The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-03-25
A Farmer on the Situation.
Times and Democrat:

Editor Times and Democrat:
I contended, in my last article, that
farming under the present system does
not nav the farmer, and now ask
what becomes of the profits? In
answer to this would again ask your
readers to look over the country and
see how many towns have sprung up
and their business men have accumu-
lated wealth, how the buggy and wagon
factories and horse jockeys have pros
pered, how high railroad, bank and
phosphate stock stand, and even our
State bonds, they say, are above par:
All this shows where the pronts OF
farming haze gone. while nine out z1s OF
are left almost hopelessly involved in
debt with their land worn out and
their places delapidated. This, you will
say, is plain talk,lnevertheless it is true,
and how can you account Tor Sucn a
state of affairs. Especially does this
become a, mystery when we unoer-
stand that more cotton and provisions
are made now than ever before. In
deed production is ahead OF consump-
tion and yet the farmers are growing
poorer and poorer year after year.
Many, and the merchants particularly,
who begin to see the critical condition
of the country, say that rent on lands
is too high; but this reason is too trans
parent. because where the farmers
owns the lands and rent them out, and
khe factor or merchant runs their ten
ants, nine out Of every ten are IN the
same fiX-hard up with their places
Gelapidated and lands ruined. Again
these same persons say that the far
mars do not work but lounge about
towns and rely too much upon the un-
reliable labor. I will admit this to be
partly SO but not in toto, because l
know personly many good industrious
business farmers who own lands and
cannot conveniently make their ends
meet. know others also who are con-
sidered self-sustaining farmers, that
cannot make their ends meet. If then
it is neither the rent nor the manage
ment that causes the depression, what
is it? TO put it in nut shell. l say 1t
all comes from the abuse of credit
based upon the lien system by putting
a ruinous 20 or so per cent. upon sup
plies that dragS the farmers to want.
This is a dreadful curse-a ruinous
policy especially in this day of farming.
The true business principle in farm
ing should be, not to want thing
until you have the money to pay for
it. If your situation compels you to
want an article for which you cannot
pay, just simply get out of the situa-
tion. If YOU have lands and no cash
money TO work with then, sell part of
the farm and obtain the money to pay
as you 60. Irepeat, cramp your wants
and manfully avoid debt. Change your
farming economy, because blind man
can see the necessity of such course
and you are bound to succeed. Now
brother farmer, landholder or not, he
warned in time for the fruits of your
hard labor will be gobbled up by some
body SO long as you give the chance.
If you fail the fault will lie at your
own door and the gobblers know it
Stubbonly resist the influence of all
agents who prowl around the country
to tempt our people to spend their
earnings. The success Of the stove and
clock men last year in carrying thous-
ands of dollars out of the County,
should be warning to every one.
FARMER.