Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1867-03-13
Live Within Your Means.

We don't like stingincss. We don't like
economy" when it comes down to rags and
starvation. We have no sympathy with the
notion that the poor man should hitch him.
self to post, and stand still while the res,
Of the world moves forward. Itisno man
duty to deny himself of every amusement,
every luxury, every recreation, every com.
fort, that he may get rich. 1t is no man
duty to make an iceberg of himsclf-to shut
his eyes and ears to the suffcrings of his
fellows--and to deny himself the enjoyment
that results from generous actions-merely
that he may hoard wealth for his heits to
quarrel about.
But there is yet an economy which is ev-
cry man duty, and which is especially COM
mendable in the man who struggles with
poverty-an economy which is consistent
with happiness and which must be practiced
if the poor man would secure independence.
1t is every man 5 privilege, and it becomes
his duty to live within his means; not up
to, but within them. Wealth does not
make the man, We admit and should never
be taken into the account, in our judgment
of men. But competence should be secured
whenit can be; and it almost alwaya can be,
by the practice Of economy and self-dcnial
to ouly q tolerable extent. 1t should be Sc
cured, not so much for Others to look upon
or to raise us in the estimation of others, as
to secure the consciousness of independence,
that is derived from requirements and pos
session.
We would like to impress this single fact
upon the mind of every laboring man who
may perusc this short article-that it is pos
sible for him to rise above poverty, and that
the path to independence, though beset with
tolls and self.sacrifces, is much more pleas.
an. to the traveller, than any one he can
enter upon.
The man who feels that he is earning
something more than he is spending, will
walk the streets with much lighter heart,
and enter his home with a much more cheer
ful countenance than he who spends as he
goes, Or falls gradually behind his necessities
in acquiring the means Of meeting them.
Next to the slavery of intemperance, there
is no slavery on earth more calling than that
of poverty and Indebtedness. The man who
is everybody's debtor, is evcrybody's slave,
and in a much worse condition, than he who
serves single master.
For the sake of the present, then as well
as for the sake of the future, we would most
earnestly urge upon every working man to
live within his means. Let him lay by some-
thing every day-if but penny be it a pen
ny-it is better than nothing infinitely bet
ter than running in debt, penny day, or
a penny week. If he can earn dollar,
let him try fairly and faithfully, the expert.
ment of living on ninety cents. lie will like
it.
''People will laugh" Let them laugh.
''They will call me stingy." Better call you
stingy than say you do not pay your debts.
''They will wonder why do not have bet
ter furniture, live in finer house, and at
tend concerts and the play house." Let
them wonder, for a while; it won't hurt
them, and it certainly won't you. BY and
by, you can have fine house, and fine fur
niture of your own; and they will wonder
again and come billing and cooling around
you, like SO many pleased fools. Try the
experiment. Live within your means.