The Russellville Democrat., 1886-01-28

anu Ilu V01t4tuu *H 0 t<tA 8< VI Et~t>st~- be succesefully pvactlced upon tho mU U.tQneer and that ia t all tra1srs, |. q, merchants, were robbers Void of conscience or honesty. This will hardly be alleged, however
 The mortgager docs and can pro- cure hls supplies at reasonable prices. In this county tue order of Brothers of Freedom made contracts with two of the best merchants in this town by which they secured sup. plies at a profit of only B l3 per cent above cost, when bought on credit No merchant oF sufficient experience and sagacity to sustain himself in business will ever attempt to sell for less when he has to wait twelve months for his pay. That goods are in some trifiingH and exceptional cases sold xr a larger per cent of profit, is not de- nied. Instance: q dozen hair pins may cost but cent and half, but will perhaps be sold for , cents--a Iprofit Of over 300 per cent The quantity of hair pins used in an or Idinary family, however, would not justify much hard kicking. HOW MANY DOLLARS FOR 100 cENTsp
 As remarkable as this statement Ire. I find it m Jndge C's speech j .The tenant whose labor producess the staple of this country, ard uron| lthe successful and extended pro. ductlon of which the prosperity of the state and her people depend, are. by the agencies l have mentioned, turned out a: the end of each year without particle of the fruits of tlelr labor or means to buy bread for their families" No wonder tabor IS. being arrayed against capital in suicidal clash. No wonder that communicate ideas are scizing upon the common people of this country, when such utteran- lees come from surh high source No more fallaciuus or baIeful doc. urine can be instilled into the minds of the people than to lead theM to believe that they are being robbed by the merchants who supply them. It is airaying helpless labor In . hostile line against the very source from whence it derives the means to \ produce value.
 How many dollars worth would | the distinguished gentleman have the merchant furnish for 100 cents9 7 Or, for fear of making pauper out of some one for the state to support, would he have the big. old, tat mer- chant supply the tenant all the year, and then at payday say to his GUS toner: "Here, l have only furBf he'd you $l5O worth of supplies this year -all the bread and meat you have eaten, all the clothes you have worn, all the tools with which you have wol ked, the seed you planted and helped you cultivate your crop by paying for the chopping out aud hoeing when you got in the grass-l but that's all used up and gone now, and in order that you may enjoy the fruits of your labor over again and have something to go on, I'll just forgive you my debt, and call il even.'
 Now let us see how it is abouy th}
 price of the tenants commodltiel
 when he brings in his crop to pay od
 his mortgages.
 Does the merchant who furnished the supplies set the price2 And does he set it and take the produce
 at fair market value?
 This is part of the subject upo~
 which l can speak from extendel
 observation and experience. 1 un
 dertakc to say:
 First--That the merchants doe
 not fix the price. In general til X commodity is cotton. Eyorv9oa
 knows how the market value of cot ' ton is fixed. So far as the merchan is concerned, lie would much rathe
 see it bring l2 cents than 8 cents. Seconl-In nina cases out of tel
 the merchant who has advanced tho
 supplies pays his creditor who owed
 him for the supplies from one quar- WI " OHO H"tA SSue lsSt Pouuu "'S
 the cash market value of the cotton
 It is no uncommon thing to hear thN question asked of the tenant whN offers his cotton for sale "Wh
 furnished you this year2 take you
 cotton to him, he will pay you mon
 for It than any body else."
 More remarkable, however. Eaa any other part of the speech
 Judge c. is his comments on th
 provision of law providing for th
 renewal of mortgages.
 Although not intended as sucl
 his remarks under that head a1
 nothing short of direct and un warranted
 lMPUGNMEET OF THE HONESTY
 of every merchant in Arkansas wl
 takes mortgages. And If such sa
 ings are accepted as true by
 masses of the people they will go
 toward destroying that mu:ua. co fidence b tween debtor and credit
 which is so essential tn the corSS good oi society; far toward arraylH N them in autagonisin; far towaf
 break ihQ down faith in tho honor