The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-03-11
4 Farmer or the Situation.
Editor Times and Democrat:

IL IS Salu Dy knowing ones InaC Idr-
merS comprise one-half of our popula-
tion. If this be true, then farmers dig
from the soil supplies sufficient to sup
port and clothe themselves and the
other half who are not farmers. Again
it is affirmed, by many who engage in
this occupation, that farming does not
pay, and, by many others, that the pres
ent lien system is ruinouS to the far
mer. If the first proposition be true,
and the farmers, after supplying them
selves and the balance of our people,
are left without a profit after their
years operations, what benefit is their
work to them. This seems to be con-
Trajectory and almost incredible, Jet it
is so for we all know that there are
failures among our best farmers and
under the best circumstances I con-
tend that there Is not one In fifty farms,
managed under the present system that
pays the farmer, or producers. Whom
then does it pay? Why, the non-pro-
ducer, or him who speculates upon the
ignorance and dependence of the farm
er by cheapening his products and in
creasing the price of the articles he is
obliged to purchase. The farmer, there
fore, should be prudent and wise that
he may prevent such impositions upon
himself and his profession.
Who bears the burden of trade and
the expense of the government? Who
supports the censured and eXtravagant
Agricultural Bureau, the prosperous
RAILROADS and the rich phosphate COM
panies but the farmers? Besides these
his labor benefits, more or less, every
class of enterprises inside and outside
our border from which he derives no
personal benefit. Therefore, it is not
altogether the fault of the farmers that
farming does not pay the farmer. But
rather the blame is attributable to his
dependence upon others and his inabili-
ty to get the proper yield from his pro-
ducts or value from his labor.
Again I contend that farming pays
the merchant, the horse-jockey, the
guano man, the mechanic, the machin-
ist and every other profession better
than the farmer himself. As a proof
of this assertion, we need only cite the
observer to the mushroom towns that
have sprung up, no matter how unfav-
orable the location, all around us and
in every part of the country, and to the
large number of persons, especially if /!
little educated, who flock to them to Sc
cure an easy and profitable position
and to maintain themselves in eXtraya-
gance at the expense of the down-trod-
den farmer. On the other hand look at
the poor farmers, ninety nine out of
every one hundred, how earnestly they
grapple in the heat and amid the tur-
mol of the day with their unreliable
labor, but without avail, to support
their families and to make their home
comfortable. When fall, or gathering
time comes, the delivery Of their entire
crop, and in some cases faster than
they can gather it, is demanded by the
secured creditor. Many now are be-
ginning to see the critical condition
our country is in, because of such
working all prosperous and growing
rich except the poor farmers who are
left destitute and with no credit with
out pledging their hard labor as collat-
eral for future support.
The farmer should be wise and pru-
dent and exercise economy, first to sup
port himself and then to get for his
farm products their full market value.
When q good market is accessible, some
few have succeeded in accumulating
property since the war, but they have
doneso by keeping their necks out Of
the debtors yoke. FARMER