Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-06-04
USURI..

~~ - -. N~@1s ~ ~s"ss~~ef< ACmA043t&<
II has been shown in previous is.
sues Of this paper that the pressure
OF debt and the low prices Of farm
products have disabled farmers to
such an extent that they cannot
profit by modern improvements and
inventions, by the application Of
science in their farm practice. The
results apparent from the census
Investigations of mortgage indebt-
edness show clearly that the farm
ers OF the United States are carry
ing as class . cruel, alarming and
enormous burden Of usnry. Large
amounts Of mortgage Indebtedness
are carried BY them Ut usury as high
as 2Oper cent. The memorable de-
mand of these usurers must be
semi-annually met or the home
goes under the hammer. and evic-
tion swiftly follows. No legi.i-
mate business can pay such a rate
as One-fifth the investment and
leave anything for taxes, running
expenses and support of family.
Such epcumberances are mere des-
perate expedients to postpone the
evil hour until some avenue of es-
cape may perehance be discovered.
Usury laws are as rule provided
with one of the many modern thief
escapes which cunning attorneys
know so well how TO provide. And
there is moreover this additional
ugly fact that these usurious in
vestments escape taxa ION, and a
double burden is SO thrown upon
the farm. OF what use is it to
point out to q man thus ground be-
tween the upper and the neither
millstones of usury and double tax
alton, that his lands lack organic
matter and that he ought to buy
clover seed and plaster, and buy
stock to feed, and make and haul
out manure. He cannot wait for
a crop of clover to grow, for he
must meet the demands of the tax
gatherer and the usurer or be turn
ed into the highways. He cannot
hfBdHRd; lie danhot' BUY STOCK wriii.
ont money it takes every possible
dollar which can be had by skill in
plnndering the sol to keep the usu-
rer and the tax gatherer at bay.
We have said, and it is here repeat
ed with all the earnestness of pro-
found conviction, that in the face
of present conditions, a great ma
jority of American farmers are de-
barred from the benefits of modern
skill. These conditions are the re-
suit of misgovernment, as no hon.
est man who knows what he is talk
ing about will dare attempt to deny.
1t is the duty of government to
destroy with an uplifted arm and a
mighty hand, the nefarious busi-
ness of the usurer. To say that it
cannot be done is mere foolishness ;
it can be done, and it must be done
or trouble will come of it. 1t is
not here intended to impugn the
accuracy Of the work of the census,
nor the honesty of the results OF
the returns as given out by the super
intendent. But everybody knows
that Mr.. Porter has not exaggerat-
ed the facts, if he has not minimiz.
ed them as published and attempt
ed to explain them away. His fig
ures show, and he does not attempt
to deny that they show, an enOr-
nous mortgage Indebtedness and q
vast amount of usury resting upon
American agriculture. That his
figures reveal the exact extent OF
this burden is not within the limits
of possibility. The vastness Of il
is well known without his figures,
but the figures stop the mouths oi
such as have the hardihOod to de-
nv the truth or minimize the i'm
portance of the facts. The ALI.
ance did wisely in pressing its de
mand for this investigation in spite
of those who clamOred about tn,
expense of it and the ''inquisitQtf
al' nature Of the inquiries. It ii
to be hoped that the Alliance vii
will make relentless war on thu
Insurer, and the smuggling THE
who imposes double taxation on hi
neighbor by mailing fa,se return
of has own property. Let the prac
tical farmer be well assured that al
pretense of benefitting his callini
by schools and colleges and expert
mental stations /; all attempts b
such means to advance it, even il
-. h;uLor hra nohas IN the nOaitinl