The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-09-10
AMERlcAN sxrRAyAnANcs.

S""'''"utcu " spU hlinN gem 10 our natre
literature, but has taught her countrymcn
lesson in economy and morals most ap-
proprnte TO tho times, and, il observed,
most snlutary in its bearings on all the re-
lations of life. There is no period Of any
continuance in which we do not hear the
cry of "hard times" What should make
the times hard in such country as ours
Nothing surely but famine, and that is Il
scourge which Divine Providence has litl,-
crto spared us. There has been remarka-
blc succession of abundant crops running
back over a long series of years. And yet
our ears are greeted with the cry of hard
times. What has our young and vigorous
country to do but provide for its wants 3
We have the cheapest government that was
ever maintained. We have no dangerous
and powerful neighbors to compel us to
s1uander millions i'll fortifying an extensive
frontier. We are not compelled ly the
same cause to keep up a large standing
army, to consume in useless parade, in
tents, amor and provisions the fruits of the
earth, which they do not help to produce.
Nor is our navy very extensive. A few
slips of war make, our flag TO be respected
all over the globe.
When the cry Of hard times is set up in
any pant of Europe, we arc able to under
stand it. There taxation is enormous
England has u monstrous public debt, as
much as she can stagger under, pressing
her down the whole time. France has half
II million of troops ready at any moment to
be called into the field. The funds to sus-
tain all this armed force must come from
somewhere. 1t must come from the pock-
els OF the people. 1t must Le taken from
the means Of supplying the most common
and urgent wants Of life. The cry of
hard times" comes legitimatcly from
people thus oppressed and ground down.
but the terrors Of the bayonet sltle the
murmur which the bayonet causes, and thus
the men live OH from generation TO genera
ton, under the sevcrcst pressure of "hard
tines," without complaint, and without
scarcely contessing it to each other. But
here, in this country, VIC have hard times
without any Legitimate cause. What is the
cause Of this There can be but one rea
son, and that reason is extravaganza. The
whole country is trying Mrs. Lees third cx-
pertinent of living. Those WHO have not
read her book, and there are few we hope
who have not, must be informed that the
family whose history tile au,horess gives
tried three experiments i'll living. The first
was living within their means. While this
experiment was in process of trial, every
thing went smoothly and we'll. The next
was that of living up to their means. Here
things began to SO badly. There was occa-
sionally a hard rub; nothing, however, vc-
ry disastrous. Last came the experiment
of living beyond their means. AS may be
imagined, everything began to 60 wrong.
They got in debt. Things went worse and
worse, till, finally, they came 10 stand.-
The Americans are plainly trying the last
experiment, for everybody and everything
is in debt. A railroad is 10 be built
About half money enough is subscribed,
and the rest is made on credit. The debt
finally swallows up everything. A man
undertakes TO build house. His plan at
first is modest and reasonable. But MS the
work goes on Ills ideas enlarge, and before
he gets through, he finds that he has been
conslructinga palace, and he must either
sell it or live under the embarrassment of
a heavy debt. If he concludes to live in It
at all hazards, his troubles have but begun.
lie must furnish it in n style corresponding
to its costliness, and here is another cause
Of vcxation. There is absolutely no end to
the demands of fashion, and lie who has
made himself his slave is most sincerely to
be pticd.
Two Of the most 81 gnficant symbols Of
American extravaganza are mems watches
and womcn's dresses. Every man must
sport gold watch. California itself, the
El Dorado Of modern times, is scarcely rich
enough, one would suppose, to furnish the
cases of the watches worn by the Amcri-
cans. Gentlemen in Europe, with moder-
ate fortunes which they have accumulated
by their own industry and saved by their
economy, do not tlIink of indul ging them
selves in gold watches. They modcstly
wear silver one. The climax of extrava-
gance is reached in dressing Of tho women.
The millions which annually 60 abroad for
tile purchase of silks are enough alone to
upset tho balance Of trade. There is no
women SO poor that she cannot afford silk
dress, and some, half score. And then
what All enormous quantity Of the precious
fabric Is consumed in making costume
Ia mole! Coaches and omnibusses have
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