The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-04-29

even though in his death struggle he
may knock down the old Republican log
cabin with its Democratic bark roof.
Aud may the day soon dawn when the
electric spark shall flash the news far and
wide that the old bear, Mtemperance, is
dead, and our fair land can once more
truthfully be called the 'land of the free,
and the home of the brave"
Immoralltlcs of the Credit System.
Mr.. Wesley, with inspired common
sense, reckoned business methods mat
ters for church discipline, aud gave rules
to his societies against making debts
without the assurance of paying them.
Ifsuch rules were necessary in time of
comparative cash payments, how needful
are they in this age of unusual credit I!
Business is now conducted on time and
trust system that regards thirty days de-
lay as cash There is no quarrel with the
system, it is n necessity hand-to hand
exchange of commodities, or even of
their current values, is impossible; but
there is need of warning against the
temptation and abuses that attend this
method of trade. and that ruin thousands
of men.
1t takes self denial and character to
resist the allurements of the credit system.
The cash buyer is tangibly impressed
with the value of money, and feels the
qualm of parting with glittcring, ringing,
potent cash; he weighs its potency
against bis need, or fancy, of the object
of barter, and bargains with a realizing
sense of the representative functions of
the shekel. But the equally current
promise to pay is ideal coin, easily mint
ed, readily spent, and little suggestive of
the redemption q few months will de-
mand Thus the thriftless laborer falls
natural prey to this easy way of paying
debts; the imprudent and poverty
stricken professional man seeks ruinous
refuge in it; respectable impecuniosity
halls it as providential eleemosynary
institution and lcgions of brazen faced
dead beats use it as cover for their
unpunished thefts society endures this,
and the Church winks at it; the men that
are heeced count the fleeing a natural
vicissitude of business; they base their
calculation upon the expectation of a
goodly number of their customers being
cheats, and are never disappointed (; last
of all the law steps in with homestead
or bankrupt, or an assignment statute
to shield the prosecuted debtor from the
ayaricious creditor who has the assurance
to try to make his money. This form of
dishonesty is such matter ofcourse that
it is hardly counted disgrace not to pay
debts. If q man were to rob his neigh.
boris till, he would be deeply comprcmis-
ed, unless he appropriated enough to
PROSTATE his nervous system, and win
the worlds respectful sympathy but
when he robs him to his face, and clinch-
es the theft with lying promise to pay,
he does not need to be prostrated even.
Harold Skimpole is no longer sting
ing satire, but an amusing hero; and
Ancient Pistol, with his characteristic
fling, "Base is the slave that pays!" is
the patron. saint of a credit-debauched
horde of parasites. This state of things
is equally hurtful to business and sub
versive of morals if it is endured by the
world, it surely should not be counte-
nanced by the Church yet the Church
is not all free in this matter. The ad-
ministration Of the rule of the Discipline
against the 4 grant offender in this re-
gard would be attended with difficulties;
there are men and women active in
church work, even ministers called TO dis.
pense the word of truth to Others who
take up goods without the prospect of
paying for them, and make promises to
pay that they cannot keep, and yet feel
no loss of character, no stain of business,
because, forsooth, they can shield them
selves and their weakness with such
delusions as deep regret, hard times, un-
expected reverscs, unforeseen exigencies,
and the like contemplate shifts by which
selfshness and dishonesty seek to cover
their nakedness. There are men who
break and pay few cents on the dollar,
and however rich they may become
thereafter, consider that 9ettlementto have
discharged all moral obligations; men
who plead statute of limitation in bar of
paying an honest debt, and then "roll the
Psalm to wintry skies" as unctiously as
the best; men who make assignments in
favor of themselves, chousing their cred
itors, and straightway kneel at the
sacramental table to commemorate their
allegiance to Him who said: "Wo un-
to you, bypocries False business
methods have poisoned the worlds blood
and are cankering The Church it is time
to cry halt and ask for the old paths of
honesty and purity.
Bus this is very impolitic writing!
We should have attacked the worldlings,
the Mormons, or some foreign foe;
such things cannot be helped or mended
by showing them up and making people
feel badly! If you have gangrened
limb, cover it up and burn odoriferous
disinfectants until death effects cure!
Leave all these unpleasant matters 10
the corrective agencies of the judgment
davt Well. that will do the work. veri-