The clarion., 1885-09-23

ForroRs CLARIoN: In the above two
extracts, one from one of the NIL
counties. (Lafayette) and one OF the
Mississippi bottom" counties, loharkeyl
representing the white and colored
nonuIations of our State, are set forth
q lust condemnation of the most perm.
c;ous that ever disgraced the statutes OF
Ns.issippi. and the demand for It's
repeal cannot be too often repeated
While | deny that the law was ever
indispensable, rs represented by It's advo-
cates I contend that the time has
,rrived when no excuse should be taken
from our legislators for its immediate
and unconditional repeal, as soon as the
LEGISLATURE assemblies in January next.
Al every session its sieods have succeed
ed in preventing its repeal under the
specious pleas that it would rum the
State to repeal it, that there was no
corn crop made the year before, that the
moor people of the State were opposed
10 its repeal; that it would demoralize
labor in short everything has been SAID
10 retain this cursed and oppressive law
nnon our people; but it has had Its day,
IL has run its course, it has done all the
damage it is going to do-the people
demand its repeal and it must go and go
Internationally.
The argument that the farmers of the
State would be ruined by Its repeal Is
too absurd to speak OF seriously wheh
every Granger in the State, the very
element of our industrial population
who represent the farmers of Mississippi,
are bitterly opposed to the law, and
have not failed to denodnce 1t at every
session of the State Grange for the last
FIVE or six wears. The argument about
the law protecting the poor is carrlcature
upon the word.
| can only compare the law to the plc
turethat represented carpet-bagger witt
one arm thrown around the neck anc
embracing his colored brother while
with the other he was emptylng th'
poor dupe's pocket of what money az
noesessed. Or, again, it reminds me ais'
of the old story of the disposition %
the turkey between the Indian ana ln
white man: there was no turkey tor Tn
Indian no way the white man arrange'
it just so with the lien law-theTe Is y
hfrkey for the white man under the oPerC
ton of the lien lac, no matter now IL
advocates fix it up.
The lien law is driving Mississippian
from their State to other states ever
year; it is causing our young men
leave their fathers to go out anu Ca
their lots and seek their fortunes
distant lands, because under the oPer'
tions of the lien law their fathers ma,
lost all their possessions, except prooao'
the house that shelters their gray mar
and there is no future for the DO.
under the roofs that witnessed the
coming into the world. Would OF
Legislature see our Mississippi bo
stay at home, abolish the lien law
better do this than keep up an lmmigl
ton Bureau to invite foreigners TO o
State while our boys have to seek nom
abroad, away from kindred and irieh'
There is not an intelligent man
Mississippi, whether rich or poor, CD
will deny. upon his oath, that the IL
law Is running the State. Where 0
isolated instance is given wnere
yonnp man made a rise through the
of the credit given him by the lien Law
ninety-nine cases may be aduuceu "nt
the law wiped out everything u
many poor men possessed, Inc v
that labor would be brou ght dowa
$6OOa month. if the law were repeated
another absurdity that refutes itseiI,
State like ours, where iaooI y
demand in every poruon, at =
remuueratiug wages, from ten 10 ewe'
dollars a month.
la conclusion, the law has had ms
years trial. The poor agric ultur'sts o.
State-both white and black-are
poor. their condition but little oel
than the enslaved poems OF Mexico. !
let the law be repealed aud let us
how we'll our people can get along "
out the lien law. Let credit De pa
upon personal honor to some extent
it was before the enactment OF the
law. No better year could be seie'
than the coming year. A kind Provide
has vouchsafed our people good or
they have generally been econom
during the past year. And they
paw out and have enough lett 20
along another year without mortga
their crops again. Then let the
Law go-is the prayer OF