New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-15
the rnerchnnts dong brsiness In ANS ctyi

the acquaintance NJ doing business In this city
VOW, II you we're person key 70 pny ypu "ou sdy
not 10 mean utter stranger lie ala not aolnls ths
force Of my demonstrations but VI course the sequei
consider it Oh but an axiom that ho who asks a
stranger TO lend him money Viii never pay IL yet have
/ known an exception. once, when was eXCeeduy poor
/ and needy in q season Of commercial Teyusion or
pan =" opened letter from Utica and found therein
s. wich the writer asked to receive satisfaction
Of q loan Of that sum which had made him-a mccoy
stranceron an occasion which be recalled my rcen-
bfance Perplcxcd by so unusual a message, ana es-
prcay by receiving it at such atmc. when every one
was seeking TO borrow-nO ore cOndcscending to pay
scanned the letter closely. at length achieved
solution of the problem The writer patient N the
! A gushing youth wrote me to this effect:
"DEAR SIR: Among your literary treasures you have
late lamentcd poet Edgar A. Poe II So and You can
spare one please ncloe to me- and receive tie thames
promptly responded as follows:
DEAR SIR Among my literary treasures there hap
iamened poet Edgar A. Poe It is his note Of hand for
$50, with my Endorsement across tho back 1t cost me
exactly so 70 QnCuding protest. aud you may nave ~
for half that amount. Yours, respectfully" ,.
That autograph. regret to say, remains my hands
and still for sale at the original price, despite the lapse
Of time. and tho depreciation Of our currency.
once received letter from an utter stranger hvhg
300 miles away. asking me TO lend him large sum on
mort gage Of his farm, and closing thus:
"P. s-Nly religious views radically antagonist TO
yours but know no member OF my own church OF WHOM
could SO readily, and with such confidence ask such
This postscript impeed me, instead Of dropping the
letter quetly into the wasebasket, usual and turn
ing to the next business in order to answer him as lo
&" SIR: have neither the money You ask for the
inclination TO lend it the security you proner Ana
your p s. prompts the suggestion that whenever shall
be moved TO seek favOrs Of the members OF some othe
hered shall moke haste to join that other church."
trust said nothing calculated to stay the hand
fun OF needy suffering who richly deserve compass
sion not to speak Of the Migrants, who, though unde
struck with the response OF man last from St louis
who recently insisted on being helped on TO Boston
which he said his early home, snd TO whom I0ughy
made answcr-"You need not pretend to me that the
universe is bankrupt l know better-know that man
S O p not be TedaceS To Wei he quickly
rCioned II don't pretend that have always done the
right thinC-f did, you would know bctter-all say
is, that am hungry and penniless and that, If can
only get back 20 Boston, can there make a Lving
That's my whole story" felt that he had the better
There must there will be heavy drafts made the
sympathy and the means Of all who and will gyees
pecally during hard, duh Winter Ike the present,
Every PROSPEROUS man should aSa % fd tenth
90 third Of his income for the relief OF the needy and
channels through which TO reach those whose ryalions
greatest, and OH whom private aims can De Wisely
to 60 10 the Aims House ut Oucevho will be more easily
supported there than esewhere-and II is no charity TO
sQunder your means on these great majority OF the
by individuals; and OF good associations for phanropic
Thcre remains scany residuum OF wherein money
food must be given at once by whomsoeyer happens
10 nearest the sufferer but twohrds Of those who
beg from door to door who write begging letters axe
the very last persons who ought to be given even shl
plaster dime. And general rule the importantly or
beggar is in inverse ratio to his desert or even to lis
need.
=" Then you condemn borrowing and lending en-
tIelyr
No. | do not. Many man knows how to use. wisely
and beuecently that he does not while others do
possess lending to such, under proper safeguards Is
most commendable. Ten thousand young farmers, whO
by working for Others have earned s. 900 and saved
good part OF IT, prepared 10 work farms OF the
He who lends such youth $1,000 10 5000 where
with 10 purchase farm taking mortgage thereon Tor
the amount and leaving 20 the young farmer his own
we-earned wheTewth 20 buy stock and seed pro
visions and implements will often enable lm 10 Work his
way into modest independence, surrounded and blessed
by wife and children-hmse useful member OF socie
Is, and pillar Of the Stacwhen he must but Tor
that loan, have remained years longer single and hire
ling young mechanic may often be wisely ard safe
ly aided TO establish himself in business by timely and
welsecufed loan but this should never be accorded him
till by years of patient, frugal industry, he has qualified
himself for mastery, and proved himself worthy OF trust
COf traders there viii alwaysbe too many, though none
should DO able to borrow dOlarJ But IMPROVE
borrowing and lending among our most pTeva
lent and baneful errors and would gladly conduce to
their reformation.