The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-07-25
A DAY THAT IS COMING

In everything there is an account
ing or a day Of reckoning. It is so
in business, and it is so with every
body: For the past year we have been
going back from the wartime Pc
xiod to a period of "normalcy." in
that time everybody who did business
was caught one way or another. Many
people lost money. Everybody was in
debt, and few were able to meet
their obligations.
=. During this period the creditors
have been more than lenient with the
debtors. Notes have been carried past
maturity on which no interest has
been paid; accounts have been car
ried forward with never so much as
q demand for payment; the bank
notes for advances and the fertilizer
notes remain unpaid; everybody has
overdrawn at the banks, and people
in general have been allowed to do
pretty much as they pleased. While
the people generally have been doing
this, those who were forced to carry
them have been going through the
most trying times of their existence
planning ways and means Of carry
ing the load for themselves and for
others.
But this cannot continue. The man
who owes a note must pay it. Inter-
est must be paid. The man who trad
ed on open account last year and who
did not pay his account had as well
make up his mind that there is a
limit beyond which the merchants
cannot go. The man who owes the
banks and the fertilizer companies
needs to learn that there is al limit
there too. The fact is that the banks,
the merchants, and the fertilizer
companies have been able to hold off
this long only because. those to
whom they were indebted were in
chned to hold off. That time has pass
ed however, and when the banks
creditors and the merchants credit
ors, and the fertilizer companies
creditors begin to demand payment,
you may expect the merchant and
the bank and the fertilizer company.
to demand payment Of you. They are
as sure to do it as the sun is to rise
tomorrow. It Is not a matter Of
choice with them, it ia matter Of
necessity. You must not expect these
people to be willing to sit down and
allow themselves to be used and to
lose their credit because you owe
them and do not pay, when by your
paying they would be enabled to
meet their demands. They are not
going to do it; they should not be
expected to carry the accounts of
their customers any longer. The day
of accounting; or the day of reckon
ing is here.
This being the case every man
should take stock of his goods and
Of his prospects and learn Of his
ability to pay. He should prepare to
market his crops, or collect his ac-
counts, and get ready for the day
that is coming. The present fall will
see the fulfllment Of the warning we
are giving the people and those who
! are wise will heed the warning. :
=, We think that the. people have liv-
ed the present season, well within
economic bounds. They ~iil NO doub,
: make money this year. We. ,bEieve
they will. They still have their losses
of year ago. These are losses now
and the people had as well look or
them as losses and SO regarding them
they should prepare to meet the in
evitable. These losses, mostly in the
shape Of debts, must be arranged
It were well if those who must NEE
such debts arranged to do so at a.
early date as possible. 1t is time
to begin now. Every man can tel
pretty well what he owes and wha;
he will be able to pay the presen
fall. Having determined that, it is th'
part of wisdom to arrange in som,
way for carrying the balance, i
there is q balance. It will not longe