The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-12-09

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COLUMBIA CORRESPONDENCE.
COLUMBIA S. G., Dec. 6, 1885.
The past week has been busy one in
Columbia. Both houses Of the legisla-
tare are hard at work, and the debates
on various measures show that the Rep
resentatiyes are wide awake and vigilant
in protecting the interests OF their con-
stituents.
The Judiciary Committee of the House
has reported DR.. Hudgens' bill to reduce
the rate of interest TO seven per cent. un.
favorably, but there will te a full discus.
sion of the subject in the present Legis.
lature. The majority of those connected
with bankers in both Houses oppose the
change, though Col. Brown, of Ander-
son, in the House, and Col. Munro, of
Union, in the Senate, take broad view
of the question, and think the prosperity
of the country would be enhanced by
{ a return to the seven per cent. rate.
There are several bills relating to the
repeal of the lien laws, and they em-
) brace variety of propositions. It is
more than possible that bill repeating
{ all liens, except the lien for rent, will be
passed, to take effect on the first of
November, 1887, and if SO the right to
mortgage growing crop will probably
be repealed also. In the present situa-
tion,es the country it is thought unadvi-
srable to repeal the lien law Immediately,
as the most distressing accounts come up
from all sides of the State as to our
agricultural condition. It is, however,
thought that this abominable system of
len agriculture should be changed as
quickly as possible, and that one years
notice would be enough to enable the
more prudent and economical of our
tenants to prepare for the change. In
our Judgment, the lien law has done
more to bring abont the all cotton craze,
which has nearly ruined our section of
the State, than any other single cause.
For years our agriculture has been going
down hill Our people work hard, but
make no money. The crops have been
short, to be sure, but the credit system
has caused our people to plant as if they
were assured in advance Of big crops.
They buy guano and spread it over large
areas ofland for cotton. They employ
labor TO work this cotton, and of course
have to furnish it from January to
December, with few exceptions. They
buy western horses and mules; Western
corn, -four, meat and molasses; Western
wagons, plough stocks, plows and gear !;
Northern clothes, hats and shoes for men,
women and children; Northern and
Western iron, hardware, nails and even
horse shoes; and those who can get
credit enough 10 do so buy coffee, sugar,
tea and such things from the tropics. At
the end Of the year we have nothing to
pay for these extensive purchases, but q
cotton crop which is manipulated by
gamblers in futures before the seed is
placed in the ground. In our best crop
years our people barely pay out, and in
one or two short crops they find them
selves almost hopelessly involved in debt.
Every one admits that our troubles come
from exclusive cotton culture, and yet
very little has been done towards chang
ing the course from which it is conceded
that our greatest calamities flow. The
repeal of the lien law would help to
change this system, for it would force
our people to make most of their sup
plies at home. They should not, how
ever, wait for legislation to begin this
reform. If every farmer would plant
enough corn to be sure to raise his own
supply, with wheat and other small grain
and q good vegetable garden, his expen-
seswould be greatly reduced. If in ad-
dition to this they would haul hundreds
of loads Of woods earth and leaves to
compost in their stables and lots, so that
they could reduce their purchase of fer
tilizers to small amount of. acid phos.
phate, and then make good pastures and
giyea little attention to cattle and stock
raising. the prosperity of Upper Carolina
would take q new turn, and soon be too
solid and secure to be affected by few
seasons Of short crops. A diversified
agriculture is mot SO dependent on seasons,
for if one crop fails another will hit.
did not propose devoting this letter to
agriculture, however, and therefore must
pass on to other matters of legislation in
which our people are interested.
The Senate has passed to third read
ing both OF the bills to ratify the
.suendmenss to the Constitution, which
were adopted by the people in the last
election. There was no opposition, and
it is impossible to tell what may be their
fate on the third reading. They will
have to receive two thirds of the Senate
on this reading, and the opposition is
doubtless saving itself for this occasion.
Mr.. Murray introduced both of these
bills. One of the most interesting dis
cussions that has occurred in the Senate
arose oyer'the bill to
RE ASSESS CERTAIN PROPERTY
in Charleston and Summerville, which
suffered damage from the Earthquake
The bill provides that it shall be
re.assessed in January 1887, and only
such unrepaired damage as resulted from
Al r.