The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1884-02-03
Senator Burkitt'S Speech on the Lien
Law.

Mr.. PREstDEaT. | am for the repeal Of
this law because IL IL detrimental 10 the
prosperity Of the people Of the State. In.
stead Of benefit, It has been curse from
the beginning. II has demoralized labor,
encouraged extravaganza, begot idleness,
poverty and rags. Why, sir, man goes
to his merchant fifteen months before pay
day and mortgages the air and begins TO
90 in debt. In the spring, when the weather
is good and whom every man ought TO be
in his crop, go TO our country stores and
you will see ten or dozen big, stout mon
there, standing around, with their hands
stuffed down in their pockets, spend
ing the whole day, their mules hitched
up to tho rqek, instead Of being in the
pillow. AK one, What, are you here--such 4
pretty dayS He answers, II is here for
supplies" This is the case about two days
IN the week. The idea is, he 10 going TO
make big crop and he runs In debt for
what no don't need, and the result Ia, by
May he owes more than his crop will pay.
Then no has TO starve the balance OF the
year, or move of and leave his crop TO
nire for wages to get bread to eat. II he
remains and gathers his crop he gives 1t all
up and comes out behind, and year aftor
year he IL no better, but worse. This is a
true picture of the case, yet We hear
Senators on this floor say, Repeal
this law and you ruin tho poor
man, no can get no credit" answer,
there is more credit in industry, energy
and effort than In tho lion Law. Where is
the man who ever starved in this country,
who would workS Where 10 the man Of
means who will not supply a working man
Now, Seniors, IL we have come to legislate
money in the pockets and bread into the
mouths Of the lazy and idle many who are
trying to live in high style and get moth
ing; we cannot do It. That is an abaurdi-
ty. We had as we'll try to climb the greasy
end of rainbow to the moon, or leRisla.e
twice two into Ave, or twice Ave into az.
teen. We cannot do 1t.
On the other hand, il we act like senEi-
BILE men, we will pass laws encouraging in
dustry, that we may develope the resources
Of our State and bring prosperity once
more into our midst. We nov have more
hog and hominy, moro supplies on hand
than welhave had at any one time for twen-
ty years, and now is the time, now is the &C.
cepted time, TO get rid Of this curse, this
bane of prosperity. Why, In opposition
they put up piteous howl for the poor
man and say what will he dot I answer,
have you not had this Law In force twelve
or fifteen yoarsi Why has the poor man
not got start In this time and worked out
from under poverty How much longer
will il takes How much longer will he
liver viii this thing never endi Such
law causes a man 10 put of the evil day,
lull away into idleness and eRse, and Guilt
waite horde of vagabonds in our midst,
living in rags instead of going 70 work and
making good citizens and helping TO build
up prosperous country.
Repeal the law. II has ruined the land.
holder, crippled the merchant, and reduced
the laborer TO rags. The land-hoider will
supply the laborer cheaper than the mer-
chant He can afford to do it, and then the
laborer can be supplied at home, and not
lose so much precious time running after
1t. Senators have referred to me PERSONAL
ly in this debate and said l was indepen-
dent and did not need the law. / answer,
did the lien law make ME soi No, air. l
landed in Mississippi nearly twenty years
ago, as fat as man conld well get There
was no lien law then, but made my right
arm my lien law, and i soon worked out Of
poverty, and any other man can do the
same IL he will only make the effort In
dustry, energy and effort will give credit
much better than a lien law. Repeal the law,
wipe out the curse from cur statute book,
and let Us once more Join hands on the
high road to prosperity.