The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-31
TIE coNDIT4oN OF rAxnrIEn,D,

y. THE CONDITION OE TAIRFIELD. Z:
Answors to 0ucstions Submitted on the
Causes OF D,Prcsslon---A Lottor from a
Planter.
DEAR SIR: Please excuse me for be-
ing tardy IN responding to your four
questions. viz, care our people pros
peroBs? Ii SO, what will increase their
pr sperity3 Ifnot prosperous, why?
What will make them prosperous?'
Now. take it for granted you refer
to farmers. When we 90 to speak fop
farmers, 10 doubt, you intend to in
cludc tho entire planting fraternity.
F!rst-Arc the turner's all prosper
Gus? say, no. Some are prospecting
and some are pot. Those who llnd
something on hand to start with after
the war no doubt mny be considered
as prosperous. Inotice some farmers
who arc able TO run their business on
the cash system, and having the ad-
vantage of getting their supplies
cheap, and can get labor as they need
1t, can make money by farming at
present prices for thcir produce. A
farmer who owns his land, is ont Of
debt, and has OH hand sufficient funds
for the next years supplies, consider
we'll of, and l sec no reason why he
cannot go on and prosper, with aver
age seasons. AS to those in prosper
Qua circumstances, see no need for
bunting anything to "incrcasc this
prosperity:" they have it in their own
power to keep on prospcring and TO
increase In prosperity. AS to those
who are not prospecting, YOU wish to
know why. In the first place, 10
doubt. ull arc not ..eudowed with the
ea,nc degree Of energy, and some may
want in the exercise Of proper ccono-
my and care in managing their bu>i-
ness, and for the want OF the ncccssa-
ry capital to start with. Some who
are ignorant and lazy would not Le
able to manage capital if they had it.
/ mean principally the negro in that
class, but we have hundreds Of good,
energetic, saving white
men, who are wei acquainted with
thcir business, who could manage
capital if they had 1t, who are not
prosperous nor can they ever be. work
and strive as they may, while the pres
ent mode Of procuring supplies exists.
You may take any business tha. has
to be carried on with borrowed capi-
lal-which capital costs the borrower
from fifty TO one hundred per cent. ir-
tcrest--and YOU will not find that busi-
ness prospcring. You know some
thing about the profits merchant
makes Oh his goods. Now, suppose
merchant had to so in debt for lis
capital at such interest, aud had to
continue to get money at this rate,
what would become Of him? You can
answer this question. Now, when l
say fifty to one hundred per cent. for
Il IL the farmer gets to help him make
his crop, you know ! mean the price
for supplies on time, and YOU
know the poor farmer has 10 other
way to procure what will enable him
to keep his farm going. II he hires
labor he has to pay for it at the same
rate. The per cent. name is not
above the mark. When YOU consider
that all he buys from spring until fall
is charged at the same high profit, al
though none of the supplies have to
run six months and some of it not one
on al average three
the profit that is charged,
you will find the rate stated is I'M
der the mark. I know some may say.
hts Co.,
MS corn, oats, bacon. etc.?' This will
DO to tell to those who are already in the
first-class-who are already prosper
Gus; but YOU let poor man who, per-
llaps, has to pay rent for his land, go to
a merchant and say, 81 want to get
supplies on time to run me through
the season; | mean to plant plenty OF
corn and oats, but Of course cannot
plant much cotton" What will tho
merchant say? No doubt he, if he is
a polite man, will say, "Well, would
like to supply yon, but have already
promised as many rs l can supply"
Now, YOU may hear men who know
nothing about it say the farmers ought
to do so-and-so. You can hear plenty
Of that sort Of talk. Men who never
held plow or worked with hoe
seem to know great deal more about
farming than those who havc grown
up on farms and worked all their
livcs-who have hard hands, and old
sunbnrnt cheeks. and who do not lack
intelligence, but have been without
capital to begin with, but do not like to
give up-who hope and hope that per-
haps better time is coming, and they
may prosper yet. If the Young farm
els had not this principle of hope firm
ly instilled in Ills character, he would
go down now, and stay down; but as
long rs this hope holds out, you will
see him around hunting some one who
is able 10 help him--to let him bave
supplies one year more.
Now ast to your question, "What will
make them prosperous" The only
thing that can see that would bring
about prosperity would be little
cheap money money at q low rate of
interest, sny not over ten per cent.
You know that the banks are not
created for loaning money at low
rates. and in fact not for louning
money to farmers at all, on any scclIr-
ty he can offcr--unless, indeed, he may
he OF that fortunate class that is alrcadv
prosperous, You know + n mrrrb,ni.