The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-10-20
THE DAILY GAZETTE.
WHAT is EXTRAvAGANCE!

Ii Is not every man who realize
that extravaganza is but a relativt
term. We often hear persons OF lin
tied means, for instance, denouncing
what thev call extravagances in their
Weather neighbors, whenthe extrava
eance of tie latter as compared with
their means are greatly less than that
Of their censors. 1t does not follow
because a man lives in stately man
| sion. drives handsome equipage,
| gives costly entertainments, has a con-
servatory. country house, or cellar
| Of choice vines, that ne is necessarily
a spendthr-le.
In truth. If ae has realized estate,
/ and does not exceed his income, he is
acting wiser 5aan if be boarded his
rents and IQs3slike q miser. For
! liberal expenditure on the part Of the
rich. furnishes employment for the
poor, While restricted one makes
business dr., 50 far forth, and 50 IN
4 iures tbs. co.nunity. There is but a
4 solitary exception to the duty ofspend-
\ ing freely On t-s rich. It IS when the
I nloney iud:c.oas.y saved IRON their
income isirras.e3 IA public works OF
general benseet. Z which case it not
onIy furnishes employment to the Ia
horer. bnt assists 70 develop the resour
ces of the State. '''
Nothing ho~evs-, palliates waste,
or iustifies exe55d.ng ones income
And as comcaratively few individuals
have realized estates, few, even OF
your rich men, have fixed income to
spend. In all cases, where persons
are still engaged in business, which,
even with the most successful ana
prudent, involves at least the posi-,
Ibility Of risk. the disbursing OF con-
siderable portion Of the supposed IN
come much less ot the whole, may be
set down as extravagance. The bank
rnptcy of the majority of the merchants
who fail in our great cities IS trace
able to this species of extravaganza.
Allured by the money they have
made on their books, they do not wait
to realize it. much less to withdraw it
and their other capital beyond the
chances Of trade but launch out in
costly stvle Of living, one stimulating
the other by his example, till finally
hard times come, debtors begin TO
ch eat them, their Supposed wealth
yanishes. and they awake, some morn
ing beggars. Yet, II popular par,
lance, snch tonduct is not considered.
extravaganza when IN reality It IS
one Of tie worst. because most subtle
iorns ofthat social epidemic. Men
who thus I've are ike brieks setupon
end. and the tall Of era ranblos fown
all in succession.
After an. probably. there i more
extravaaanre with men IL moderate
means. or even with the poor, than
with rich merchants or gentlemen OF
fortune. Tie laborer's tobacco and
run oftencosthim more proportionally
than the miilionaires thousand dollar
party. The mechanic IS wife frequent
il IS relatively more extravagant III
her bonnets than the wealthy dame
who paws unheard of prices for her
head dress ef tulle and ribbons. It's
not among those who generally get
the credit Of il, out among families OF
slender means, that the vice OF keep
inc m appearances prevails the most.
The pinching, economizing and
the thousand little mean-
nesses: the anxious nights and wor-
rying DAYS tnat follow on the heels q
estravagance, are oftener seen IN small
houses thap s gseat Morethan halt
the battle IN ss5t;ng rich is to avoid
extravaganza nom the outset. Two
thirds Of the sutterings OF the poor
arise from exe-avsg sgance. Thrift, pru-
dence. economy, and self-denial gen
erallv will e1ab,e almost any man IN
the end toaco ire : competence. iae
true reason why SO many Journeyrnen
remain iorrcsy1.en al their lives
why 50 many r-,e-. Of small means are
struggling troI early manhood 70 she
grave. is there exrravaganee, and ex-
frsraeance II Tits things al that
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