Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-10
REPEAL OF THE LIEN LAW.
Progress of the Agitation and Its Pres
ent Status,

Progress of the Agitation and Its Pres
ent Status.
The paramount issue before the
South Carolina general assembly
which cOnvenes in Columbia on Janua-
ry 14th. is going to be the repeal OF the
agricultural lien law. This matter has
been agltated for years, but recently
the agitation has been very effectively
reinforced by the formal demand ol
the Farmers Union and the Southern
Cotton association, and has been per-
sistently pushed by several Of the mos,
influential newspapers in the state.
The law referred to is section 3O59 OF
the code of 1902, and relates to the
merchants lien on ungrown crops
There is, of course. no desire to inter
fere with the landlords lien or the la
borer's lien, and all that it is proposed
to repeal is the following section:
Sec. 3059: Any person who shall
make any advance or advances, either
in money or supplies, to any person OF
persons employed or about to engage
in the cultivation of the soil shall be
entitled to a lien on the crop which
may be made during the year upon the
land in the cultivation of which the ad-
Vances so made have been expended, ir
preference to all other liens, existing
or otherwise, except as herein proVid-
ed. to the extent of such advance oil
advances: Provided, an agreement In
writing shall be entered into, before
such advance is made, to this effect;
in which shall be specified the amount
to be advanced, or in which limit
shall be fixed, beyond which the ad-
vances, if made from time to time dur
ing the year, shall not 60
The exceptions made In this section
relate to the lien of the landlord and
laborer, which are now prior to the
merchants lien. The effect of the re-
peal of the section quoted above would
be to leave in force the statute relating
to the landlords lien. 1t has accord
ingly been asserted by opponents of the
repeal that the purpose Of this agita-
ton Is to permit the landlords to secure
undivided control Of the renter: tina,
this Is a movement in behalf OF the
landlord farmers, who largely consti-
tute the Farmers Union and the
Southern Cotton association; that the
landlord farmers want to keep the ne
yroes as laborers and prevent then
from becoming renters. 1t is contend
ID that in this effort to control the ne
groes, the small white farmer will be
injuriouSly affected
On the other hand. the advocates o1
repeal admit that they desire to pu'
control of the negroes in the hands Ot
the landlords and to make 1t impossi-
hle for the negroes to secure supplies
from the lien merchant, but at the same
time. it is asserted, that the ease witt
which credit is secured under the pres
ent law is a hurt and not help botf
to the white and the negro farmer anc
the repeal of the law will emancipate
the small white farmer from his bond
age of debt to the lien merchant.
The demand for repeal has beer
strengthened by Judge Brawley's de-
cisiOn declaring unconstitutional the
contract labor lien, under which me-
groes violating farm labor contracts
could be sent to the chaingang. The
decision has caused state OF grea'
uncertainty in regard to farm labor
and the white farmers are more thar
ever anxious to secure definite anc
valid legislation that will make theil
business secure.
The lien law was enacted just after
the war; when the farmer had no 9TH
er basis Of credit except his prospects
# q crop. It has outllved its day ant
will likely be repealed at this session
IF the general assembly.
At the session of 1906 the house o1
representatives voted for repeal 81 tc
IS. and the senate voted against repea
by the small majority Of 20 to II.
Two members of the present house
have been fighting for repeal for ter
or twelve years-Capt. John G. Rich
ards of Kershaw. and Hon. E. f. Yer
ner of Oconee. Both are farmers ant
both are plain, practical men, goot
speakers and hard fighters. Capt. Rich
ords is the most aggressive leader II
the general assembly and for years wa:
| the leader of the state dispensary force!
in the house.
Senator Crouch of Saluda, had {
similar bill in the senate. which wa!
killed by a vote of 90 to II, four SEN
atOrs being absent.
When the Richards bill came up II
the senate, it was, by vote Of 19 tt
16. so amended as to go into effect or
| January /, 1909, instead Of January /
1908. The amended BILL thus weaken
I'd, was rejected by vote Of % to 1S
Thus it Is evident that only a sligh
growth of sentiment against the law
will insure its repeal.
There will be n large number o.
measures introduced in the general as
sembly at the coming session relatips
to farm labor The subject is at pres
ont one of vast and pressing import
anc, to the farming interests Of SOutf
Carolina. With Judge Brawley's deci.
sion upsetting the labor contract law ant
the repeal Of the lien law. there is ar
opportunity for constructive states
manship Of the first order in framing
laws to meet present conditions and tc
provide for future development in the
great industry of agriculture.-Jas. A
Hoyt in Progressive Farmer