The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-07
The Lien What to do With it.

FDrroE CLARION; notice an article
~ vour issue of the 23d, copied from the
Fo,aerS Adtocate, in reply to the
iar,rounication of "Copiah," on the
S1bieet of the repeal of the Lien Law
A. hi, subject is likely to come before
the next Legislature, 1t is proper that il
he freely and fully discussed so that both
sides may have a fair and impartial
hooring. think Copiah's positions are
,soIi taken and well sustained, but he
Jocs not say all that can be said against
reneal. 1t was certainly mistaken
,dIicv in the Legislature to pass the law
f,har IL was enacted, for all the evils
,g,,nlained of are the result Of that act.
Tts noeration, by enlarging the facilities
for obtaining farm and domestic sup
Lie on a credit. created aud fOsfered n
snirit of extravaganza, while, being a
tsmntation TO over-indulgence, has been
abusod and the almost universal en-
barrassment Of the poor farmers of the
country to-day is attributable to the
ovistence of the law. They are now so
n,ucb reduced in circumstances that
tbeir only basis of credit is the Lien
law and to repeal it, without notice
snficient for them to prepare for the
.nddan change it would necessitate
would be to reduce them and their de
nendent families to a sense Of starvation
and ruin. Take away the Lien Law, and
uitbont money or credit or supplies for
anofber wear and you inhict degree of
destltution and suffering upon the
laboring classes never before known in
the State. Think of it for a moment.
The present years crop, which has been
nledged for supplies to make it-consum-
sd before gathered and marketed-what
will the poor, dependent farmers, with
ont means or credit do for the necessa-
ries of life for himself and family, dur
inc the next planting and growing season
or until another harvest time arrives
Somebody is to suffer, either the farmer
or the merchant 1t is not likely to be
the merchant, for he can and will enforce
his lien. even If it strips the farmer OF his
last lock of cotton, ear of corn or blade
of fodder. The last horse and mule
and cow and calf and OK and pig and
fowl must 90 to satisfy the inexorable
deed in trust. Even the exemption law
has no power to protect him, Tor IN many
cases the lien is made to cover all, in
cludiug the property of the wife. How
il man in such condition to make
crop or to provide for himself and depen,
dents except by giving up his manhood
and becomiuga common laborer, hire
ling. The farmer, poverty-stricken and
hammered and distressed with debt and
destitution, as he is, will be reduced and
degraded to lower depths of poverty and
distress by the sudden repeal of the
Lien Law. The effect will be immediate
and inevitable, and the result disastrous
in its consequences.
The best thing to do is to let the law
remain as it is, and work out Its own
results. The evil it has produced will
in time be cured by its continued
operation. The lessons of experience 1T
has taught both farmer and merchant
will induce them TO abandon It's doubt
full and dangerous protection. Farmers
are already realizing the hazardous
straits into which it has led them.
They are abandoning their base of
operations and gradually changing their
policies and methods of management,
They are becoming converts to the true
doctrine of the Grange, which teaches a
diversified and concentrated system OF
farming, which if adopted and persls-
tentlv practiced, relying on the Lien
Law for such assistance as they may
need. will most certainly, by the
practice of economy such as the situation
reouires. emerge from the wilderness of
debt and finally reach condition OF
thrift and independence. The merchant,
realizing the fact that his business and
success depend on the prosperity of The
farmer. will furnish him with actual
necessaries only, and thus help to raise
him to a condition of self-relance and
Independence, as the best means OF
promoting his own prosperity. Recog-
nizinp their interdependence, the
merchant and farmer have learned that
each is necessary to the other, and that
it is the true interest of the one to
promote and protect the true
interest of the other. The mer.
chant has learned the fallacy OF
b "killing the goose that lays the golden
egg" and has reduced his profits to a
minimum standard, convinced OF the
impolicy and folly of placing a greater
rate of profit on his goods than the
buyer is able to pay, and by lessening
his ability to meet his obligations, run
the risk of losing the debt. Both
merchants AID farmers have learned
from the sad experience of the past and
are likely to profit by it in the future
Let the law remain until it shall help to
cure the evils it has inflicted.
ANTE.