The Lancaster Ledger

For the Lancaster Ledger.

Who is to Blame

Mr Editor :—The money crisis has developed many irregularities in the daily transactions between man and man, and none is more glaring than the difference that is drawn between the planter and the laboring man, too often to the real injury of the latter. We will state a case, to illustrate the position above :

A and B are citizens of the same place, but in circumstances widely differing. A is a planter of good standing and extensive credit, but a slow paymaster. B is a good, industrious citizen, but dependant entirely on his own resources, perhaps he is a mechanic, a clerk, or a school teacher, with an income of three or four hundred dollars, out of which he supports himself and probably a large family.

In the same place, dwells C, a merchant who is doing tolerable fair business, both in cash and credit. But here rises the difficulty, he wishes to get all the custom he can, and acting from that desire, he permits A, from year to year, for several years to augment his account before he asks him, even to settle by note; but B, who strains every nerve to keep his head above water, is compelled to pay cash, or if he gets credit, it is only for one year, and at the expiration of that time, gives his note, to be sued upon at the first ensuing term of Court, and made to pay one third of the principal in costs, thus making the short credit that is given him a curse, instead of a blessing

And if C chooses to notice his customers during the transactions of the year, probably he will say. "now yonder is B. he has just paid $7 to that wagoner for a barrel of flour, and yet he will come to me, and ask for a dollar's worth of sugar or coffee on credit: while I paid cash for my goods as well as the flour dealer, and I think he ought to pay me cash also." And if he says anything about A. at all. it is to this effect :— "Well, it is the fact. A has not settled with me in four or five years. but he is making 60 or 70 bales of cotton this year: I heard a neighbor of his say, that there never was a better prospect for a crop." Well this may be so, but does C expect any of that crop ? will he watch A, when he returns from market and call him to a settlement, or will A go in of his own accord ! Oh. no, he is good, if he never pays. C would not for the world ruffle his temper, it would jeopardize his custom ; but poor B, if he receives a month's wages, or has an order on the commissioners for tuition. he is met with "How do you do, now is a good time to settle that account, &c "

Such are the occurrences of the day ,and while it is so, there never can exist an evenness of friendly fellowship in the community. The poor man cannot rise. while he sustains the merchant, the lawyer, and the sheriff. for every dollar he makes is at once put into use ; but on the other hand, A who at last is unable to speculate. his "money is at hand wherever an opportunity presents itself and is thereby qualified to increase his force yearly, though largely in debt. And this process is often hurtful to the merchant himself, because he must have money to replenish his stock. and where is it to come from ? From the Banks of course: yes, that is fine, then comes a protest, and soon succeeds an assignment, and his career is ended.

We are not levelling these remarks against the planters, we respect them as a body and admit cheerfully, that they are "the bone and sinew of the land." but the case illustrated above too often obtains in our country, to the injury of all concerned Where the blame lies, we cannot tell ; but we know it is a great evil and that there is a remedy. The remedy, though, is not in enlarging the credit of the poor man, no, no, that would in most cases, prove ruinous, but the adoption of a general cash system might alleviate a class of men, who are deeply affected by a partial credit and cash rule. Let us for a moment, enumerate a few items in the necessary expenses of the poor man, who labors daily and who has no credit. In the first place we will suppose that the cash price of sugar is 10 cts. for a dollar or less. per lb., credit price 12½ cts : coffee. cash price, 12½ cts credit, 15 : Bacon, cash, 12½ credit, 15: Corn, cash, 60, credit. 65 Then to carry out the case let us suppose that E is a laborer, at $1 per day. but does not receive the cash, but since he works for a man who has credit, he gets only an order to the grocer for these necessaries, who has his rules of trade, and will not depart therefrom; E gets his provisions at the credit price, because the order though from a good man is not cash, but it stands as cash against E. how much does E lose in twelve months by this practice. First on sugar $3, on coffee $2.66 on bacon $10, and on corn $1.20, making in all $15.86, one twenty-fourth of his years wages. This estimate is made on the supposition that his family consumes $2 worth of sugar and coffee each per month, two bushels of corn, and 33 lbs of bacon in the same time, to say nothing of other necessaries that he is compelled to buy at the same rate, or subject to the same tariff.— Now if a general cash system prevailed, two classes of men at least, would thrive faster than they do under a partial system. The grocer having his cash at hand could keep a better stock and the laborer could purchase at a lower rate.

C.