The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-10-31
ne Lien Law Should not be Re
pealsd.

The Lien Law should not be Re
pealsd.
EDFToRsCLARIoN Ireioiced tosee the
articles 10 last issue from /. v. Enochs
and ]. d. G., Of Yazoo. They clearly
eyiRce the true source Of this agitation.
They favor repeal of the Lien" act;
but ali they are landlords, and in ad.
yOcating a repeal they represent only
themselves and their own interests, re.
gardless Of the results to the great bulk
of the people who own no land. II i
now clear 70 every mind that the parties
who demand q repeal Of this law are
generally land owners, and that it il
simply to break up large lot of ouI
small farmers, and thus make labor plen-
tiful and cheap all over the country.
These parties have not the welfare Of
the people at heart, and they, though
composing but one-hundreth part of the
voters of the State zhaxe the impudenee
70 ask for laws tlAt will enure to the
benefit Of only themselves at the ex-
pense of the muscle Of the country.
They, sir, who compose such an incon-
siderable portion of the people, ask that
the working men Of the land surrender
their freedom and their present pros
poets to them. They demand that the
merchants be not allowed to sell them
goods even, bat that the laborers be
forced to buy their goods from the
men that hire them, at whatever price.
Sir, is it possible that in this land of
America we will ever have a system OF
tenantry as exists to-day In England
and Ireiand7 Are we to make laws for
the benefit of mighty landlords, that
will enslaye ourselves? Are we to drive
out the merchants in order that our eml-
plOyers may sell as our goods as 7. ID.
Z. suggests? Does not every laborer
know that he can get goods cheaper from
bis merchant than from his employer!
Is not the poor plow-boy educated on
these points? Then, why ask him to cut
his own throat? We have had enough
legislation for landowners that was
depressing to tenants and hirelings. The
poor men are making no complaint be-
cause liens are exacted of them. They
are satisfied as the law exists. They are
not forced to give mortgages or buy from
merchants. II they prefer it, they can
now rent land and buy from the land
lord or they can hire to him. But
lust here let me say, they have
experimented on each; they know all
the advantages and disadvantages OF
both: and say without fear of con-
tradiction, that every man white or
black, in Mississippi prefers to work Tor
himself, to run his own farm, even II ne
does mortgage it. l would ike to ask,
what reason can any farmer have for
mortgaging his crop to another farmer
instead of to a merchant Where can
he benefit himself? Will not the land
lord exercise the same or greater cruelty
toward him as q merchant? Will not
the merchant give him more for his cot
ton and other produce, and sell him
Goods cheaper? He certainly will.
Then why should our farmers be so silly
as to desire the repeal of law which Is
their greatest protection2 All this aglta'
ton for repealis from big land men, who
| want to lop off this increase OF farmers
that they may themselves flourish
let the poor man do as he may.
Another thing: Should labor thus be,
come plentiful. by the repeal OF thu
law, it win also become cheap. Inc
| poor white man will have to compete
/ with the negro. These big land owneri
viii prefer a negro hand to white one
So it will be difficult for white man t.
hire out for any wages at all Thu
i YOU see the bone and sinew OF ou
country will be helpless in the hands OF Al
unmerciful few. sit now is, every MAJ
in our State has fair prospects betor'
him if he will only work and win. Blu
let his prospects be ever so gloomy
there is still more hope than II ne ha'
no other chance than these landlord
would give him in case they could breal
m his little farm and drive hir1 arount
for thirty-seven dollars per year.
| I am aware of the fact that grea
many people beliveif the Lien Law wa
abolished, that credit would stop. bu
it is a great mistake. There NIL be q
much buying on credit then as now, nni
the tenant will buy from his Landlord
There is no possible way to put an en-
to a'credit." 1t began with the worl
and with it will end. At times We a
need and we have all enjoyed it. II
do not need it, should not be so selfls
"a TO place it beyond the reach OF hil
} that does. There is no more lmproprl'
: ty in little one-horse farmer buyIn
7 on credit for himself than in a lant
lord buying for him in the same wa;
e / consider that poor farm boy shoui
: not be debarred from contracting obi
E cations. in same proportion to his mean
ss the great railroads, all of which q
huiIt on credit. Now the amount
I credit done by liens is not near on
: third: it will not reach one-fourth.
+ fact one-fifth the farmers do not buy c
g credit any way, and only small portle
give secarity. Therefore, our cou
try is on boom and the people gettlr
t poorer every day" this calamity cam
q be ehargeable to the Lien Law as M
Enochs insists. He must trace 1t
other causes. The majority OF the pc
ple are now living free and happy live
He NAV have 500 acres of land u
worked. which renders him unhapI
and uncomfortable, but that hurts on
IS himself. He has too much land. U
sr of England's best and wisest men sal
" aHe who has more than he needs stea
Z. from his neighbor." So, Mr.. Editor,
), ;s not necessary that Mississippi furnl
E. Mr.. Enochs and other big planters WI
hands for their farms before she can
r. ,ich or prosperous. In that case, If th
he were making heaps of money tn
D. would say, "our State is fiourishnt
le though their many hands might be OF
q half clad and half fed. ..,
as This brings us again to the fact th
at this complaint arises from none B
OF land men: that they have only the
ne selves in view, and that unless we
~ moor men Of the State protect ourselV
. we are theirs.
or Tn concluding, I will say there is
ne solid argument for abolishlng the =
IS Law. Il injuries nobody. The iarn
IN who gives liens Is in as good circu
ot stances as the farmer that buys
Ks credit without. One pays no more
M his goods than the other. Every |
70 provides that the mortgagor shall n
lr. his goods at the customary credit pr
az The Lien Law Is 3 protection to
as farner and makes thousands OF farm
1m Who would otherwise be hired hands
nitifnl wages. Let the law stand
chanped. If our country is in dlstr
e-see r Il its proper source.
Yours truly, CorIAI
aat Maekey on Gould.
lge Mr.. John NJ Maskey, according
Tho NTeva,la Journal, expresses the oplr
that .Tav Gould Is one Of the most 2
- fated men in New York. ne dec.i
sos that he does not fsar him - nasI nasI
500 anfaronisz In the telegraph line, e.
fSo -,iliiv surprised that 50 many o.
no e,, crsat, merchants Of the great metroI