Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-10-20
FARMERS 3
Avoid borrowing Money as Something To
BE Dreaded and Stunned.

"'a
There are many farmers who are in
no danger Of getting into debt. They
are well off, have money in the bank
or loaned elsewhere, and make good
profits from their farms besides their
interest money. Such farmers ALWAYS
have plenty of money, or, if not, they
have only to draw from their invested
capital. 1t is far otherwise with a
large class of farmers. If not aleadv
in debt more or less they are often near
Its borders and strongly tempted to en-.
ter. Two classes of influences are nj
work to get farmers into debt, One
class includes the desire to make n
show, 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 thourht
OF having. They have no scruples
about running in debt; it seems EASY.
The old folks oppose in vain and the
'a'Hh ~
family enter upon a course which
brings untold pain and sorrow. | have
known an instance where a man and
his wife worked hard, bought a farm
and nearly paid for it. But one of
their sons must have a fine horse
and carriage and other things to match.
The result was that the farmer got
entangled in debt and in the end. which
soon came, he lost all his property en-
cept his household goods. That son is
worth very little to-day, and the father
and mother had M home in their old
age except by the charity Of others.
1t is a sad thing to 90 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 inAu.
ences which impel 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, inco%nvenient
house is killing the dear ones. He has
a little money saved up, decides to fix
up the old house as the timbers are
good. He has, say, 5000. This he
thinks will do the work, but so mucb
has to be done that / IN the end bo 6nds
himself one, two, or three hundred
dollars in debt. Suppose he has to nav
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 tho
cost OF repairing. Other cases occur
NJ times when 1t seems necessary 70
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 nv
It's chain. 1t is always best to have.
IL possible, a sum laid by to use in
case OF a sudden need for money
Sickness may come, a horse NAV dc
ana a new one have to be bought. n
Thousand unforeseen cases NAV occur
In which money will have to be used. |
IL 1T is not at hand, it must he
borrowed. 1t is a very good plan 10
keep a cash account, noting down all
money received and paid. This shows
where the money goes, Too often e
goes n little here and a little there for
wings not actually needed, and so
the real need comes the monev
meet 1t is gone. Then 1t is hard T.,
pay debts Crops may fail, loss nav
IN many ways, and it is sad in.
1eed when the relentless m~oney-lendcr
lakes the farmers all. Let every
farmer avoid debt as something to he
dreaded and Stunned. II is not ~neces-
'ary to be stingy and parsimouious.
but self-dcnial is necessary, and how,
hard, 1t is not as hard rs financial
ruin. Cor. Rural New Yorker.