The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-04-25


est difficulty winter grain was sown,
but the first crop was almost universal
ly failure. Later on, in February, a
better stand was obtained, and now
those who could afford to buy the seed
have hopes of partial supply OF for
age for their animals.
The writer questioned a prominent
business man in Barnwel county. 'My
section" he said, "could have weather
ed ii through had the merchants been
able to stand the pressure. You see,
they had advanced supplies to the far
mers. taking the liens on the growing
crops. These crops were turned into
parched strings, and the merchants
were left with their liens, which, by
the law, are only good for the crop on
which they were taken. The merchants
as rule are not rich, but get their
goods on credit from the city commits
sion factories and merchants. They pay
these in the fall, after the liens are
paid. See yondrr that big store is
closed, and there over the way they are
selling out Z Il N. That will be the
way for the next twelve months. l
know half dozen merchants in this
little place who, by hard work, have
obtained an extension of time till next
November. 1t is only q delay of the
trouble. suppose the city factories are
selling out these men because these
became baubles. Just SO. Sometimes,
however, it is done by large houses
North, by men who credited here heav
lily. Now, there is result upon the
people from these failures that is like
the fresh application of fire to burn
The majority of the people depend
upon these merchants for their supplies
until the fall of each year. These sup
plies are now necessarily cut off in hun
dreds Of cases Any man who can put
two and two together knows what is
coming
He uttered the last sentence with a
gulp that was very like sob, aud turn
ed on his heel aud walked away.
$50 out into the country" said one
in another county, "f you would know
the condition of the people Why,
there are people with large plantations
who are 40 hedged in that bread i:
barely attainable,"
| A lady reluctantly admitted that the
supply of bread was so scant that hel
family were trying to find sufficient tc
sustain life by eating the few vegeta.
bles they had raised, ard this without
meat OF any kind The greatest Of the
suffering, however, falls upon the small
farmers of both races, and those who
had worked by the mode known as
day labor.
| A small farmer, well known oud re-
spected, said 81 had something to live
upon till Christmas. Since then don't
know how we have lived. Many times
there is not mouthtul to eat in the
house. l have kept my horse alive by
picking moss from the trees till the
grass grew, and now he lives on that
but he is nothing but skin ana bones.
"Is there no possible relief for you
from this distress p we inquired.
"There will be none until April" he
replied, "and the merchant who has al
ways advanced to me will let me have
supplies enough to keep soul and body
together until | can make crop. He
can't do more than this, for he is al
most broke himself"
+ "Have you no friends 10 help you 7
, ave have one friend who woulc
help us, if she could know, but W.
. can't get to her. She has move(
, away
The mans half famished face an(
e figure told a sadder story even than hi
e words. In the humble room sat hi
Y wife and her mother, both confirmed
invalids, and in the next apartmen
5 was his daughter, lying on the bed
t where, in great pain, she had speh
n several years We learned that thi
o mans industrious habits and characte
0 were the means of his obtaining tn
r promise of help. Unless it comes speed
l. lily it will be of no avail.
# "Are there other cases like that :
Il we asked, pointing to the house jus
o left. ....
s "That is only one of many. Go O
II the highways and look at the people
e faces. They never looked 80 before
Even the children are sad
e The writer has been in four countie
q in the lower part of South Carolina {
Al late, and the same story is repeated
Is them all The perilous times hay
1t brought to light the usual vampir
l. who feeds on blood and calamity
L. the shape of the extor,ioner Men al
II hard to each other, because the sire,
st for bread robs them of feeling for otl
r ers. There are cases that show ho
re human nature can soar above selfis
n, ness, and yield up its own for other
" The instances where assistance is give
ic the negroes from the whites, aud whe
G the whites receive aid from the black
!r are frequent and touching.
p Now, if ever, is the time when Il
lie Northern heart should throb in bene
is oence for the Southern blacks. Mi
We summer is the hardest season in d
ne South for the farmer. If in spring Il
h. cry for bread resounds in hushed ton
IS, there will be no concealment in Jur
st, when help must come lest starvati
d, ensues. Aiken, Barnwell, Colleto
I'D Hampton, Beaufort, Charleston, a
Sc Orange are among the counties tf
n are suffering 1t would not be shil
'e, ing the truth to say that there sscar'
at ly county which is not now shari
rs the general calamity. There will
Ar need of help, but it should come FRI
of home. South Carolina has money
he men enough to keep her needy from
he appeal to those without her boun'
Lp- | ries