Of this State. Many of whom,
under its direct and baneful inf1u-
ence, have lost their land and stock
and farming implements, turned
out of house and home, and are now
but too glad to work for wages or
a share of the crop, without the
alternative Of being forced to leave
the State or work on, railroads.
which Farmer" says they will be
driven t. do if the law is repealed.
Their homes and efforts swallowed
up by the remorseIees mortgage,
whose cry for more" is never sat
isfed until the last vestage OF prop
erty is gone and there is nothing
left for the victims of this iDiquitous
system to do but to rent land for
share IF the crop, look to the land
lord tor supplies or do something
else 10 keep gaunt famine from the
door. fr. n ~
do not pretend to know how it
is that a law should work TO the
advantage of the people of one State
when the same lew in an adjoining
State works so disastrously to the
interests of her people, unless it be
that the poor farmers of Alabama.
have more "sense" than those OF
Mississippi and have not. been
forced to do hat which they know
would ultimately destroy their
credit, canspme their products, turn
them out of doors and consign them,
their wives and little ones to the
cold charity Of the world, by means
of the !egaIized- system OF robbery
authorized and practiced under the
Mortgage act Farmer, F" in speak
ing eff the operation of the A Ia bama
law says, 'sSome of her ci izens have
come to the belief that it is one Of
the best laws in her Statute books.
They think that tbe poor farmers
have sense enough to know and TO
do what is best for themselves; the
law does not force them to mort
gage their crops: if they do not
,cbo0se 10 use it it. will do hem no
BARN. - If they do not choose %
nse it, the law is to them i
dead letter, and the. fact that
it has been to them a dead let
ter 1.-The same as if it had never
been enacted or if had been repeal-
ed-is the reason and the only rea-
SOB. 4 hat it has done them no harm.
1t does not force them to mortgage
their crops, but it affords them The
opportunity and holds out induce
ments-the temptation to obtain
supplies on credit-and the smiling.
obsequious merchant is ready 30
greet them and invite them into his
little store, and throw his fatal coils
around them just as the spider does
the fly. What was the law ever
passed for if it was not to be used?
Better repeal it than have it dis
grace the civilization of the nine
teenth century.
.'Farmer" says, "Some of Ala
bama's citizens have come to the
belief &c, that it is the best law on
her Statute books" What citizens?
Not, farmers surely. Merchants.
perhapsl for they, as class, "be
iieve ii to be one Of III. best laws
in the Statute books" So they do