The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-25


tural College. In proof of what l
say, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas,
each having University, have never
theIess taken this fund given by
Congress and have each established
an Agricultural College, separate
and distinct from their Universities.
REMARKS OF aIR. SLtGH ON THE
BILL TO REPEAL THE LIEN
LAW.
Mr.. Sigh said that as the people OF
this State were strictly an agricultural!
people. and as this Bill proposed to do
something that would be either for or
against agriculture, that he regarded 1t
the most important measure now before
the General Assembly.
1t has been called the poor mans law,
but il there ever was law which con-
tributed to make the poor poorer, 1t Is
the Lien Law. The tendency OF TINS
| law is TO make farmers, white ana col
ored, sacrifice everything else to the rals.
| iug of cotton. 1t prevents diversity OF
crops and thereby imporeriSheS the soil.
| The benefits OF the small grain crop 90
not consist alone in the grain that IS
gathered, bat by resting the Sol!, vege-
table matter is added to it, and this is all
important to successful cotton raising,
and the Improvement OF the land. The
| Lien Law to q great measure excludes
! this. and thereby does not only impov-
erish the land, but virtually cuts OIL stock
raising (the raising OF stock and the
making Of home fertilizers. Small gram
and the grasses mean plenty OF stock, an
well fed stock means rich manure. and
rich manure means rich land. and rich
land means large crops, and large crops
| mean plenty TO eat and wear. WITH Il
comfortable home ard money to eNpend
| in the education OF children. II the 1ar-
mers OF this State DO nGt change their
! mode Of farming (anGmany OF them can
| not as long as they give lie that cost
| from 20 to 50 per cent. per alEuh)
they cannot compete with the great west
III the growing Of cotton Will therefore
| be driven out of the market. The only
| way that we can make the cotton crop Il
| profitable one is to improve our lands,
and TO raise on one acre what It now
takes three acres to produce, and the on
" way to 10 this is to cheaper credit. or
buy for cash by making cotton surplus
crop and giving more attention to gram
and grasses and stock raising ANA I'M
proving the soil. No man can by direct
means follow for any considerable time
the growing OF cotton to the exclusion OF
| other important crops under the. Lien
Law with its heavy per cent, and make
money.
But another evil arising from this law
is that it is driving from the State the
white aud colored population. II only
| the worthless Of the former class would
leave, it would make no difference, but
the very best class Of the colored people
are leaving ard now we hear OF many
Whites also going. And under existing
| circumstances this is not strange. The
DOOR farmers are diScouraged-they 60
about with down-c;:st countenances.
Other States in which there are railroads
aud public lands gladly receive them. 1t
will never be any better, but will get
worse and worse just so long as bad
crop years and high prices for credit con-
tinUes Il had my way, but this l can
nor have, 7 would leave this law as It is
for year or two, and have every farmer
TO practice the strictest economy, and so
regulate the system OF advances made on
credit that would be safe TO the mer-
chant and thereby give cheap credit to
the people.
This law, open to abuses, is wrong in
every possible aspect. It not only in
iures the poor man, but encourages dis
honesty. It may put money into the
pockees Of large land owners for a short
fine, but willie money comes into
their pockets from their rents IL cot
ton, their lands are being ruined,
anI their State is becoming depopulated.
The law-making power OF any State
should see to It that 10 law IS enacted
that encourages dishonesty. l declare
myself in favor Of State constitutional!
Convention il order 10 wipe out tiie
Homestead Law, which is just as bad in
my opinion as the Lien Law. AnG i the
retaining OF the Landlords Lien keeps
any Senator fr0al voting FOR the repeal
Of tha Merchants Lien, then gay, ieI
the whole Of it be wiped out.
] know to repeal this law will eanse
8 complaint With soEac people, bnt III
$50 y@aie ;ttc very men MILO !iGW cp~
pose its rpP"al viii blezs Toi:, @Di: i: Hfe
years prosperity vii, reign ri oTer S0Etn
-.
for Is years AID We arc becoming poore?
every year; now let us Try 70 do without
Tor Z few years and then il We find II
does not work well, it can be restored 70
the Statute Book. At every Session OF
this Legislature. We are told that the
Country IS too destitute, that the farmers
are ZOO poor 10 repeal this law. IN the
munse CT Heaven. when shall we DC in Il
trying to prepare tor it for seventeen
years and still the cry is made that the
Country IS in nc condition 70 repeal the
Lien Law. Let me tell YOU that we
never viii lie ready until we learn to be
economical and so long as farmers are
virtually forced 70 pay such high prices
Ter credit. and are compelled thereby
TO make the cotton crop the leading,
and il many Instances, the only crop.
The law Must be repealed at some time,
1T an early period in The future. Tor il it
is not done South Carolina is ruined for
ever, Will there eyer be q better time
than now? All the necessities OF life are
now cheaper than ever before and it
does seem that it is the very time 20 r.
peal it. No ome dare demy that if this
law had never been III force in this State,
the people would be one hundred per
cent. better of than they now are. Re-
peal the law, cut OFT this right arm. o.
pluck out the eye, and my word for it.
prosperity will soon come TO bless til"
farmers and al the people Of South Caro-
lima.
THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
II Z long article relating 10 the 3. 3. Z, o!
that city. says:
The Blood Balm Company started one year