Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1857-08-20
From the Baltimore Sun.
American Extravaganza.

sparkling gem to ournative literature, but
has taught her couDtymen a lesson in econ
omy and morals most appropriate TO the
times, and, il observed, most salutary in its
bearings on all the relations 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 a
country as turs7 Nothing, surely but ia
mine, and that 10 q scourge which Divine
Providence has hitherto spared us. There
ant crops, running back over 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 Pro-
vide for its warts? We have the cheapest
government that was ever maintained
We have no dangerous and powerful neigh
bors to compel US TO squander millions in
fortifying an extensive frontier, We are
not compelled by the same cause to keep up
large standing army, to consume in use
less para1e, in tents, armor, and provisions,
the fruits Of the earth, which they do not
help TO produce. Nor is our navy very ex-
tensive. A few ships of war make our
fleet to be respected all over the globe.
When the cry of hard times is set up in
any part Of Europe we are able TO under
stand il. Their taxation is enormous.--
England has monstrous public debt, as
much as she can stngger under, pressing
her down the whole time. France has half
a million of troops ready at any moment to
be called into the field. The funds TO sus-
tain all this armed force must como from
somewhere. 1t must come from the pock-
cts Of the people. 1t must be taken from
the means of supplying the most common
and urgent wants Of life. The cry Of
"hard lines" comes legitimately from q
people thus oppressed and ground down.
But the terrors Of the bayonet stifle the MUIR
muir which the bayonet causes, and thus
men live on from generation to generation
under the severest pressure Of hard times
without complaint, and without scarcely
eOnfessing 1t TO each other. But here, in
this country, We have hard times without
any legitimate cause. What is the cause Of
this? There can be but one reason. and
that reason is extravaganza. The whole
country is trying Mrs. Lees third expert.
ment Of living. Those who have no! read
her book, ard there are few we hope who
have not, must be informed that the family
whose history the authoress gives tried
three experiments in living. The first was
living within their means. While this ex-
pertinent was in the process OF trial every
thing went smoothly and well. The next
was that Of living up to their means. Here
things began 10 go badly. There was &C.
casionally hard rub; nothing, however,
very disastrous. Last came the expert
ment OF living beyond their means. As
may be imagined, everything began to 20
wrong. They got in debt. Things went
worse and worse till finally they came 10 a
stand. The Americans are plainly trying
the last experiment, for everybody and eve
thing 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 mar
undertakes 10 build house. His plan al
first is modest and reasonable. But as the
work goes on his ideas enlarge and before
he gets through he finds that he has been
constructing palace, and he must either
sell it or live under the embarrassment Of Q
heavy debt. If he concludes to live in it at
all hazards, his troubles have but begun
He must furnish il in style corresponding
70 its hostliness, and here is another cause
ofvexation. There is absolutely no end tc
the demands Of fashion, and he who has
made himself its slave is most sincerely tc
be pitisd.
Two of the most significant symbols Of
American extravaganza are mems watches
and women's dresses. Every man must
sport gold watch. California itself, the
Ell Dorado Of modern times, is scarcely rich
enough, one would suppose, to furnish the
cases Of the watches worn by the Ameri-
cans. Gentlemen in Europe with moder.
ate fortunes, which they have accumulated
by their own industry and saved by their
&c onomy, do not think Of indulging them
selves in gold watches. They modestly
wear silver one. The climax of extrava-
gance is reached in the dressing Of women.
The millions which annually 60 abroad for
the purchase Of silks are enough alone 10
upset the balance of trade. There il no
woman so poor that she cannot afford silk
dress, and some half q score. And then
what an enormous quantity of the precious
fabric is consumed in making a costume a
la mode! Coaches and omnibusses have
become too small 10 stow them away. The
side walks are getting too narrow 10 contain
two Of them abreast. Now, what is the
use Of all this extravaganza? 1t is for the
exclusive benefit of the silk growers Of
France and the silk weavers of Lyons ant
Marseilles. A sensible woman is no more
agreeable when she is environed with
hounces and furbelows than when she i.
arrayed in plain attire. Indeed, il argues
badly for woman's sense that she is inca
pable Of withstanding the mandates olfashion
And then let them consider the moral eli.
feet upon the rising generation: What car
be worse than 10 train up family of daugh
tiers in the slavery Of fashion and in habits
Of extravaganza
IMPORTANT TO RAILROAD TRAVELLERS
A court in Ohio has decided that the loss o