The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1886-12-30
The Merchants and Farmers.

against The merchants on account oil
ALLEGED abuses Of what is known Us
the credit system carried on under
deeds of trust, but from some ma
ncuvers we have seen, and certain
expressions published from farm
ers. or those claiming to repre-
sent them, we think, as a public
journalist, few words on the sub
Jet at this time will not be inoppor-
tune. Being neither merchant
not farmer, we can perhaps view
both sides more impartially
than either of the parties directly
interested.
In the first place, We would re-
mark that any view is essentially
wrong, which proceeds upon the
idea that all merchants are extor
TONERS and robbers under the form
of law, etc, or that all farmers are
shif;less rascals and regulators anX-
iOus to beat their creditors. Our
observation aud experience lead us
TO conclude that very large major
itv o; both merchants and farmers
are honest, well-mcaning men, who
desire not only to live, but let live,
and it is a great injustice to charge
upon an entire class the sins and
evil practices OF the few. We notice,
however, among farmers, that there
is a disposition to take this one-sid
ed view, and further, that there is an
inclination TO single the merchants
of Brookhaven out as the chief Of
cxtortioners in the mercantile world,
whereas we feel warranted in affirm
ing that Brookhavcn merchants
form no exception whatever in this
respect to the merchants through
out the State, and that there is as
small proportion of them as can
be found in any other place of equal
, size, who are guilty Of downright
abuse Of their debtors.
Again, we would observe that it
IS grave mistake to encourage
what some appear to be seeking
that is, TO have the farmers arrayed
| against the merchants and the mer
chants against the farmers. This
! is the trick of the demogOgue and
office seeker, who hopes to advance
his own selfish interests by the pre-
! judccs thus aroused, and wise and
thoughtful men should beware OF all
such wolves in Sleeps clothing.
Our county has already been suili-
GENTLY cursed by such men and
their hypocritical methods. In
truth, there is no necessity for an
tagonism between the merchant and
farmer. Both are following strict
ly legitimate callings, and cach,in Il
large measurc,iS dependent upon the
other, so that only the fricndllcst
and most confidential relations
should exist between them.
We canuot say half we would like
to say on this subject in one article,
but we will add in conclusion that
in our opinion, a very common mis-
take made by many well-meaning
people, is to charge to the merchant
or the farmer as the case may be,
what is more truly chargeable to the
credit system under which Missis-
eippi farmers and merchants ever
since the war have been doing bus
mess. 1t is not in the nature Of !
things that the farmer can pay the
prices he has had to pay and pros
per, and it is equally true that it is
not in the nature of things that the
merchant can borrow money, sell to
farmers on credit and take all the
risks he does, without charging big
prices. The result Of the long ex.
pertinent has been the bankrupting
Of thousands Of merchants and the
mpoverishmcnL Of the farmers, pre-
venting the genuine pre- speriiy Of
either class. There are no
doubt merchants who are guilty Of
outrageous eXto:tion, and farmers
who act in bad faith and defraud
their merchant creditors in the most
constituencies manner, but such are
the exceptions and not the general
rule. The remedy, we think, tor
the evils complained Of is to return
as speedily and nearly as possible,
to a cash basis, and as soon as may
he, abolish the deed of trust sys-
TEN. There is much of common
sense and much Of promise in the
1ecIaratiOn of tho Mt yiOn Farm