The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-10-02
THE NEED OF ECONOMY.

from the stern. lessons of adversely, or if they
have, it has been forgotten already. We look
in vain for any evidences of that rigid economy,
that outstanding of our resources which one
would naturally suppose would have been the
case among people bankrupt and impoverished
by four long weary years of terrible warfare. 1t
is true that, at the termination of bostilities,
there was more produce found in the country
than the most hopeful could have anticipated,
and that large amount was realized thereby,
but our people seem to have forgotten the fact
that the amount then on hand was the proceeds
of several crops which had accumulated during
and before the war The money realized from
that produce, instead of being applied to the
restoration of the farming interests of,the eoun-
try; to the improvement Of agricultural pursuits,
has, to use a strong expresseu,- been spent In
'riotous living" The moment the war ter
minated, Or as soon as the means could be OBJ
tanned, there was perfect hegtra from the
South to the commercial emporiums and fash
ionable watering places of the North. And
this, too, from all sections of the country. It
seemed as if our people had determined to ignore
the lessons Of the past, to take no thought of
the future, but to live solely, for the present.-
We thought at the time that they were a little
exeusable, for the reason that they had been for
four years entirely excluded from the world,
and that the exuberance of feeling attending
that condition, like the JOY Of school boys re-
leased from restraint, would soon be quoted or
wear itself out We are sorry to say that such
has not been the case. Our people to day are
as extravagant as at any time before the war,
and pay n more heed to the rough teachings Of
the past, than as if no such teachings had been
administered Gaudy equipages glitter on our
streets the hum of the spinning wheel is no
longer heard, and the honest, serviceable home
spun has long since given way TO the "purple
and fine linen :" We do not refer to any par
ticular locality, and would not be so understood;
We speak of the appearance Of things generally
throug bout the Sou thern country. Go into any
of our fashionable churches on Sunday (if it is
not saerilege to use that word in connection
with any building dedicated to the service of
the Almighty and see the magnificent display
90 exhibition within its sacred walls Silks and
satlns Of the costliest patterns laces of texture
so fine and delicate that breath would almost
cfunp!e into nothing; and flowers sufficient in
number add In beauty to form garden that
Shens'one might have enyied Is not sall this
wrong Is it a true evidence Of the condition
of our people, even admitting We can afford all
this style? Is not the exhibition of it, to say
the least, in very bad taste? We fear that our
people are no wiser than they were that the
sad experiences of the last four years have
taught them nothing, and that "Ephram is still
joined to his idols" The future looks dark and
lowering enough;,if there is indeed silver
lining to the cloud that enfods US, We cannot
distinctly see it. We know not what miseries
yet in store for Us, it behooves us, therefore,
to keep our houses IN order; TO practice economy
in all thioes; live soberIy and honestly, SO
that we may be prepared to meet with frmness
whatever Of trouble The future may bring to US,
sustained as We shall then be by the inward
CONSCIOUSNESS Of having discharged our duty in
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