The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-12-29
SUGGESTIONS FOB THE NEW YEAR.

A few days more will usher in the new
yesr, when We will turn new leaf IL the
great volume Of our national and moi
yidual history. The first day OF each sue
eessiye year has come to be regarded sort
Of epoch n our lives, or the Welding Of
another Ink in the chain Of existence, and
it is an eminen,Iy proper time to indulge IN
reflections Of practical and, when needed,
reformatory nature. To the business man
these ere period, which should not be passed
by without much close scrutiny III the past
and thorough preparation for the struggle
before him. Particularly is this disirabIe on
this occasion, when tho financial lookout is
not supposed to be the most inviting for the
coming year
We find in the last number Of the Hearth
and Home some valuable practical sugges
tons appropriate to he business man and
farmers entrance upon the new year which
we transfer to our co umus, with the hope that
they may be Of actual benefit to those Of our
readers who are accustomed to take no par
tcular note of passing time. in order TO ex
Tract from 1t lessons Of wisdom and the
fruits of experience
Among the most important practical
things that the season suggests lsto definite
IN determine wherc ,ce stand. Not only in
morals, which others can with more pro
priety urge, but in the matters Of dollars
and cents. There ~ not successful busi.
ness man IN this or suy other country who
who does not at certain seasons Of the year
usually at the begiEning) lake an account
Of stock, set bis asserts and his Liabilities
over against each other, compare then with
the record made twelve months tperhap,
six before aud thus ascertain, without the
possibility of mistake whether the year has
been favorable or otherwise.
~ merchant or manufacturer failing to
do this, ddr4. He may think he is making
money, as the world talks, but he does not
kuop it; anl ottener thaa otherwise he
finds his mistake when too late TO apply the
reMedy.
mo class Of individuals is go utterly for
getiul Of this ars, principle that underlies
all successtu, business az the farmer. Of
the million ard half more or less Of men
whose cole business it is to til the soil, and
from which all their living a. well as all
lheir gains must come, probably not one in
"a hundred certainly knows st the years end
whether he Is richer or poorer han he was
at the beginning. He may have sdded a
lew dollars to the credit side Of his savings
bank book, but does be know that his farm
or his stock may not have been !essened in
value by 80 much, or even more than he
has with so much self-grGtulstjon depos-
tied
"lf we have never done it before, let Us
begin the year ls70 By taking an account
Of stock.
How shall it be done?
"As this IS to be lhoperullg) the begin
ming of yearly practice, it IS best to pro
cure respecta ble-sizei biank-book and .
beginning on its Opeuinc pages, faithfully
enter at lis just valuation all that can he
accounted as u sets.
"Of course, the Wcptern farmers bal
ance-shect will be- somewhat different from
that of his brother east of the Hudson. but
the essential in both is absolute truthful
ness Let the inventory, whether Of iands,
or stock. or grain, be Just what it would
sell for at the hour. aud let that Of the debts
include not part, but GH
beside the satisfaction Of knowing as We
may, by the constant practice of making
careful inventory at the beginning Of each
year, Just where we stand, is there not a
Greater probability that each farmer follow
ing this plan will achieve larger success
than if no thought or care ia bestowed upon
q matter that the business history Of the
world has demonstrated to be of primary
importance? '