The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-02-12
q" Slabs - Nominations.
editor The Manning Times.

Editor Inc ManllnS lines:
After an absence from your columns
of several months will scratch you a
line or two, whether it finds its way to
the waste-basket or not.
We'll, another year has slipped by
and still another fairly on its way.
haven't beer in this world as long as
some other people know, but | don't
think | can remember year when the
farmer, as class, had to start in for
another crop under as gloomy circum-
stances. That is broad assertion to
make. but just think how many farmers
on the first day Of March next will not
have grain of homemade corn. And
how many haven't got grain now, and
how many have been buying corn ever
since the first of January. We may
and do have 20 buy lot of things every
year. but great frogs and tarapins, to
have to buy corn, bread. the staff OF
life. and not only to have to be buying
it now. but to have been buying 1t ever
since before it was made. If that aim t
somethin' else then I'd like for some
body to tell me what it is. And corn
already a dollar bushel and just a
trottin' right on, like it didn't care
whether we got any or not. But we
amt so bad off as we might be: and
there is one thing among many other
things that we have always got to be
thankful for. and that is the fact that
we are curiously. fearfully, wonderfully
and amazingly made. You just think
about it a little and you see what say
about man is so. Here he is. amt got
no corn. amt got but mighty little
meat, and over half of 'em amt got
none: amt got no taterS. amt got no
rice. amt got no peas, amt got no
syrup, in fact amt got no nothin' but
a debt hangin' over him from last year,
and awful curious feelin' somewhere
about him, that maybe, perhaps, there
amt any use to ask his good old friend
the merchant for any more credit until
that last year debt is paid. OF course
we amt all in that bad fix, but a heap
of US is, every inch of it. Right here
is where that amazing fact comes In.
In spite of all these facts starln' US IN
the face, we wool hatters are just goin'
ahead with big, willin', hopeful hearts,
getting ready for another crop, just
like we had plenty, and do say, when
YOU can see that we amt all dlscour-
aged all to pieces and down in the
mouth about our prospects, then YOU !
have to admit that man is curiouslv and
wonderfully made.
And. Mr.. Editor, this chat about hard
times brings another thought to my
mind. When a merchant fails, when
he makes lot OF bad sales to untrust-
worthy people that won't pay their
debts, that's one cause OF failure, put
believe more general cause for failure
on the merchants part is bad manage
ment on his part, but let the cause be
what it may, when he fails all his bosses
come to see him and he patches up
things to the tune of about % or SO
cents on the dollar, and he starts ont a
newman, healed and elected.
Now, when a farmer fails, in place OF
settling up for Is or 80 cents on the dol
Ter, that same old debt sticks to him
like grim death to cooter's back, and
right there it sticks right on as long as
he's able to plant little patch of cot
ton and promise to pay. This IS a
mighty curious old world. but for all
that it's just the best old world to live
in that I ever seen.
l see from the papers that one of
them big warehouses is for sale. Now
you town fellows what's got money do
the right thing. fall in line and buy it
and run it according to the editor OF
The MANNING TIMES, and the way
you'll buy tobacco next fall will be a
caution to sinners. We are all expect
ing TO get rich on tobacco this year.
Yours truly,
JOHN SLAB.