Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-22
REPEAL OF THE LIEN LAW.
Such a Step Would Have Marked Ef
feet on Labor Conditions.

In the opinion Of Mr.. ]. E. Wanna
maker, one of the most intelligent and
successful farmers in the state, the
lien law ought to be repealed by the
general assembly at it's next session
because it has long since outgrown its
usefulness, has greatly retarded the
agricultural development of the state
by placing farm management In the
hands Of ignorant and thriftless labor
ers." and would probably place more
labor at the disposal Of land owners to
the advantage Of both land owner and
laborer" 1t appears to us that this is
perfectly fair and reasonable view to
take of the question. There Is objec-
tion to the repeal Of the law princi-
pally among two classes; the mer-
chants who have. made advances on
the growing crops at ruinous rates of
interest and the ignorant and thriftless
laborers who by this means have been
enabled to exercise a certain degree of
independence in their operations. but
with no large advantage to their per-
sonal welfare.
The Defender, a colored newspaper
printed at Sumter, protests against the
repeal Of the lien law because by its
repeal thousands Of negro farmers,
unable to secure supplies, they and
their children will be thrown into the
labor market with the result that the
wages Of negro labor will again fall to
the old starvation figures" 1t says,
further, that IF the law should be re-
pealed and the negroes are forced to
return to the condition Of wage earn
ers they should seek the relief they
need beyond the limits Of this state, II
they cannot secure 1t within its bor-
ders." It adds: "They should begin
to prepare now for the day when they
must seek homes in the west or some
other portion Of the country where
they can earn sufficient wages by their
daily labor to decently maintain their
families and educate their children"
We do not think any stronger ar
gument could be made In favor Of the
repeal of the lien law than this color
ed newspaper in Sumter has made
AS wage earners on the farm under
competent direction, the negroes who
have been farming on their own ac-
count because of the advances they
have obtained on their growing crops
would make more money for them
selves and for their employers. The
lands would be better taken care OF;
the crops would be greatly diversified;
the laborers would be compelled to
live within their income; the diligent
and intelligent among them who have
acquired property Of their own and es-
tablish credit for themselves would not
suffer, but the wasteful cropping sys-
tenn would be destroyed and the con-
dition Of the laborers be made alto
gether more desirable. There would
| be no depreciation in the wages paid
to competent and industrious workers,
but the farming industry in this state
would be freed from one Of the heav-
lest loads it has had to carry, and the
volume Of our agricultural products
would be vastly increased.
1t is not at all likely that the repeal
of the lien law would result in the ex-
odus of any considerable number OF
desirable agricultural laborers from
this state to the west or to any other
part of the country. but the larger the
exodus the better for the state. If the
negroes could not earn sufficient wages
by their daily labor to maintain their
families and educate their children
here, they would certainly be in no
better condition in any new homes
that they might find observation-disclosures
and Courier.