The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-12-02
Auilersu.a gnte1ligetreer.
The Condition of Farmers,

The farmers of our county and State,
whether landlords or tenants, are in bad
way. There is no use in concealing the
fact. An honest confession and frank
and truthful statement Of the general as
we'll as the individual condition of the
people will do no BARN. There is not
one tenant in FIVE that has made enough
to pay for his rent, guano aad supply
bills. Even if the landlord should remit
all of his rents, half the tenants could
not pay out and have anything over to
begin.the new year with. Of the land.
lords in the county, that depend on ten
ants or hirelings to do the labor, there is
not one in five that is able to furnish
tenants or to pay the birelings their
wages by the week or mouth. 1t will be
more difficult for people to get supplies
on time next year than ever before. The
collections will necessarily be pnor this
season aud many of the merchants will
be unable to make advances another
year. Mortgages on land may save a
debt, but in the end they will break the
merchant. H. cannot pay debts or pur.
chase goods with land. The owners of
land will begin the new year in a more
cramped condition tl;an they have been
since the war. The tenants will have
neither supplies nor credit. They will
be unable to run farms, if they had no
rent to pay. They cannot afford 10 hire
unless they can be fed and clothed.
Neither can a man hire when his wife
and children can get no work. This is
not written in complaining spirit, but
in order that our people may look the
situation squarely in the face and make
the best suggestions possible.
In 1S45, when.ihe dry year came on us,
hundreds of people migrated to Tennes'
see and other western States where bread
and meat were abundant and. cheap.
That will not be done now. The same
financial depression prevails in all the
cotton States and no one will better his
condition by moving. Emigration will
not solve the problem.
A repeal of the homestead and lien
laws are believed by many to be the
grand cure all for the hard times so that
every one will stand on his own indi'
vidual worth, not propped up, year after
year, by this ruinous legislation. Repeal
these laws, say they, then the bottom will
soon be reached and every one will be
able to take ground start. The 6ttest
will survive and prosper and become in
dependent, while the lazy and thriflless
will remain "hewers of wood and draw.
ers Of water"
A combination of circumstances for
several years have brought the people To
their present condition, and no remedy
can be applied either by legislation or
Individual effort, which will bring i'm.
mediate relief. Ififood and guano could
be rained down from heaven to make the
next crop, it would be the most ruinous
thing that could befall the people. They
need self reliance, constant industry, and
rigid economy. 1t will require several
years of most judicious work and careful
management to bring our country back
to a prosperous condition. The multi.
tude when united is great power for
good or evil. but in this upbuilding. so
much needed by all, il is individual effort
that will tell.
On the part of all there must be the
exercise of great patience aud forbear-
ance. Never was there greater need of
the injunction, "Bear ye, one another's
burdens" than atthe present time. This
is no time for oppression and grainding
the. poor and helpless. By this means
man, with means accumulate mortgage
and broad acres, but he will also cheap
up wrath against the day of wrath" )"
whatever that may mean. Nor is it a
time for the poor and unfortunate to de-
ceive and attempt to defraud. "A truth.
full statement and fair dealing with land
lords and creditors will secure more
favors for the next year than all the
cheating one could do in month. We
verify believe that honest, truthful, in.
dustrious tenants. however poor they
may be, will find way out of their diff
culties. 1t might be we'll if some of our
most successful aud prosperous business
men would speak to the people through
the press on the situatior.-Spartan-
bnr1 ,Spnrt1n.