The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-19
THE CONTRACT LAW,
Advance System Cause of Trouble
Every One Now OH Same Foot
ing-Repeal the Lien Law.


Cot. Aull: | have just read an ar
lIr!r "n the labor situation in your
vaInabic paper. At the bc.inniny
will say that we had the best contract
law that existed, but to the creed of
some few farmers making advances to
;h" lab"rrr six months before the be-
"lnnln" Of the contract. lay Brao.lrN :
decision rs 10 the contract law in this
state nj their OWN doors. In NY "pin-
ION Brawl"y'~ decision and the repeal
OF the lien law L" follow will put the
labor question right where il "n.hl
/" be. as it was. II farmer vino did
M l'avr money /" advance the Iab"rcr
II, j" r"lnnil" Of ihc year, rouldu
hire amy: but as it is now, il puts us
all ON the same basis, and if every
farmer will not hire his nci@hbnr'S
lab"rcr after he knows that ne has
br9nn work, "hy Hraw'cy's decision
will not affect him at all.
Bear in mind that the lien law must
be repealed in addition to Brawlcy's
decision. AS to the lien law. i, has
done more to dcmoralize labor than
any other law in the statute book. in
NY kn"wlrd"c and only benefits the
I"N ami r"hS the many. DO You know
'hA' 'r"rr ~" sIrply merchants in
your city VIII" will buy negro Il mule.
'rrji>h him feed. fertilizer, buggy,
WA-.'n nn'l clnhtc>, all without Il cent
. 'n::li"y aud Il Write lar'ccr. nwnin.
his eva farm. can't oct onc-ihrH the
same amount Of goods, and why! Be
cause the supply man is afraid to
Charge him fifty per cent. and he can
charge the laborcr fifty per cent and
get what he makes when he can t Ito
the land owner the same way aS the
courts won't sustain him; and then
the supply man is the first man to
jump on l}rawlcv and the repeal Of
the lien law. Why? Why self inter
est. The man that jumps ON Draw
lry'S decision The hardest is the very
man that cant employ labor except
by advances and encourages him to
r"nSnmr his wages by Angus, of the
year that he is employed for and
when he comes mp and needs moro
money. what does that farmer say?
You have consumed your wages for
this year, but if you will make con-
tract for next year, why 7 can advance
YOU what YOU want.'
To illustrate as an old ada.c. the
nrgr" has his hand in the lion :
mouth and he has to pull to "ct it out
But Brawlcy has put all "f our farm
rrS. as t" the labor question:, ON the
same footing. XIII the lien law and
the labor question will be solved, and
every farmer in cmployin" labor, do
unit" his ncighbor rs he would have
him do unto him.
Another addition tn the farmer
would be to make the vayran law
wider and the mayors and magis-
tratr< see that it is enforced. Why
you can go to these towns and find
more l"aiin" in one day among the
"'''''' NIX tltSS tiPl huSll 10 uc Ill
work than YOU can find ont on the
farm in three months. Why? Because
the va%rant law is too lcncnt and the
authorities fail to enforce what We
have. Those in possession Of the farms
could manage the labor question if
they would only do il and live by the
Golden Rule.
Another thing will have 10 come
sooner or later as to this labor uues-
ti"n. The farmer will have to be paid
high enough prices for the products
ct his farm SO that he can pay as
much for Il days work aS the manu-
facturcr pays. Bear in mind that we
have two classes Of labor in this state
and We can't have Il labor law that
Will discriminate and stand the test
OF the courts. Therefore. this is why
claim that prices Of farm labor
and other labor will have to balance
each other. To institute Tillman' 5
passport system as to labor among the
Farmers would assist the labor uucs-
ton. too, not TO make it law, but a
custom among the employers Of lab
or.
b. s. Hardy.