River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-09-12
Home Enterprise.

1t has been said that "famili arity
breeds contempt" and this saying has
passed into a proverb. Too often quite
are We saddled with proverbs" they
are the bane of society; they are the
ban of society; under proverbs men
become slaves to whims and supersti-
tious notions; people sigh for relief
they grasp Tor something beyond their
reach; they look with wonder upon
what they cannot comprehend, ard for
the only reason that they cannot com.
prehend what they behold.
But what has this to do with "home
enterprise" The question is easily
answered. We fail to discover real
merit in those with whom we are "a
miliar; We cannot conceive that they
have superior skill, and while it may
not be tue that familiarity breeds con
tempt, il is too true that We are prone
it ignore the better qualities of those
with wh,m we are the most intimate.
To illustrate this we scarcely need to
allude tothe fact that men seldom be-
come greet at home. Columbus sought
a foreign court, nor need we multiply
instances of this kind AS an artist
Powers TIE sculptor was scarcely rec
osuized at home, while in Italy he be-
cane the most renowned in the world
On a smaller scale the same DISPOSE
fion to shun. or to ignore real worth
shen found at home, exists every
where. 1t is time, however, for so
icty to arise above this bondage, or
br man to burst the letters Of supersti-
ion with which both soul and spirit arc
bound. To day we admire a thing, not
Or its beauty, or for its real worth, but
or its cost, and for its name. "Itallan
ilk' possesses a charm though the same
nay have been the product of Connect
tut.
Hence it is that VIC employ 'tramps,"
md, consequently, quacks; hence it is
hat We buy goods, furniture, tools,
agricultural or otherwise, upon a name.
/ farmer will send abroad for wagon
br instance, and let the village mechan-
! starve, when he can buy a better one
d home for the same money. kud
rcxt he will persist in buying plow
o. an irresponsible agent Of foreign
manufacturer, with no guarantee, when
h, can purchase superior article OF
tic home mechanic.
These are also illustrations. Are
they in point? Is there truth IN these
home made axioms and illustrations?
Ponder these suggestions we'll, and then
tell us the result of your deliberations.
What then are the practical deduc-
tons We would maker Simply these:
Learn to prize real merit both at home
and abroad, but more especially at
home; buy nothing Of foreign manu-
iaciurc unless you are obliged to; buy
nothing abroad that you can buy at
home-nay, not even if you can save a
dime by SO doing; never attempt by
word or act TO starve out home NOR
chants, or home mechanics, but rather
encourage both. There are jewels in
every mine and miners as we'll as minds
in every community; aud bright jewels
arc they; they only need polishing to
make them TO shine as brilliantly as
those far away And low shall they
be polished except by uac?
We leave the reader TO make further
deductions, and to make pratical ap-
plicati0ns Of them. Our remarks thus
far, are only general in their character
aud bearing AZ some othes time we
may make them both local and person.
Ial