Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-08-03
A Day That is Coming.

In everything there is an account
ing or a day of reckoning. 1t is so
in business, and it is so with every
body. For the past year we have been
|going back from the wartime Pc
Rod to a period of normally" 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 nc interest has
been paid; accounts have been car
ried forward with never so much as
a demand for payment; bank notes
for advances and the fertilizer notes
remain unpaid; everybody has over
drawn at the banks, and people in
general have been allowed to do pref
ty 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 carrying
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 fertilizer companies needs
to learn that there is a limit there
too. The fact is that the banks, the
merchants, and the fertilizer COM
panies have been able to hold off
this long only because those to whom
they were indebted were inclined to
hold off. That time has passed, how
ever, and when the banks creditors
and the merchants creditors, and
the fertilizer companies creditors be-
gin 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 SUI is to rise tomor-
row. 1t is not q matter of choice with
them, it is a matter of necessity. You
must not expect these people to be
to sit down and allow them
selves 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 de-
mands. They are not going to do it;
they should not be expected to carry
the accounts Of. their customers any
The day of accounting, or
the day Of reckoning is here.
This being the las every man
take stock of his goods and
of his prospects and learn of his abil-
to pay. He should prepare to mar
ket his crops, or collect his accounts,
and get ready for the day that is COM
ing. The present fall will see the full
fllment 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 we'll within
economic bounds. They will no doubt
make money this year. They still
havetheir losses of a year ago. These
are losses now and the people had as
well look on them as losses and so
regarding them, they should prepare
to meet the inevitable. IheSe losses,
in the shape of debts, must be
arranged. 1t were we'll if those who
must meet such debts arranged to do
so at as early a date as possible. 1t
is time to begin now. Every man can
tell pretty we'll what he owes and
what he will be able to pay the pres
ent fall. Having determined that, it is
the part of wisdom DO arrange in
some way for carrying the balance,
if there is a balance. 1t will not long
er carry itself. Remember that
Abbeville Press & Banner.
I'll on CI,r~oantc