The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-01-03
7afrers. Be-

II eGSm rom Cne preceQlnS DaQ
III, thew wind up with as large or
larger ones to face in the next year.
Farmers around here may be divided
into three classes: Those who have
been for many years clear Of debt,
those who manage to make enough
each year to pay out, and those who
never pay out. Each class has lost
this year. Many who have never
known what it was to want or stint
their families have within the last
three years been brought face to face
with it. Many whose simple word
has been heretofore sufficient to, Sc
cure any supplies have been forced to
OF life. And why? Not because they
have become so dishonest, but because
each year leaves a balance against
atbem, and their creditors have become
wary.
The cotton crop here is at least 25, or
so per cent short, in some cases SO per
cent short. Now, the farmer as a
class never speculates or plants with
The whole expected proceeds Of the
farm are pledged for some purpose
improvements to farm lands, build
ssSs, etc. Any shortage means that
$A things cannot be done. There
j ehe balances left over this year
asst equal to the shortage in the
# nd in great many cases. they
The>@eac majority -of-suf
have<to have advances before
ss;ale. a furrow. These advan-
got been able to pay.
S-- farmers almost as a
= Spseat n1Irlber OF white
sSsS these advances on crop
5sbillS Of sale Of personal
80 What are their prospects
Gs sher year? This is hard to tell.
sSSwho still have a supply from
ssGfS back will not be embarrassed,
except in the knowledge that their
reserve fund grows smaller. The
second class viii have. to give papers
close and binding for SUPPLIES for the
year and to cover the balance tefI.
The third Glass, ii 5!ia lien merchants
SUCK TO S.t42GiLr resolution. wIA either
have to wo24I as day iabcreTs or
emigrate.
What ABOUT labor? Many Lave al
reody hireo nanos Tor anorner year,
and the prospect is that there will be
more offering to hire than ever. This
will certainly be the case if the lien
merchants stickte-th their declared pur-
!, pcssso IN their cd5fuess, and l
think they mean to do it this year,
though it has been somewhat like the
cry Of "wolf! wolf!,'' The price paid
for farm labor has always been fair to
the farmer, and to the hand. These
prices vary a little; hardly any farmer
makes exactly the same bargain.
One has made this bargain with his
men: They work four and half days
in return for rations, horsepower for
one and a half days, to seven acres OF
ground, and four dollars a month. He
thinks this a fair bargain sfor both.
Somesmen get hands cheaper, but
above is an average offer. Those who
have worked for wages the past year
are without doubt the best off to-day,
While many were almost starving at
times the plough-boy got his ratlons
every week, and you cannot please a
negro better than5y feeding him.,
The merchants are trying hard to
hold up but it is hard struggle.
Tney havs felt the bad year as per-
haps no Sther class. They are the
ones who have been carrying over the
balances from year to year, until now
they are loaded up" They have car.
rleO Ch6 balances, trusting IL luLuEe
crops. It seems now that they have
concluded that any further advances
will be suicidal and they say that the
lien business will have to close. This
will be blessing to the country. l
know one merchant who has been
doing a small credit on open account.
He has failed to collect, while his
books record some good people, who
have never before allowed their ac-
counts to run over so long.
The above are hard facts, and sad to
relate, but a roseate view OF the pres.
eut and future would be a delusion
and IA snare. II the present price OF
cotton is a normal one, what have we
to hope from next years crcp? just
about as many acres will be planted
and the condition OF the farmer will
be the same.
Mr.. Lawrence 1rwill, writing in the
Chautauquan, says the present depres
sion Of trade IS the result Of ''over con
sumption" I&he idea is that the con
suming u:Jre capital than they pro-
This is q new theory, but i
be the right one. Let's spenc
- mara