The Colfax chronicle., 1900-06-16
FARMERAND PLANTER.
Pointed Question I'm View Of the
Tendency of the Farmer to
Live ON Future Prospects.

you will stop and answer this question
candidly. If you prefer to answer it
individually, all the better. We will
be much benefited if each of us will
answer it candidly.
"The borrower is servant to the
lender"
Now how many Oh us are borrow
ers? 1t may be that vre have not bor-
rowed money as such, out have we not
done the same thing in obtaining va
rious kinds of goods without paying
cash for them?
Very many have bought fertilizers
upon credit. Some have even given or
promised to give cotton notes for these
debts. We have thus placed u lien up
on crop not even planted.
Many have bought or will buy pro-
visions on time. Some have bought
mules on time. Wagons, buggies,
sewing machines, and every conceiva-
BILE thing that makes up the outfit Of
our farms and the equipment of our
home is bought on time.
All these debts are mortgages upon
our future resources.
Now we desire to remind you again
that the borrower is not free man.
He is under kind of servitude to the
lender. Almost every form of business
is shaped to encourage this slavery.
The farmers are known to be the
best paying class of people we have;
hence every tradesman studies how
he may offer inducements to farmers
to buy on credit.
We have become so accustomed TO
this way of doing business that a
majority have concluded it is the
only way to conduct our farming. We
think it is necessary. 1t has been part
of our education. 1t has grown mp
with our growth. We even study how
we may go in debt, instead of how we
may keep out.
enough. Many of us have lost our
farms, our happiness, and our homes.
We have borne this burden until we
have lost our independence.
| AS the original producers of the
largest part of the wealth of the
country, we should be the wealthiest
and frcest class of people in the land.
Debt is the only reason we are
not. We have paid others tc cnslave
us. Ii the interest and commissions
paid by farmers since this generation
began, business could be distributed
among us, we would be the wealthiest
class in the land.
| But we can never reach that happy
condition until we change. We must
stop making promises to pay. "Owe
no man anything" is the wiset maxim
ever written.
There seems to be a lack of business
sense all around.
The government creates large debts,
and mortgages the future safety and
happiness of the people as security.
The municipal governments follow
suit. Every corporation. large and
small, carries its bonded debt and its
floating debt. The churches join in
and teach the people FALSE economy
by carrying all sorts OF debts.
| All these debts educate the people
wrongly and cripple the energies and
opportunities of the future genera
tions. II is said that 95 per cent. OF
the business of this country is done
on credit.
1t is time to stop and think.
Debt is demoraliziny.
1t paralyzes effort and enterprise.
1t ties milestone about the neck
Of manhood. No man is free who is in
debt.
The farmers can shake off this yoke
first and most easily. Judicious econ
omy will enable MS to live upon the
proceeds of our labor. When we prac-
tice this plan we will not only be free
from the CALLING yoke of debt, but we
will soon be independent in money
matters and in personal manhood.
Buying for cash will mean buying
much less and getting what we buy
much cheaper.
1t will mean owning what we grow
and being able TO hold it for faiI
price. 1t will stop all temptation te
sell our cotton before il is planted fol
future deliverey. Every farmer who
sells his cotton in this way not only
Injuries himself, but Injuries every
other farmer who grown cotton. Ex
cry buyer who buys now for fall de
livery will to that extent be out o,
the market in the fall, and lcssenins
competition VIII help to lower tn,
price. OF course the factories are tn,
ultimate buyers. Every factory tha
gets a. supply in this way will no
want more cotton in the fall, henc,
they will not help to keep up th'
price.
We urge our farmer friends not I.
sell for future delivery. OF course ~,