The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-10-16
Aeep AecOu ats.
BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.

Do not laugh, Mr.. Bonner, but 1 wish TO
urge upon all young people, whose habits are
yet to be formed, not the duty OF enterprise,
nor of trugalily, nor OF temperance, nor OF in
dustry and thrift, but OF the duty OF keeping
careful accounts.
This is not performed by simply entering
every penny spent, but of so balancing re-
ceipts and expenditures that one may know
every day precisely how he stands with the
world. Credit rlay be helpful In an organized
business. But when young men or women
are just bes inning to earn little mocey, 1t IS
wise for them never to owe penny, MT even
for day. 1t is better to 60 without a hum
dred needed things than to be in debt; aud
the poorer you are, the more tyraDnicai will
debt prove to be. A rich man may vent, re
to go in debt; he has resources which have
only to be collected 10 meet it. But poor
man in debt has only his scant earniI Is,
which often barely suffice to pay his daily ue-
cessities, and leave the debt, with accumuIat-
ing interest, TO worry him and to tempt him
10 dishonesty.
1t is wise for every young man to.refuse to
| incur dsbt, and to obdge himself to keep
clear and minute account of everl cent gained
aid spent. The habit once formed, it Will be
as easy to be methodical in money matters as
to be careless.
Small as this may seem, 1t will really exert
moral influence upon ones whole life. 1t Is
tuC IOuhudblOu vi DuSlucoS. II Ouc DtSluS u
get on in lie, he will have become so wonted
to method and to clear understanding of his
affairs, that nothing will be lett to chance.
He will see every day just the road he il on,
and ho W far along be is.
1t may seem superfous' to exhort business
| men 10 pursue the same course. But 1t Is
| probable that not one baf OF the business
men in America keep their accounts II such
| a manner that they themselves, or any one
1 of has. taIl
| months OF investigation, what their real
standing is. The settling of estates Is q
melancholy business. All values seem to
sh'ink; hundreds of things important to the
estate when kept only in the mans head, and
he dying, the record of them is lJst. OF is re-
covered only BY long search. Two part.
ners may get along smoothly white they are
alive. Several instances have come TO our
knowledge of miserable results following the
death OF business men, arising from the want
| of thorough account keeping.
It ought not to be a question of business
prudence. A CAREFUL record of all affairs
| should be part OF business morality. IL Is
| a part of right living to leave ones affairs so
| that they can be settled without mlsuEder-
| standing or quarrel. No one has a right to
| to roll over op his heirs load of difficulties.
1t is part of good preparation for death,
to have ones affairs so that no one will be in
jured, and no one perplexed aud burdened.
| Parents should bring up both boys and
| girls TO keep accounts. 1t should be lmpre s.
ed upon them, early and late, that business
cannotbe safely carried ON with minute and
accurate record. After habit of accounts
is once formed, system in affairs and method
in accounts become easy. Instead OF hinder
ing they facilitate business, ecoDomlze time
give cearness TO ones course, prevent COM
pIicatIons, enable one at any ploment to
know his actual condition, and keep his es-
tate so that if called to leave IL, be eau 90 SO
| without liability of termenting his family
or heirs with wretched tangle Of vexatlons
and disappointments.
| Therefore, keep accounts. N. Y. Ledger.