The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-31

THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF THE WAR.-The
present war, although in itself disastrous has
already produced salutary change in the social
habits of our people. Before the commence.
ment of the campaign we had become spoiled
by prosperity, and finding it easy to earn money,
gave ourselves up to extravagant living. Ho-
tells were built and conducted on magnificent
and costly scale, and, with plethora Of guests
willing to pay with prodigaI hand. they made
large fortunes for their proprietors 1t was
fashionable to live at hotels and so peo.
pie lived in them But bow stands the case
now? The incomes Of all have been more or
less reduced by the condition Of the country,
and people have discovered the necessity for
practising economy in every possible way.
With this view they have left hotels and gone
! 70 reside privately. They have also reduced
IL cir tailors' and milliners' bills and, following
the order Of the day. have made the reduction
of TIM If expenses study. At the present tims,
insteaA Of visiting Saratoga and other iashiona-
n,e res~ is. they have taken up their residences
ar tho cys apest hotels and boarding houses in
the. rurai j. districts Meanwhile the large city
hotels arc %, arly empty. The proprietors are
.nah.e to.n,, their rents and they are losing
cons derab,e g, ms every week by keeping them
o,on In nre,a rus summers all these houses
we're crowded WA b fashionable tourists, espe-
c;al,v Soa,berns,n but now, how great the
change.
II ia ,vo,, tbat at,t.A rsty has its uses and that
even war nav imprs We and purify social life,
.nd.vao chaaoptbe-cA aracter OF nation. Be-
fore the outbreak Of ne repeiiion the great
standard n excellence a 'as shrewdness in the
pu rchase and ss,e of sta,A rs. and proficiency and
cunning in the art OF maitA 'g money. Mammon
seemed 70 he our god, ana money the ua"na
thule of numa effort. the.sn 1naun oon'un OF ex-
istence VIVA in its lnlina &C could be more
pernicious and degrading taa THIS 1t Is well
that a chararq,as come--th,as something nohler
than the pcssea sion Of mOmgy commands our
respect Wenow look for GO urage, bravery,
pa rotism. We al burning With
martial ardo.a and personal fostu ne is lost sight
OF in the absorbing desire TO - We the Union.
We are becoming larger hearca ], less selfish
and more imbued with the true spirit of phi
every day TIE energy OF our peo-
pie to accomplish great deeds is ba coming more
largely developed with che msrCA OF events,
and on all sides traces Of regemrA ion are OBJ
servable These effects, evoked byt the revolu'
ton, vii, gradually become pegnA nent, and
long after the restoration, Of pa ace will
vitalize. rcnvigorate and elevate - 'ciety at
large We wanted such an infusion Of the bet
ter elements Of our nature into tAs pra ctice Of
every day life 1t is not good for people to
be always intoxicated with success aad to yield
themselves up to improvidens pleasures. 1t was
by thrift and industry, not luxury and extrava-
gnnce, that the early fortunes-o of this country
were made. The war will make a military
people, which we were not before, and so ena-
BILE us to take rank with the great Powers OF
Europe. 1t will. too, inaugurate a new era in
American literature and art; foe it will afford
subjects enough for the historian, the poet, tho
novelist the dramatist and the painter to stock
our bookshelves, our theatres and our picture
galleries for generation to come. Our army
is not without its Horace Vesnets and Lessinge-
and Korners, who may be expected in the future
to make good use of those tragic scenes Of which,
they have been the eye witnesses. On the wholes
therefore, we may congratulate ourselves On,
the good results Of the war upon American
society.