Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-11-04
Paving Debts

Just al thas %Jancture, Il would be well
81 some Of tue clergy would preach frOm
the text. "Agree with thine adversary
quickly. whilst thou art in the way with
him" 1t would be particularly sppro.
Pirate, in this vicinity.
There is \ large class Of men. who,
although having ample means at their
command TO pay every dollar Of their in
d~ebtedness, take advantage of an coca.
sion Ike the present. 10 stave of all
small debts by pleading hard times. scar
city Of money, &c, thus forcing the me-
chanic, the tradesmsn, and the laborer
10 wal: for small sums which TO them
are Of great importance always, p%articu-
larry SO now, and preventing them from
paying TO their creditors, and they in
turn unable to pay those whom they owe,
and thus causing embarrassment and
distress through a large circle of COM
munity. This practice is not only SD
premeIy selfish and illibersl, but it is
most dishonest. 1t deprives the laborer
and trader. of the use Of that which is
his rightfui due. at q time when he most
needs it, and thus actually robs him of
q part Of lis value. And for what, is
it done? Sometimes for the mere pleas
ure Of carrying the money in ones own
pocket, but oftener 1--WE are sorry to say
for the purpose Of loaning the very o
ey which they are thus Withholding, at
exhorbitant rates to The very men TO
whom it Inight have come in the ordina-
~ course of business. had it been paid
out when il should have been.
There is another class who owe a few
large sums anu many small ones. They
will strain every nerve TO pay one large
debt on the day it is due. but pay no
attention whatever to the many small
n e This too, is wrong. OF course it
is right hat one large debt should be
paid. but it is.not right. il in order to
pay it many smaller creditors should be
distressed.
There is another class, who take no
thought for the morrow, but spend free
y, buying whatever appetite may crave
or fancy dictate. not really intending 10
be positively dishonest, bat having an
unsbaken faith in Mr.. Mlcawber's doc
time. patiently paitng for something TO
turn up, running in debt wherever they
can obtain credit, and never dreaming
that their expenditures may exceed their
income, until they are wound up with a
round tdrn by a sudden refusal of credit.
This class is generally short lived, and
reach the end Of their career before they
can do much damage.
1t is well for men not 10 be wise above
what is written, bat 10 take heed to texts,
and old saws, homely though they be.
If every man in the community were
faithfully TO endeavor to wipe out as
mach of his Indebtedness as possible.
especially his small debts, st the esrli-
est possible time, the relitfwhich would
be felt would be astonishing. There
~ verv few men who could not if they
chose, do much towards this desirable
end. If they have not money, they
'have property, other mems notes,
or stocks of various kinds. No man
knows until he tries how much can
be done, with other things than mon
ey. TO pay debts, AID no man knows
how many debts ive.dollars may pay in
the course Of a single week, by passing
from nan 10 man.
We conclude with the following ai-
vice. Pay all your debte. if you can,
but pay the small ones. at all events.