St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-12-15
FARMERS DEBTS,
Avoid borrowing Money rs Something to
BE Dreaded and stunned.

L
BE Dreaded and stunned.
There are many farmers who are in
no danger of getting into debt. They
are we'll off, have mercy ~ the tans
~ lcared e'sew mere. and make good
PROFITS from their farms besides thei,
interest money. Such farmers always
| have plenty of money, or. il not, they
have only to draw from their invested
capital. 1t is far otherwise with q
large class of farmers. II nat alead,
in debt more or less they are often near
its borders and strongly tempted to en-
ter. Two classes nj in,luences sre III
work to get farmers into debt. One
class includes the desire to make a
emow, to ride in style, etc. Often the
farmer works hard and economies.
keeping out Of debt till his children
are grown UP. They must have things
that father and mother never thought
Of having. They have no scruples
about running in debt: it seems easy.
The old folks oppose in vain ard the
family enter upon a Course which
brings untold pain and sorrow. ! have
known an instance where a man and
his wife worked hard. bought farm
and nearly paid for it. But one of
their sons must have fine morse
and carriage and other things to match
The result was that the farmer got
entangled in debt and i'm the end. which
soon came, he lost all his property ex-
cept his household goods. That son is
worth very little to-day, and the father
and mother had no home in their old
age except ny the charity of others.
1t is a sad thing to go in debt to crafty
pride or love of pleasure. Let farmers
and their children beware OF this great
evil.
But there is another class OF inslu-
cnces which iinpci men into debt.
There are times when it certainly
seems best to hire money. Take an
example. A son takes the old farm
with its poor buildings. He brings his
wife home. children are born to them,
and he finds the cold. announcement
house il killing the dear ones. He has
a little money saved up. decides to fix
up the old house rs the timbcrs are
good. He has. say, 500. This he
thinks will do the work. but so much
has 10 be done that in the end he finds
himself one, two. or three hundred
dollars In debt. Suppose he has to pay
six. twelve or eighteen or more dollars
a year in interest, the added comfort
and convenience and health OF his
family fully repay this. as well as the
cost Of repairing. Other cases occur
at times when it seems necessary to
run into debt: but if farmers were
more deeply impressed with the evil
of debt. they would suffer much before
allowing themselves To be bound by
its chain. 1t is always best to have.
if possible, sum laid by to use in
case of a sudden need for money.
Sickness may come, a horse may die
and u new one have to be bought, a
Thousand unforeseen eases may occur
i'm which money will have to be used.
and il it is not ut hand. il must be
borrowed. 1t is a very good plan to
keep "A cash account. noting down all
money received and paid. This shows
where the money goes. Too often it
goes little here and a little there for
things not actually needed, and so
when the real need comes the money
to meet it is gone. Then il is hard to
pay debts. Crops may fail. loss may
come in many ways. and ii is sad in
deed when the relentless money-lender
lakes the farmers all. Let every
farmer avoid debt rs something Ia ae
dreaded and stunned. II is not neces-
.nry 10 be s,ingy end par.inoniOus.
bi: self-,lenial is necessary. aud how |
ever hard. il IS not as hard as financial
ruir Tor. Rural Neg Yorker.