The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-02-08
Crop Liens.

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almost surely one of the most injuri.
GUS incidents of Southern agricul-
ture is the large amount of credit
extended to every farmer because Of
the fact that all advances properly
made for the production of agricul-
tural crops constitute crop lien
thereon, and the party making such
advances has precedence over most
other creditors. 1t would seem a
harsh measure if all legislation in the
direction of crop liens were abol-
ished, and yet such measure would
force such conservative farming
upon Southern cultivators as would
certainly make them richer in the
long run.
When a farmer who expects to
raise 10 bales of cotton or 100 bags
of rice can 60 to the neighboring
store and buy supplies based upon
this expected crop, making the seller
preferred creditor thereon, there
is brought about freedom of buy
ing based upon every cultivator's
confidence in the future that would
not result if the purchases could only
be made based upon the character
and financial ability of the buyer.
1t is a well known fact that many
merchants are willing to take large
chances in the matter of making
advances, believing as they do that
with their superior skill they will
make themselves secure no matter
who else may suffer.
The temptation therefore comes
to the farmer to buy goods that he
may not really need; to buy to q
larger extent than a conservative
estimate OF his coming crop would
justify and to take chances that are
unfortunately too often against him.
In most of the Northern and
Western States crop liens are un-
known. A farmer who has any re-
sources and a good character can
always secure sufficient credit to
carry on his business. In the South
ern States the production of special
crops and especially of the great
staple crops, cotton, sugar and rice,
has developed a peculiar credit sys.
tenn, and a class of merchants en-
tirely unknown in many other States.
The cotton factor, or sugar factor
who advances money or merchan-
disc to the planter, makes special
business of dealing in this kind of
credits, and is willing to advance to
any reasonable extent based upon
the crop that will probable be pro-
duced. In Ohio, Indiana and ILL.,
nois, the farmer who raises corn,
wheat, hogs and cattle, may have
good credit, but he has no factor to
go to, from whom he can get adj
vances with which to carry on the
business. This factorage business
and the incidental crop liens seem
to be peculiar to the Southern States,
and while margins were large it has
generally seemed judicious to avail
of such opportunities for credit to
enable the cultivator to extend his
cultivation to the largest possible
limits and to carry the work on in
the best possible manner.
1t is statistical fact that ninety
merchants or more out of every humid
red fail of success. Agriculture is
necessarily very uncertain in its re-
suits, although averaging large re-
turns in this country. Any cultiva-
tor who is IN debt for his property
is tempted to extend his cultivation
to still larger limits to more quickly
liquidate his Indebtedness, and in
dong this takes chances that expert
ence has shown cause failure in COM
mercial circles, and we may fairly
add such chances when taken are al
most sure to cause failure in agricul-
tural circles.
1t is an observed fact that those
agriculturists who 60 the least into
debt are the ones who are the most
apt to be permanently successful.
Some brilliant success have been
made by those who are willing to in
volve themselves very deeply, but
the chances are against such. The
experience Of the last twenty years
in Southern agriculture has shown
thousands of failures, most of which
have been brought about by the fact
that the farmers or planters have
gone too deeply into one crop, and
have not sufficiently provided them
selves with those articles that con-
servative farmers ordinarily produce
at home rather than buy on credit.
To be more specific we may say that
millions of bushels of corn consumed
in the South, tens of thousands of
horses and mules, and hitherto prac-
tically our entire supply of meats,
have come from the other States of
the Union, when conservative agri-
culture would demand that these sup
plies should be produced at home by
each farmer to the extent, at least,
of his own wants. The temptation