National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-10-27
Keen Accounts.

DO not laugh, but wish TO urge upon
MI young people, whose habits are yet
TO be formed-not the duty OF enterprise,
nor of frugality, nor Of temperance, nor
OF industry and thrift but the duty OF
keeping careful accounts.
| This is not performed by simply Gu
tering every penny spent. but OF so
balancing receipts and expenditures that
one may know every day precisely how
he stands with the world. Creda may
be helpful in aN organized business
But when young men or women ARE
Just beginning to earn little money, 1t
is wise for them never to owe penny,
not even for day. II il better to go
without hundred needed things than
to be in debt aud the poorer you are,
the more tyrannical will debt prove to
be. A rich man may venture to go IN
debt he has resources wlich have only
to he collected to meet it. But poor
man in debt has only ms scant earnings,
which often barely suffice to pay his
daily necessities. and leave the debt,
with accommodating interest, 10 worry
him, and TO tempt him to dishonesty.
II il wise for every yonng man 10 re-
fuse to incur debt. and 10 oblige himself
to keep clear and minute account of
every cent gained and spent. Tue habit
once formed, it will be rs easy to be
methodical IN money matters us to be
careless
Small IL this may seem, II will really
exert II moral influence upon ones whole
life. 1t is the foundation of business.
Ii Que begins to get on in life, he will
have become so wonted to method aud
to u clear understanding of his al
tairs, that nothing will be left to change.
He viii see every day just the road he is
on, and how fur along he is.
1t may seem supertlnous to exhoit
business men To pursue the same course
But it is probable that not one half OF
the business men in America keep their
accounts III such manner that they
| themselves, or any one for them, could
tell. without weeks and months of inyes-
! tigation, what their real standing Is.
/ The settling OF estates is II melancholy
business. All values seem 70 shrink
| hundreds Of things important to the es-
tate when kept only in the mans head,
and he dying, the record is then lost, or
is recovered only by long search. Two
partners may get along smoothly while
they are alive. Several instances have
come to orr knowledge of miserable re-
suits following the death of business
men, arising from the want of thorough
account keeping.
1t ought not to be left question of
/ business prudence. A careful record OF
all affairs should be a part of business
morality. 1t IL part OF right living to
| leave ones affairs so that they can be
settled without misunderstanding or
quarrel. No one has right to roll
over on his heirs load of difficulties.
1t is a part of a good preparation for
death. to have ones affairs so that no
one will be injured, and no one per
picked and burdened.
Parents should bring up both boys
and girls to keep accounts. 1t should
be impressed upon them, early and late,
that business cannot be safely carried on
without minute and accurate record
After habit of accounts is once formed,
system in affairs and method in accounts
become easy. Instead of bindering
| they facilitate business, economize time,
give clearness to ones course, prevent
complications enable one at any mo-
ment to know his actual condition, and
keep his estate so that if called to leave
it, he can do so without liability of
tormonting his family or heirs with 4
wretched tangle of vexations and dis
appointments.
| Therefore. keen accounts f-Beecher