The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-01-21
SPECULATION vs.. INDUSTRY.

The word specuatOr. in modern parance,
has taken the place Of the more definite old
designation Of protector, as applied to per-
sons who trade upon probabilities, as capt
tai, and who shrewdly make bare possbill-
ties. and sometimes even the sheerest lmpos-
sibilitles, appear plausible as coming events.
Sir Timothy Dexter, Yankee protector,
with more good luck than brains, specialized
upon the possibility that Cuban beds needed
heating. He sent to Havana cargo of that
convenience denominated warming pans, now
obsolete, BY reason Of our better heated dwell
lings. There could certainly have been no
wilder speculation than this. Yet il hap
pened that tie utensils struck the fancy OF
the sugar boilers. The perforated covers
were used as strsiners, and the adventure
welded return of more than cent per cent.
This story NAV be true Or not, but It answers
our purpose. There is many wider specu-
iation made, sometimes CHANGING as we'll. The
successes are chronirlrd, like the cures by
patent medicine. The failures go into the
same silence with those who rest under the
terse epitaph, 81 was we'll. aud would be bet
ter; took phvsic and died." We hear Of the
fortunate individuals who come into unex-
pected wealth. But Of tie unsuccessful no
bodies nothing is said. So. as the few cures
tempt many to swallow drugs, the few for
tunes induce thousands into speculation, that
is to say, project weaving. The few thrive,
and for that very reason the many do not.
Money that COWS into one pocket must How
DOT " others 20 I'll the one plethoric purse.
EVERYBODY cannot find market for warm.
ing pans in the tropics, or for ices at the
North Pole.
Speculation and enterprise are often con
funded. The line between them i, 70 the
popular eye, very vague and scarcely dis.
eernible, bot the two things are as distinct a
games Of chance and tasks OF labor. True
enterprise and in,lus,ray are not only per.
leetly compatible with each other, but are
usually found together while speculation !.
q substitution u hazard 10 win Or lose large
sum. 10 the place of ent.rprising industry 7.
accumulate sure gains. Enterprise demands
immediate returns, or the reasonable certain
" Of such returns IL j. content with Moth
ing shich does not yield fair present li.'
ing while speculation. like Nj. Mlcawber
is always dependent upon something MhIrl
j. 20 turn up" Enterprise may be daring
bot IS cautious, and always ret.ins resers'
fluid. Speculation has for its motto, :. neeI
&c nothing and if, IN the race, Il wins jus
by neck, II j. always the more appIaaled.
The projecting or Specializing spirits ih
besefting 80 81 our nation sure gains AZ
not - highly esteemed - a sweepstakes ,,
some daslling operation. This spirit is no
confined 10 the stock exchange, bat unfor
tuaaisly, runs ihraugh al classes and henc,
Il i that there j. always large body d per
sons ready Tor treason. stratagens an
spsils ]" ilibaster-. who Do mt jim Walker
or threaten Cuba. are headIong 10 some othc
apparently cheap substitute for honest labu
such a. ppi.hO9se politics and Office seek
ing. suls selling. bargaining for influence
leyying black NAL, getting up hthngrap
towns, and ~ ~. down u forging utter.
schemes aud dsfagiting. or any other pecula
ton. From The bold spectator witboa
means. whp Rourisliss on the stock exchange
nobody knows how. down to the redshirte
indisiiual. with rBifles d the same, and pa
tent leather panialoon braces. Who lives i
The Gre engine house, nobody can tell i
whose coat. the genus is The same. only vari
ed bv external circumstances.
With this mistaken impression, that il j
better 10 live BY that indefinite something
called /" the Wit" rather than Nv the light
m4te work u the brains Or hands. aud that
j. more respectable % draw a per cpntsg
from what others produce. BY FAR mean. .
unfair. than 10 add 10 the general wealth b,
production. IL i NOT surprising that We las'
among " al The evils Of pauperism, gentcs
aid ungsn,esl, and all the vices % whiel