The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-01
THE COMING WINTER.
THE RIGHTS OF DEBTORS.
The Worst the Country Has Yet
Seen.
The Omaha Daily News, says:

farmers are selling their produce be-
low cost, the trades are not half en-
ployed, labor goes begging for work,
millions in the land are absolutely
destitute-and it is midsummer, with
the conditions growing worse instead
OF showing any signs of improvement.
What will we do next?
A tory cOngreSS-an assem- blage con-
siSting of a majority Of monopoly hire
lings-is in power at Washington. An
administration is back of it that
knows no creed save what the gold
Oligarchy dictates. If the crime of
1873 were undone, if the mints were
Immediately thrown open to the free
coinage of silver, and if together with
this $500, coo in greenbacks were in
iccted into the veins of trade, i'm
mediate relief would come. But there
Washington doing this than there is
of the devil appearing on earth and
preaching the gospel of Christ.
Last winter the workingmen had
something left from the labor Of the
previous summer, but next winter
they will have nothing. The prospect
is appalling. How the millions will
live through it passes comprehension.
Nor are the farmers much better Off
The reports from South Dakota are
terrible. Railroad men who daily
pass through it tell us that in whole
regions the farmers will not raise
enough to feed them. In Iowa wheat
is half crop, and corn in great peril.
In Minnesota we cannot count upon
more than half a crop on the average;
in some sections they will scarcely get
their seed back. This would be a
fearful condition if all the people
were free of debt, and with good
credit; but the fact is the majority
arc mortgaged to the eye-lids and lit
tie left to sell or offer as security. Let
that man be thankful who has enough
to feed himself and family until an
other crop is matured, for the hand of
the Lord is heavy on the earth.
Keep a stout heart and endure with
out tinching. If it is any comfort you
can reflect that the whole world is in
bhe same abyss. Is God scOurging the
multitude into thinking? The great
French Revolution was preceded by
lust such an era of famine. The
average man has to be kicked all over
county. and starved for three days,
before he begins to reconsider his
ppinions;-and great many of them
would rathen die ten deaths than give
lp single bigotry.
Remember that even if you are
a debtor you still have some rights as
an American citizen; and the first is,
that the law says your creditors shall
leave you, in any contingency, PRO
visions for the debtor and his family
necessary for one years support,
either provided, or growing, or both;
and fuel necessary for one year"
Also, 'the family bible, family pic
lures, school books or library, musical
Instruments; a seat or pew in any
house or place of public worship; lot
in burial ground; all wearing apparel
of the debtor and his family: all beds,
bedsteads and bedding, stoves and ap-
pendages, all cooking utensils. and all
other household furniture, not herein
enumerated, not exceeding $500 in
value: also all moneys arising from in
surance Of any property exempt from
sale on execution, when such property
has been destroyed by fire." Also
three cows: ten swine, one yoke of
oxen and a horse. or in lieu thereof
span of horses or mules, twenty Sheep
and the wool from the same, either in
the raw material or manufactured in
to yarn or cloth: the necessary food for
all the stock mentioned in this section
for one years support, either provided,
or growing, or both, as the debtor may
chooses; also one wagon, cart or dray,
one sleigh, two plOws, one drag, and
other farming utensils, including
tackle for teams, not exceeding three
hundred dollars in value" Also "the
tools and instruments of any mechan-
ic, miner or other person; and stock in
trade worth $780," Also zone sewing
machine; and necessary seed for the
actual, personal use of the debtor, for
one season, to be selected by him; not
to exceed 50 bushels of wheat, so
bushels of oats. 10 bushels of potatoes,
3 bushels of corn and 80 bushels of
barley and binding material sufficient
to harvest the crop raised from said
seed" Also so acres of land.
OF course the debtor may mortgage
away this exempt property and lose it:
at least that is the custom that has
grown up. The constitution of this
state provides, Cart. l, Sec. 12), that
'a reasonable amount of property
shall be exempt from seizure or sale
for the payment of any debt on liability"
We understand this to mean what it
says:-"o',y debt or liability" whether
created by the party running in debt,
or by giving chattle mortgage on it.
The things that are actually necessary
for life should belong to the family,
children and all; and the head of the
house should be prohibited from
sweeping them away. But the practice
has been otherwise.
The exemption does not apply to
any debt incurred for creating the
thing exempted, or repairing the
same; or to the claim of any laborer or
servant for labor or service per-
formed.
Our readers would do we'll to lay this
article aside and preserve it for future
reference. The law of the state in
tends that no man who has produced
food enough for his sustenance should
StarVp A mans first 6ufv vic fO thDco