The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-11

, IVES NO slave labor 20 fall back and lean upon
] To starve or put their own hand to the plough
was the prerogative. From the lap of luxury
they had been transferred to q condition
! where they must earn their bread with the
| sweat of their brow. With them there fol-
lowed a struggle for existence almost, aud the
compulsory economy Of the war period was
compulsory still.
This forced change Of circumstances must
necessarily have begotten by this time a sig
nal change in Southern habits, and it will bs
no matter for surprise if they should, in the
future, be among the most economical of 'peo-
pie. They manifest desire aud appreciation
for recuperatiOn aud prosperity such as they
never enjoyed before, and they osn but bs
aware that retrenohment, economy, and fru.
aaity are essential TO the attainment of these
ends, That they contemplate practising these
virtues in the future is therefore manifest
Turning now 10 the North, we discover that
our habits of living have undergone q change
for the worse. With the creation of our war
expenses there came period of Northern ex-
travaganoe. Familarizsd to enormous ex-
penditures by the Government, the people
began to increase their individual cost Of
maintenance, to indulge in Injuries uuthought
of before, and to look upon frugality aud
economy in somewhat the same light that
the South previously did. Instead of want
and famine, the prolongation Of the war
seemingly brought plenty and prosperity.
Mortgages upon the future made money
plenty. No one wanted for employment,
while bounty money passed rapidly through
the pockets of those who had never known
before what it was to have an extra shilling
All around us many suddenly grew rich
through fat contracts or speculation, aud
exercised a demoralizing influence by the
reckless manner in which they scattered their
ducats. Contractors and cotton thieves daz-
zled the eye of the public with their iewelry,
and shoddy traled her silks and satins before
the admiring and envious gaze of the less
prosperous. Money came quick, and went
quicker. Resorts of amusement were patro-
nized as they had never been before. Neither
did the end of the war bring with it au end to
these ruinous habits which had been so sud
denly eugrafted upon us. The people, as we'll
as representatives, have still gone on as if
there were no limits TO cur resources, as if the
national finances could stand any strain with
out being snapped asnnder, as if our indivi-
dual pocketbooks would never be less plethoric
than now.
Such being the case, it bahoovss us of the
North 20 stop and reflect whether cOntipu-
ance of these habits may nog only work iudi-
vidual ruin, but in q very few years transfer
the balance of wealth and power to the South,
aided as it is by lhe immense cotton and
sugar interests. We have seen in the dire
rebellion the results OF pr0dig atty, reckless
expenditure efemir acy, and the living from
other mems labor. We have the example OF
the South as warning 10 deter us from the
habits and modes of life upon which, as a
people, we at the North have entered. Will
we profit by it, or still continue to advance
backward as our Southern countrymen go for
ward? These are questions which press home
with force upon each one Of us.