The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-01
Tle gsrala a,la Weavs,
E. Ii. AULL, EDITOR.
THE LIEN LAW STANDS.

wv 'hSh i"" "c uiu noU KnO" tnat the
vote had already been taken and that
the law was left in tact, but such was
the case. In the House on Thursday
the Rogers bill repeating the lien law
was up for discussion and by vote of
% to 80 the repeating act was indcli-
nltely postponed. We felt sure that
would be the result Whenever the mat
ter came up. This bill provided that
the repeating act should go into effect
on January |, 1899. OF our delegation
Messrs. Kibler and Banks voted against
Indefinite postponcmcnt while Dr..
Wyche voted to indefinitely postpone.
Inc Dill mover reached the Senate.
The debate on the subject was spirit
ed and interesting. In favor of repeal
ing Mr.. Werner of Oconcc is reported
as making the following remarks:
Mr. Werner secured tho floor and be-
gan by stating that all would agree on
the proposition that the paop'c should
be protected. The question is how to
protect them. The present lien law
nad been tried for thirty years and
found wanting. Under it's operation
larmers worked from Christmas TO
christmas and ut the end of this severe
sCraln were hungry and in rags. The
people OF this State will never be re-
duced from poverty while the lien law
stands. The gentleman advocated the
repcal OF the law and forcing the far
mers TO diversity and thereby become
prosperous. The southern farmer is
the greatest gambler on the face of
Gods earth. Talk about Monte Carlo.
II Is not in it with the southern farmer.
ne sells his cotton before Il seed Of it
Is put in the ground. The fools Of the
world throw away over $4,000, 900 Il
year ut Monte Carlo, while the fools of
the south throw away ten times $lQ,-
100000 every year by the lien law. Hc
was tired Of all this talk about the Door
man. Justice was wanted. If some
one was to get up here and Introduce
OIL 10 abolish hell some one would
oppose 1T by the statement that .if he'll
IS aDollshed the poor mun would have
no place to wurm.n
There were speeches alone the same
line and other arguments used and
some wanted to adjourn debate until
they could hear from their constitu-
ents. That was where the shoe pinch
ca. Many did not know just what the
people wanted and as this is election
year they did not want to make Il mis-
take and scarcely knew where they
were ut. The lien law is u convenient
system OF credit and that is one ohicc
tlon to it. 1t makes credit too easy
and many people abuse the credit thcy
thus secure. The merchant is tempt
n1 n,
the profit is great. Under the present
conditions it would have been hard ON
many people to wipe out this easy sys-
tenn Of credit, but in the end it. would
have proved great blessing to the
farming interests Of this State The
man who uses Il lien barely pays his
lien at the end Of the year and has liv-
cd scantily and niggardly besides and
thcn he is dependent on the man to
whom he has given the lien for what
nc 's 10 eat and wear. Better live on
half rntions for one year and gct out
from this bondage than be forced to
give lien for his rations. Still it is
In tho power Of the farmers to rcpcal
1t by not using it. Let them make up
their minds now that their liens this
year shall be small and go to work to
be independent Of liens altorcthcr
another year.
Mr. Livingston of Marlboro took the
other side OF the question and with
Others spoke against repeal. 1t is Il de-
batablc question and much can be said
on both sides. We give his remarks n;
reported in the daily papers:
MIR. Livingston said that the present
bill is an illustration of the maxim.
history repeats itself. The lien law
was ilrsc enacted in 1866, the product it
Is said, of II gentleman from Marlboro,
who at that time was IL member from
this house. In 1877 the law was re-
penled go into effect the ensuing ,Janu-
airy. Before that time rolled around for
the repeating statute to take effect, the |
law was rc-cnacted with the proviso,
however, that it was TO continue of |
force for one year only. In the mean |
time an election was held and one of |
the first things done by the new gcncr-
al assembly was to rc-cnact the law,
ana 1T has been upon the statute books |
over since. The very same arguments |
o'"V '"NS 'SSh ttNuuCctl lOt tIC |
peal or the law were used on the two
occasions referred to, yet such has !
been the demand for such an enabling |
statute that on each occasion it. has |
been rc-cnactcd. Why has such been |
the case? 1t gives q basis of credit to
class who desire and need assistance.
Why should a man who is so Fortunate
as to have property be authorized to !
mortgage 1t while the man who has
only brain and muscle is dcbarrcd that
right? Equal rights to all, special
privileges to none," has been the slo-
gan for years. Why should the labor
or be the only one excepted from that
moral and economic principle? The
result from the passage of this bill will
be far reaching. 1t not only deprivcs
the man whose only capital is his Ia
Dor from obtaining credit, but it re-
peals all laws giving tho landowner a
lien for rent 1t affects both the ton
ant and the landlord. The former can
not give lien nor can the latter take
one to secure even his rent. win not
this result cause confusion, loss and
litigation? Topass this bill as it reads
won l1 make 81 nipnip fn,. th, l.,