Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1883-10-04
opposing the Lien Law.

the cause per se Oh tne llllclG SAFE VI
seed cotton ? The lawful sale Of seed
cotton is no more criminal than such
sale of any other commodity, but is
it not the Illicit sale of eeed cotton
that causes our State to be filled with
cotton shops? The sale of such cot
ton would not be unlawful ifit be-
longed to the seller, and if there was IS
no Lien law the seed cotton would
belong to the farmers instead Of the
merchant, consequently there could
be no Illicit sale made by the farmer.
If credit was based upon integrity,
thrift and property, instead of a "lien
on crops" we would have fewer farm
ers and more laborers, better cultlva,
ton and increased productions, self
sustaining huabandry and free sales
of farm products. -Under-the lien
system the merchant controls the sale
Of farm products and fixes the price
of farm supplies-the farmer has no
option but must takethe price offered
and give the price asked. Then in
the Fall Of the year the country is
flooded with cotton shops to furnish
the negro with supplies while he is
gathering the cotton crops which ne
sold to the merchant before it was
planted. OF course the negro pays
for these supplies with, or out of, the
merchants cotton, and as he has thus
made himself an agent (self constltu-
ted) for the sale of his lienee's cotton
to obtain supplies, he goes farther into
the business and converts all that he
can of said cotton to his own use:
Necessity compels the negro to use
the seed cotton Of his lienee to OBJ
tain supplies as his credit and crop
are both exhausted and he has no
money to buy necessaries for himsel!
or family and cannot "work out" for.
such because he is obligated to gather
his lienee's crop for which he has al
ready been paid, this illicit traffic In
seed cotton is the cause of so many
shops for the purchase of seed cotton
and when the shops are once open the.
dealers usually ask no questions but
buy all that is offered for sale.
This traffic with all of its evil and
-demoralizing effects is the result OF
legislation that deprives the farmers
of labor; forces the laborers to be-
come tenants; destroys the influence
and supervision Of the landlord and
gives the control of the tenants and
the supervision If the farms to the
merchants who are utterly incompe-
tent to discharge the duties incident
to such position. Consequently the
legitimate farmer isimpoverlshed for
want Of labor and the landlord Is
ruined by deterioration OF his lands.
II you pen hog and give him ac-
cess to corn and then forbid him to
eat you place him in the same posi-.
ton the Lien law places the negro,
The lienee takes the crop of the
lieaor, "pens" Linn in the cotton field
to gather the crop and refuses to fur
nish him with rations, and then for
bids the negro to take cotton from
the Geld to purchase supplies; the
same result follows in both cases
the hog eats the corn q: a.:e--.;z....--.,.,.ss.
81. -n@ -c,atesssff q pSy fsTf5rs; sf7
ust as long as the merchant attempts
o usurp the functions o: the land
ord anu stands between the farmer
md the laborer, just so long will seed
cotton be stolen, and the traffic IN
,eed cotton will flourish. By the aid
If the Lien law the merchant de
Drives the white farmers Of negro la
Dor. They organize negro tenantry
out of persons unfit for anything but
Farm laborere; they furnish three
months supplies to the negro in pay
mgnt of twelve months labor, and
then turn the negro adrlft to get his
living from his white neighbors any
way he can. 80
They doom the white man to a life
of toll and poverty by depriving him
Of negro labor-the only labor that
is or Will be in the country while the
negroes are tenants. The injustice
resulting to the white farmers from
this law Causes some to retaliate upon
the merchant by opening cotton shops
which results in dishonesty and de
moraiiz4tlon. GREYREARn-