St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-06-09
FARMERAND PLANTER
ARE WE A FREE PEOPLE7
A Pointed Question in View of the
Tendency Of the Farmer to
Live ON Future Prospects.

ACUslCuCy VI uNC EaEuiCC l
Live ON Future Prospects.
This may cen to be strange
question to ask. Vet we insist that
YOU will stop and answer this question
candidiy. If you prefer to answer it
individually, all the better. We will
be much benefited if each of us will
answer it canGidly.
"The borrower is ervant to h
lender"
Now how many of us are borrow
ers? 1t may be that we have not Dor
rowed money as such, but have we not
done the same thing in obtaining y
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 i lien up
on a 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 hat makes up the outfit of
our farms and the equipment of II
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 a free man.
He is under a kind of servi.ude to the
lender. Almost every form of business
is shaped to this slavery.
The farmers are known to he the
best paving class. of people we have;
| hence every tradesman Studies how
he may offer Inducements 10 rmer
to buy on credit.
We have become so accustomed TO
this way of doing business that a
majority have. sconclud.d it is the
only way TO conduct our Turning. We
think it is. necessary. 1t has been part
of u education. 1t has grown mp
with o1rgrowfh. We even study how
we may GO IN debt, instead of how we
may keep out.
We have run this programme long
enough. Many of us have lost our
farms, u happiness. and our homes.
We have borne this burden until we
have lost or independence.
As the original producers Of the
largest part of the wealth of the
country, we should be the: w~caithiest
and freest class of people in the land.
Debt is the only reason I'VE are
not. We have paid others t. cnslave
us. RI the interest and commissions:
paid ~bytarmers since this generation
began, business could be distributed
among us. we would be the weal,hiest
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 ant
happiness of the people as security
The municipal governments follow
suit. Every corporation. large ans
small, carries its bonded debt and it
floating debt. The churches join il
and teach the people false ccononl!
by carrying all sorts OF debts.
All these debts educate the peopl,
wrongly and cripple the energies ant
opportunities of the future genera
tions. 1t is said that IS per cent. o
the business of this country is dom
on credit.
1t is time to stop and think.
Debt is demoraliziny.
1t paralyzcs effort and enterprise.
1t ties a milestone abou, the necl
of manhood. No man is free who is il
debt.
The farmers can shake off this yok
first and most easily. JudiciOus econ
omy will enable rs to live upon III
proceeds Of our labor. When we prac
tice this plan we will not only he fire
n from the CALLING yoke Of debt, but "
will soon be independent in none
matters and in personal manhood.
Buying for cash will mean bnyin
much less and getting what we bu
much cheaper.
It will mean owning what we gro'
and being able 10 holi it for a fai
price. 1t will stop all temptation I
! cell orr cotton before il is planted fo
: future delivery. Every farmer VI,
cells his cotton in this way not onl
. Injuries himself. but Injuries ever
other farmer who grown cotton. F.
i cry buyer who buys now for fall d.
livery will to that extent be out {
l the market in the fall, and lcssenin
2 competition win help to lower ii
!. price. OF course the factories are til
o ultimate buyers. Every factory Ii;
gets a supply in this way will nj
want more cotton in the fall, ltent
I they will not help ID keep up ii
price.
. We urge our farmer friends not |
sell for future delivery. OF course "
:. urge them to keep entirely out of II
. future business. All they do in til
e business is ultimately against then
selves. As a class. ". believe farm
4 ers are losing more in speculation tina
o they are making farming.
Keep to your own legitimate bus
ness. Keep out Of debt. Pay cash Il
what you buy, and you viii soon to !
the real rulers of this country. At al
rate you will be happy builders
happy homes.-Soutiern C%ultivator.