The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-02
Talks Concerning. Farming.
BY 8 G. s
TALK NO 6

TALK NO g.
Mr.. Editor Mutual dependence is
the chief order of civilized life I
hold the universal axiom that there is
no such thing as absolute independ
ence in any department of human
life. God only is independent.
Therefore mans affairs are essential
ly relative and dependent
The theme of this talk, as previous
" announced, is 'sTbe merchant as q
prime factor in agricultural as we'll
as municipal matters and how his in
terests and the interests of the farm
er are mutual and commingle insepa-
rably."
Mercantile business may be said TO
be conducted upon fair and equita-
BILE basis when the buyer gets the
worth of his money. and the mer
chant gets, or is sure of getting. all
the money for which he sold his
goods On any other basis the trans
action is hazardous and unfair either
the buyer or the merchant is at q
disadvantage. In all such dealings
the results are precar;ous and ucsat
isfactory. It is the duty of the wise
and prudent to seek out and cure
every cause of evil. As the old
adage goes, "nlp it in the bud"
l look into our agricultural lien
laws and find that the land owner is
go well protected in his prior elaine
that he needs no written farm agree
ment for bis protection against vi
cious tenants Not 80 with the mer-
chant The labor coming next to
the landlord, necessitates certain spe-
cial liens and mortgages by the mer-
chant against the laborer. binding
him and every article of value he
owns upon the hazard of his crop
This policy has a demoralizing infu-
ence over the laborer. debasing his
manhood as we'll as dampening the
ardor Of his ambition There is an.
other evil growing ont Of this meth
cd of mercantile Jurisdiction /; it
places the average tenant beyond
the ken of medical assistance. There
is not doctor in Sumter County who
can afford or will enlist his services
in behalf Of the common tenant upon
his mere ipse dixit to pay.
I hold that if the labor of 9 country
is demoralized, the finances of that
country are likewise; and "hard
times" is the constant cry in all
classes. have briefly stated facts (;
I suggest the remedy as it occurs to
my mind. The merchant as factor
in the commercial world supreme.
They also, 20 great N, sure, hold
the purse strings of the agricultural
wealth of this country What next ?
Well, l practice all l preach, ! say
the farmer and the merchant should
join mutually to remedy the financial
distresses of Sumter County. For
example take plantations with twenty
tenant families. average
smount of merchandise including.
fertilizers. supplies &c, is $75 90
total 81. 500. The common practice
here is for the merchant to proper
ton the kinde of goods on informa
tion received from the tenant, which
two thirds of the time be finds him
self misled and his reckoning found
ed on false basis. The conse-
quences are that the fertilizers he
furnishes are too meager, and quite
unsuited to the soil it was intended
to benefit; the supplies and dry
goods are scant at two hundred per
cent. price, and worst of all very little
of it are necessaries for farm services.
Hence. the laborer soon sees that he
is prey to the sheriff under his lien
contract, and sets to work to steal
his crop OF otherwise act against
tie old maxim that "honesty is the
best policy" Do you want remedy
Take for example the twenty tenant
plantation referred to:
First, the landlord aud merchant
should get together at the begiDpiHg
aod determine the amount Of the require
meut for each tenant. and the proper
tions of dry goods, groceries and fef-
tilizers as we'll as farming Implements.
seed oats, &c, and agree to divide
equally for their pay; but the mer-
chants account should at no time exceed
the amount Of the landlords rent.
This holds equally With smaller farms.
Secondly, there should be no csrry-
ing over from year to year OF old debts.
The end of each year should terminate
the tenants debts with both landlord
and merchant Let this become the
custom 10 Sumter aud every landlord
..S ..o..bo,k ILL hv ,ho oo%,,ro1 ord .