Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-10-29
HARD TIMES.

Cause and effect are inseparably connected.
No effect takes place without a cause, and
every cause produces some effect. The theory
of luck and chance is at variance with all the
principles of sound philosophy, and contradict
ed by the universal experience of all observ-
ing men in all ages and in all sections of the
world. The cause and the effects, to the ex-
perienced eye, always bear striking resem-
blance. So much so that a knowledge of the
one is usually all that is necessary to discover
the other When cause is seen in opera
ton, it is easy to predict the result or effect ;
and when the effect is presented to the accu-
rate observer, he is at no great difficulty to
diagnose the cause.
For the last few years, the cry Of "hard
times" has been ringing in melancholy tones
in every nook and corner of our State. Nor
is it confined to the State of South Carolina
The cry is heard in every section of the South
ern States. Were this cry of hard times
mere hypocritical slang, it would be idle to
comment upon it, or to attempt to explain its
remote or proximate cause. This is not, how
ever, the case. The facts in the case warrant
US in saying that the present is hard and the
future is gloomy.
What is the cause, or rather what are the
causes of the present state of things, for they
are many? Passing over the abnormal state
of government in South Carolina, we may
mention the fact that the people of the State
have not as yet been brought to a practical
knowledge of their real condition. The ne
groes of the State, when set free, concluded
that they could live on freedom without work
and the white people concluded that they.
Notwithstanding the fact that the negroes, the
former laborers ofthe State, were set free, could
live as they always had done. Practically, a
great many people have not as yet learned
the fact that the negro is free and that his
labor cannot be controlled as it once was
This is one cause of hard times. The man
who depends upon negro labor, as it could
once be depended upon, will most assuredly
meet with disappointment.
Another cause of hard times, is the fact that
our people, after the war ended, rushed head
long into their former extravagances. The
late war taught US that we could make our
own supplies. So soon, however, as the war
was ended, the men ceased to make bread and
meat, and the women laid aside the cards and
wheel. Every dollar that could be got was
expended in dress. Men who had lost all
their property, never hesitated to dress them
selves and families with all the taste and ex-
pense that they did when in Aourishing cir
cumstances. Stores were opened in every
nook and corner of the State, and the last
cent was expended in articles-if not abso-
lutely useless-that could have been dispensed
with. Cotton crop after cotton crop has been
expended-we might say wasted-in this way,
and hard times has followed; not by freak
of fortune, but by an irreversible law of ma
ture. The merchant was not made rich, for
his head became added; and when it was
hopelessly too late, he found it was impossible
to collect when there was nothing to collect.
The men who, to-day, are in the best condi-
ton, pecuniarily, are those who have accepted
the condition of things, gone to work, lived at
home, and paid no attention to the fashions.
With them there is really no hard times.
They may give utterance to the general COM
plant, but it is only sympathetic. There is,
in reality, no hard times in their homes
They have plenty and are comfortable. But
in those families where there has been ma
MIA for broad-coth coats, doe-skin pants, fash
ionable boots and beaver hats, silk and satin
dresses, made in the most approved styles,
there is hard times with an earnestness which
no language can we'll describe.
1t is often much easier to give a correct
diagnosis of disease, than to prognose it and
prescribe a remedy. Some times, too, the ply
sician has correct knowledge of the cause
and tendency of disease in his patient, and
also of the remedy; but the difficulty is, the
patient will not follow his direction. 1t is
useless to prescribe to such patient, for the
prescription will not be followed out. Just
so it with a people. Many of them would
rather die than be cured. The remedy for
the hard times of the present period is thor
ough ignoring of the fashions, rigid econo.
my, and production of all supplies. We
must commence at the beginning. After the
war was the proper time to have done this
Had this been done, the country would have,
by this time, been wholly recovered from the
caamites of war but it is not still too late
We must conduct ourselves as the settlers of
new country would do. The multitude of
our people are poor, and the sooner we accept
the condition Of poor man and conduct our
selves accordingly, the better it will be for us.
The effort to appear rich is running US and
will continue to ruin US.
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.