The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-09-22
GOING TO LAW.

mVO1VluS UIl6 pOSStSSIOu VI property
worth a few dollars, has dragged
through the courts for years until
when it is finally adjudicated in the
court Of last appeal, it has brought
| financial ruin to one OF possibly both
Of the parties to the suit. This loss
of money is not the only evil attend
ant upon litigation, for the neighbOrs
| usually take sides in the quarrel and
not infreQuently animOsitieS are en-
| gendered which results in lifelong
| feuds and bitterness. We have seen
thirty or forty witnesses summoned
| from a single neighbOrhOod, half of
| whom would testify positively to some
statement which the other half would
deny, and before the trial had ended
| there would be two hostile camps filled
with hatred and bitterness.
We believe that In nine cases out Of
ten neighbOrs make a mistake when
| they take their difficulties into the
courts to settle them. Even if the
matter is viewed from the financial
| standpoint alone, and when we put it
on the higher ground of morals, and
neighbOrly kindness, and remember
that peace and friendship are far more
precious than money, it would be pos
sibly nearer the truth to say ninety
nine out of one hundred.
1t is often hard to restrain the temper,
and do and say what is right under
great prOvOcatiOn, but no one who is
able to do it, ever regrets it afterward,
and so when a difference of opinion
arises, and we begin to feel that our
rights are invaded, we should put a
double guard upon u lips and in
trench Our judgment lest we make
the mistake Of hot speech and haSty
action which a not be remedied.
| We will suggest some helps to restrain
ing words and acts which are likely to
cause a quarrel which must be settled
in the courts.
One of the first is to determine before
hand and lay it down as a rule of
your life that only as a last resort will
you engage in a law suit. If your ex-
~perience and observation have been
limited, so that you maintain tie idea
that our courts and Justice are infalli-
bic and that they will speedily mete
out justice, we would advise you to
| spend q few leisure days in attendance
| upon a court, studying the methods,
inQUiring into the delays, making
yourself familiar with the question
of costs, and especially with the prac-
tees of the lawyers, and the prOba-
bility is that you will soon arrive at
the conclusion that a lawsuit is a
luxury beyond your reach.
SecOnd-When q difficulty arises be-
tween yourself and a neighbOr, do not
be too haSty in expressing an opinion,
OF too sure that you are all right, and
he all wrong. Remember that there
are two sides to every case, and that
it is for your interest to understand
both sides, So instead of expressing
a hasty Judgment, and perhaps pro
vOking a no. and hasty reply, it is the
highest wisdom to say to your neigh
Dor, let us think owe this matter until
another day. Then in the quiet of
your own home, sit in cool dispassion-
ate judgment on this matter. Put
yourself in your neighbours place and
ask yourself what you would desire
and expect of him, If he was in your
place. This will often give a good
light in which to act and help YOU to
an adjustment of difficulties.
But we would advise that you go
farther than settling the question Of
the right of the case, and if in your
cool, sober judgment you decide that
the equities are all on your side, still
consider whether the game is worth
the powder, - or in other words, whether
it will not be better to compromise and
L = ~ III Jul h11ON II 11SlIGS, ldlllCI
than to run the risk of the miscarriage
of justice, of the laws delay, of the eX-
pense of getting what you believe to
be justice, and greater than all, of the
bitterness and animOsity which a law
suit almost invariably carries with it.
You may have fewer dollars for de
Gliding to avOid a lawsuit, but it is prob
able you will have more.
But there IRE things more valuable
than dollars, and peace and friendship
are among these. We have now in
mind a case where two neighbOrs
joined farms for a distance of one
hundred rods, but one had built and
owned all the fence. The other died,
and his administrator sold the farm to
another man, who supposed he bought
half Of this fence, and when told by
the other that he did not, he flew in a
passion and wore that he would hold
the fence by law. The other man kept
his temper, thought over the matter
for a day, and then went to his neigh
Dor and said: | can see that there are
two sides to this question, and [ am
sure that you and [ can not afford to
go to law about it; now, [ will leave it
entirely to you to settle, and if you
think, after knowing all the facts, that
you ought to have half of this fence,
you shall have it, and l will never say
a word.
The result was that the old man was
completely disarmed, a compromise
was at once effected satisfactory to both
and the two have been the best Of
friends eve since. 1t is probable that
the first named farmer sacrificed ten
dollars in the compromise, but be
gained a friend and neighbor, and in
the ten years which have passed since
there has nnvnr hnon q hndnur hn+u-nnn