The Penn's Grove record., 1884-04-05

In every occupation, the character
and unity of the occupants has great
influence to determine both the respect
ability and the success of the occupa.
ton, in localities, and more or less gen.
orally. Farmers must live upon farms,
and'generally have farmers for neigh
bors. Very few men in the world can
with any strict propriety be called in
dependent.men. The best condition of
human society is doubtless a condition
of fully realized mutual dependence,
To make or keep the most desirable
condition of intelligent society among
farmer neighbors, proper ideas of right
ana wrong must be understood. and
acted upon. We would modestly and
humbly present some suggestions, as
the matter strikes our judgment, on
borrowing and lending.
There. must be limits to the right of
borrowing and consequently there must
be limits to the obligation to lend.
Rare implements, perhaps costly,
which, though Indispensable at times,
are but rarely wanted in use, ought
not to be borrowed. Such implements,
when wanted for use by others than
their owners, should always be hired,
and the price of hire agreed upon and
paid, That will be fair and equal to
all parties. Borrowing would be
sponglng, and not equal.
No person should borrow any article
from a person who holds 1t only as a
borrowed article. No one has any
right to lend what does not properly
belong to him. 1t is very unjust to the
owner, and is not a moral right. Such
privileges are sometimes taken, and
often result in much evil. They are
morally wrong, are not consistent with
t~heaspirit of good. neighborhood. 1t
should never be done. The practice
of anything like it should be regarded
as an immortality. In many cases it
would prove the same. to the owner of
an article as though it had been stolen;
for it will be lost to him. If a borrower
may lend a borrowed utensil or article,
the second borrower may do the same,
and so on until no one will know the
ownership of the article. The borrower
of an article or utensil has no shadow
of a right in the article which he can
transfer to a third party. He too who
borrows ali article or utensll of any one
whom he knows to have it only as bor-
rowed, is guilty OF a trespass against
good neighborhood. 1t should have
no liberation in farm morals.
Nothing, perhaps, is more necessary
to good neighborhood among farmers,
and especially among farmers who own
only small farms as farm homes, than
a strict understanding and considera.
ton of the limits of right, in borrow
ing and lending. And there should be
no privileged persons. an exempt from
any of the obligations which are neces-
sary to good n~eighborhood. If a
father borrows of his son, or a son Dor
rows from his father, or a brother from
his brother, it is a business transaction
and nom of them can claim any exemp.
ton from the laws and rules which
should govern others in a perfect So
ciety of harmony and peace. Where
relatives take special liberties in such
matters, it were better to live among
strangers. They have no right to do
it. 1t should be regarded, as it truly
is, a trespass, an immortality. Much of
the uppleasantness so often seen among
relatives, springs from an .inconside
ate presumption or sIppositiou of spe-
cial right to take liberties with each
other, because they are relatives. Many
a man has had it in his heart, when in
such circumstances, to pray to be de-
livered from his friends.