The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-02-01
VOL. XIX.

ment on Monday when ne seid tDat
the repeal Of the lien law would re-
duce the price of cotton. He said
that the repeal Of the lien law in this
State could never reduce the price of
cotton, for the number Of bales
raised in this State was not drop
in the bucket.
The lien law enabled a man to
start the business year and to plant
his crop when otherwise he would
have had no money. How is man
to get out OF debt, OF to prosper in
the world by selling his horse and
hiring out to neiehbors. This would
be the result of the repeal of the lien
law.
The repeal of the lien law would
entail a ser7itude which should not
be permitted. It would take away
liberty of action .nd the liberty of
contracting. It is the poor man who
needs protection, and instead of be-
ing protected ne would be crushed d
by the repeal CT the lien law. 1t
would make the yeomen Of this coun,
try self and a bordsman. It would
take away his support. 1t would
make him no better than The negro
hireling.
1t makes the yeoman of4bis coun-
try seff and bondsman. 1t takes
away the foundations.
Mr.. Sharpe asked who ever heard
Of a man having liberty under a lien.
The lien law is gross tyranny. He
appealed for the repeal of this law.
He was committed to his people to
vote against the lien law, and he
would do so. He knew what the
farmer wanted, and he would vote
for the farmer. Josh Ashley inter
rupted him with a question as to how
the lone hoss' farmer would live if
the lien law were repealed? He re-
piled that there are more zone hoss"
farmers in the State than any other
class. The zone hoss" farmers sup
ports the lawyer, tie doctor and
every other class. That class calls
for the repeal of this law, and he
was going to vote for it's repeal.
They could get along without it, and
they would do so if the law should
be repealed. Mr.. Shsrpe's speech
created very favorable impression.
Mr.. c. P. Sanders, representing, as
he said, thrifty and prosperous
county, stated that for thirty years
he had watched his county prosper
under the lien law. He had seen
these farmers accumulating property
under the lien. Had i. not been for
this law, these farmers would have
been compelled to hire themselves
out. If you take away from the
farmer the right to get credit you
bind him hand and foot. Iu the last
few years the number of liens in bis
county has decreased fifty per cent.
through the operations Of this very
lien law. For through its operations
they had obtained credit and were
by it enabled to save money ard
build homes. IL q few years more
by the operations Of this law the
farmer will become independent.
Mr.. Jeremiah Smith said the farm
ers were not fools. They haven't
asked for the repeal Of this law.
Haven't they some organisation ali
over the State? If they want this
law done away with, why doesn't the
alliance send representatives here to
ask for the repeal of the Law? Be-
cause they don't want it repealed.
The farmer knows the advantage OF
the lien law. The rich farmer is the
man who asks for the repeal OF the
lien Law. so that be can gobble up
the little farmer. The merchant, toe,
would rather have mortgage than a
lien, and he wants it repealed.
Labor is capital, and should con-
sti.ute basis of credit. If You say
that it is not, you legislate for CAPT
tai and against labor. If the lien
law were to be abolished, it is but
right to do away with mortgages On
crops, too. He knew brave, true
Confederate veterans who gave liens,
and who were honorable men Nor
were they suffering. He gave notice
of an amendment if the bill was not
killed anyway.
Mr.. Sawyer said that they should
take away the liberties afforded by
the law, they would drive the farmer
to working for wages, IS or $40 a
month on which to support a family
The only man who had asked him tc
vote for the lien law was a lawyer
owning landed estates, but he had
/ Il f,~,,ero tn bor, him to vote fC