The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-02-06
Senator Burkitt's Speech O. he Lien
Law.


Mr.. President: 1 aln tor the Talem oil
this law because it is detrimental to the
prosperity of the people of the State IN
stead of benefit, it has been curse from
the beginning. 1t has demorahzed labor
encouraged extravaganza, begot ldleneS-
poverty and rags. Why, sir, man goes
to his merchant fifteen months before pay
day and mortgages the air and besius TO
20 in debt. In the spring whel the weather
is good and when every man ought to be
in his crop, 90 to our country stores ana
you will see ten or a dozen big, stout men
there, standing around, with their h'nas
stuffed down in their pockets spend,
ing the whole day, their mules hiched
up to the rack, instead of being IN The
plow Ask one, What, are you here -sac1
pretty day? He answers, II Is here TOT
supplies" This is the case about two DAYS
in the week. The idea is, lac Is going to
make big crop and he runs in uebt ior
what he don't need, and the result U.s. ny
May he owes more than his crop Will pay
Then he has to starve the balance OF The
year, or move off and leave his crop To
hire for wages to get bread TO eat j. ne
remains and gathers his crop he gives 1t all
up and comes out behind, and year aitef
year he il no better, but worse. This Is d
true picture of the case, yet we hear
Senators on this floor say, "Hepe"I
this law and you ruin the poor
man, he can get no credit" ! answer
there is more credit in industry energy
md effort than in the lien law Where j.
the man who ever starved in this county
who would work? Where is the man oil
means who will not supply working mani
Sow, Seniors, if VIC have come to leEi+laIs
money in the pockets and bread INTO the
mouths of the lazy and idle many who are
trying to live in high style ana 70, nom
ing; we cannot do it. That is an absurd
ty. We had as we'll try to climb the greasy
end of a rainbow to the moon, or leEi-lt,e
twice two into five, or twice five into III
teen. We cannot do it.
On the other hand, if we act like se'si-
BILE men, we will pass laws encouraging IN
dustry, that we may deveiope the resources
of our State and bring prosperity once
more into our midst. We now have more
hog and hominy, more supplies on hama
than weIhave had at any one time for TWEEN
ty years, and now is the time, now Is the ac-
cepted time, to get rid of this curse, THIS
bane of prosperity. Why, in opp"-lu'n
they put up piteous howl for TIE poor
man and say what will he do! l aus"rF.
aave you not had this law in force t','e
or fifteen yearsy Why has the poor man
aot got start in this time ana worked o'l
from under poverty How much longer
will it takei How much longes Will ue
live! Will this thing never end: such
law causes a man to put of the evil day.
tull away into idleness and ease, and CALI
vate horde of vagabonds in cur midst,
living in rags instead of going to work ana
making good citizens and helping 70 BALD
mp prosperous country.
Repeal the law. 1t has ruined the land.
holder, crippled the merchant, and reduced
the laborer to rags. The land-holler VIII
supply the laborer cheaper than the mlf-
shant. He can afford to do it, and then The
laborer can be supplied at home, and not
lose so much precious time running after
It. Senators have referred to me per-3nal-
ly in this debate and said l was Inde9en'
dent and did not need the law. / answer,
lid the lien law make me SO? No, 80. /
landed in Mississippi nearly twenty years
ago, as fiat as a man could well get There
vas no lien law then, but | made m! rsht
arm my lien law, and soon worked ont oil
poverty, and any other man can do lue
same If he will only make the effort. IN
iustry, energy and effort will give credit
much better than lien law. Repeal the law
Eipe out the curse from our statute book
md let rs once more join hands Oh t"s
high road to prosperity.