Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-01-15
AGAINST THE LIEN LAW.
Fiaht to Be Pushed With Unusual
Ninor This Session.

There are a large number OF bills
already introduced for the repeal OF
what Is known as the lien law, says
the Columbia correspondent OF the
News and Courier, and 1t Is possible
that q few more bills for this same
purpose are yet in state OF prepara-
ton. The proposition to repeal this
law Is a familiar one to those who
have watched the progress OF legisla-
ton in this state for the last severa
years, but 1t seems likely now that the
fight this year against the law and the
whole lien system will be pushed with
even more vigor and determination
than ever before The movement has
the endorsement of the Southern Cot
ton association, which at It's recent
meeting in this. city passed resolu-
tion calling on the legislature to re-
peal the law.
Among the present members OF the
house who have waged warfare on the
lien system for many years are Mr.. p.
E. Werner OF Oconee, and Capt. j. q.
Richards of Kershaw. Capt. Richards
has introduced a bill year after year
ever since he has been in the general
assembly and has kept up the night
without cessation. He Is hard Tight
er in any contest, and in this one he
has shown his usual pertinaclty. Capt.
Richards states that he believes the
fight will be won at this session, and
he Is ready for the fray.
Mr.. Werner Is also hopeful Of carry
ing his point at last. When he came
to the legislature about ten years ago
he put In a bill to repeal the lien law,
and he has studied the whole situation
very carefully. Because Of his knowl-
edge Of the subject Mr.. Werner was
asked to tell something about the lien
law and it's working. He said:
you ask about the lien law. Well,
sir, that is a dull subject, but II now
appears as II 1t will be lively one In
the present session, with better
chance to repeal the law than at any
previous time. This law has been upon
the statutes just forty years, having
been enacted in September, 1855. In
the fall Of 1887 1t was repealed, but re-
enacted in the spring of 1888 so there
has not been a single crop made In the
state since the war that was not first
mortgaged to q great extent before the
crop was planted. This law In one
sense Is q war measure. Not that II
was created to raise revenues to prose-
cute war, but to give credit to peo-
pie who had been greatly impoverished
by a terrible civil war; Like many
real war measures, when once 1t be-
came the law 1t was, and Is, hard to
get rid of though the purpose OF It's
enactment has been accomplished.
1.-The objections to the law? We'll,
"rst, 1t is largely basis OF credit In
this state and has been since its first
enactment, and 1t is regarded as very
"nsafe collateral. This, Of course. calls
for and encourages usury when money
Is loaned on such security and encour-
ages exOrbitant profits when goods are
sold with only such security as
growing crop can make.
Second, this law has given credit to
a large class of ignorant and careless,
characterless people, whose system, or
lack of system, Of farming has we'll
nigh exhausted a very large portion or
the farm lands OF the state. Again,
this class. who should be more or less
controlled by the landowners of the
state are to a large extent in the hands
Of the merchants. thereby creating the
anomalous condition of one class own
ing the lands, keeping up improve
ments and paying taxes and another
class virtually controlling these lands.
Il would call your attention to an
other very deplorable condition which,
think, is largely due to this law. You
hear a great deal about young negro
men and boys focking to the country
towns and cities, where they become
loa fers and idlers to a great extent.
This habit is largely formed on the
farms in the winter months. At the
beginning of each year the very first
thing the average tenant does Is to
give q lien on the crop to be planted.
and he brings home a lot OF groceries,
shoes and clothing. The cold. rainy
months are on. and 1t Is we'll known
fact that the negro will not work In
cold weather If he can help himself.
Having obtained supplies for a month
or so man with his boys In many
cases loafs about, goes to town, eats,
drinks and does nothing much else.
Thus the idle habit Is formed, and
when time comes to plant he only then
begins to prepare the land. The boys
having learned from past experience
that as the days grow longer and not
ter the ever watchful merchant Will
reduce more and more their grocery
bill and having also already learned
something Of the easy, idle life OF the
towns. they leave their father to his
task and GO This Is very far-reaching
in it's effects and deserves more con-
sideration than Is given it.
But you would like to know Of the
immediate cause of the demand for the
repeal of this law. I think II Is large
" due to the desire on the part OF the
cotton planters in this state speaking
through their various organizations to
control the sale and price Of cotton.
They are learning at last that 1t is I'M
possible to hold cotton off the market
in the fall when more than one-half
Of 1t Is sold before the crop Is plant
ed"
What Of the benefits that are to
come from the repeal Of the law"
We'll. sir, | think they would be
many, but primarily II would put the