The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-10-24
Audsrspts gatsttigeHtet.
Don't Mortgage Your Land.

Don't Mortgage Your Land.
In Hall County fGa.l newspaper We
ind this simple statement under the col,
amn Of .'Sherif Sales" which has word
of meaning
The following property Was sold at the
Court House by Sheriff Mundy, Tuesday
morning.
James McKown's fatm Of S26 acres,
known as the Blackstock place, sold to
the American Freehold Land Mortgage
Company, of London, for $500.
Spencer Martins farm of 1874 acres,
purchased by the same company for $500.
William T. Turks farm of 125 acres
was bid in by the London company for
s45O.25.
Ira J. Little's Of 96 acres WAS also pur.
chased by the company above named fot
1870.
Here we have four farms sold to 3 for.
eign corporation, at a price scarcely more
than IS 90 per aero ffthis should hap
pen to be an isolated instance, it would
chiefly concern the four unfortunate lar
mers who had borrowed money which
failed to prove renumeratiee, or who had
met misfortnnes. But these cases in
Georgia do not stand alone, they unfor
tunately represent just what has hap
pened TO great extent all over this
country, and what, as we have reason to
fear, will continue to traEspife to more
alarming extent in the future. There is
disposition to view this subject indif-.
ferently, as one of those matters which
must be governed by the natural laws of
supply and demand: We have in this
country far more land than money, and
our people seem never backward when
an opportunity .fers to convert acres into
dollars.
When settler moves into comr,u..
nity md buys tract of land with the
intention of becoming citizen, whether
he be native or alien born, he is vel.
coined. But there is s. vast difference
between the two cases. This land which
the sheriff sold was bought by men who
have no interest in our government, no
care for our social, Intellectual Of: moral
advancement. They buy our lands,
which they let to such tenants upon such
terms as will insure the greatest returns.
| Now, we contend that it is the duty of
Congress to protect this country from
alien landlords. We ara, forging fettera
which will bne day bind US hand and
foot.
But there is another view-another
lesson drawn from the four farms OF Hall
County under the auctioneer's hammer.
In the. balmly sunshine of spring the
farmers begin TO prepare Cor q bountifal
yield at the harvest. he needs little
money to buy supplies and stock. This
is likely to bea good year, he thinks, and
hence he doubles his force and acreage.
So sanguine, he hesitates not to sign q
mortgage. When the season is advanced
be finds that his wants have wonderfully
increased, and the full amount is already
exhausted. a drought comes. the sea.
sons are not right, insects and q thou
sand other causes operate to blight thu
magnificent prospects. Pay day finds
the poor man unp.epared, and the farm
the home must go. he looks upon the
wife and che children, and IS he sees
them leave the old home, which repre-.
sents long years ofpstient toll, he re-
members how the family struggled, how
they denied themselves luxuries, how
Ghey saved and shifted and turned to pay
for that home. He remembers the
| sweet satisfaction-the feeling OF indie.
pendence, the noble pride, which filed
the hearts of all when the last dollar was
paid and he became the undisputed
owner of that farm. Itis no wonder that
his heart is now broken, and his spirit
gone. By ONE step amiss he fell from an
eminence gained only by pears Of indus.
try, and late in life the poor fellow goes
Quito fight life's battles anew. The con-
fict is an uneven one, he falls again.
Debts are dangerous.-Laurens Aduer-
tiser.