The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-07-05
CAPITAL and its Uses.

nam's Magazine for the current month, whIcn
although it may be considered personal by Il
few individuals, conveys Il wholesome le$>nn,
and will undoubtedly domore to check ten
delcy TO exlravagaut and costly living prrva
lent in Amercalr society than ali the long hpm-
lies Oh irugalty and industry that have been
written by political economists. Acertan Mr..
Potiphar, plain, rloddng business man, VIII"
occupies "paat;al man>inn' mp town. dol"-
rously bcwaiIs the fashionable tendencies "i
the tlics, and the mp"ruIillivs Of his better
half in Difference to them, by which lIr is com
pe!lcd To leave his old home. where his chill
dren were born, and bui.d and furnish Il more
costly establishment. olphar belongs 10 the
class of business mru who have more taste for
comfort than fnery, and is Il victim to The
fashionable iulIes of his wife. Mrs. p. is one
of the initiating class, who is constantly get
ting some rich, rare and expensive thing be-
cause it is the fashion in England, or because
her nciyhburs have it. Her house is medley
of pictures, statues, gaudy carpets and cur.
tains, and an over proiasuY OF costly furniture,
mixed MP in such curious style and with such
entire disregard of the fitness Of thing, as to
excite the ridicuIc Of persons of good taste.
The writer deserves the thanks of all genu.
inc business men for this successful effort t"
bring into ridicule and disc"untenance the ex-
pcnsivc and foolish style of living adopted by
many Of oar successful merchants A mode
rate household expenditure, embracing all the
comforts of home, and such Of the luxurieS
and refueme1ts Of life as may be in good taste,
is an indication Of sense and prudcnre; while
every ythiug beyond, is evdenc. Of weakness
and pride, and can Oh y excite the pity and
contempt Of the refined and iGtcllectual.--Io
build Il splendid house because somebody else
has built one, is evidence of 4 vain and trlvo.
Ious character, and useless waste Of funds
which might be better employed.
Few men can indu sc in useless show, with
Justice to themselves and the community in
which they live. The man who builds his lii:
ty-thousanI dollar house and furnishes it in
corresponding sty lie Of magnificence, jusliiies
himself by the plea that he has been benefit
ing the artizans engaged in its construction,
who have received ample pay for their Labor.
But Ne should not overlook the fact that this
pile of magniticencc when fairly established, is
to AL ln,cnts and purposes, dead capital. 1t
has ceased to circulate in the channel, of trade,
and stands monument of the folly and sci.
f,hness of its owner The active business of
the community in which its occupant resides
has list So much of its vital current Capital
is to tr,lde what the blood is to the brdy; and
in the same ratio that it is withdrawn from cir
culation is the business Of the country paraIyz-
ed pnd killed.
Il. ,:.I ,, - h.,
dustrious and hardworking business men. The
cost Of the establishment could easily be bornc;
but its subsequent maintenance in the required
st vie is an unforeseen difficulty. He linds when
too Iatr that his "paIace" is more expensive
affair than he at first imagined and its current
expenses are Il ruinous drain on his business,
involving in some cases il suspension of il and
consequent bankruptcy. We say nothing OF
the trouble and pcrplrxity attendant "n an at
tempt 10 keep up with the fashions the
and waste OF the servants, an the
daicmIty OF procuring good ones-thc turnlaII-
tv and stiffness Of fashionable etiquette, so 10.
tally at variance with true comfort the Calling
annoy amcc of seeing yourself "utstrppcd in
some expensive Article sporlrd by Il ncig ighbor
more foolish than yourself, and the di>asrcea.
bic r0nscou Hess that this round uf i;n>hIuma-
bIr folly must he maintained at ar, haz I'd.
The active business AROUND us p"ssrsSr the
first claim on our capital. We wallt more rail.
roais; We want steam lines to various rnrt>,
home and foreign our own immediate hn>.
ness may he extended with advantage TO our
selves and others the charitable and bcmevo-
lent enterprises Of the day want assistance;
objects of social moral, and sci.
cntifc utility claim our attention, and possess
better claims to our money than the ostcna.
ti,,us qualification of our pride Cotton Plant.
Not half century ago i'll England, the cr>cS
. -:,.j ,.u.,..nul"nt anInuulc,i III single yrar
to II hundred and twenty. In 1852 there were
l.., ,lI c,r