The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-27

for men who have not capital, and probably
for those who have, as well. The question OF
economy stands in the foreground as the les
son for men to study. With all that class
who depend upon their personal enterprise
and effort for getting living, the tune
of expenses is pitched too high in
the scale of resources. This prop
osition lies at the Threshold of every dis
cussion bearing on public or private pros
perity. There is a class who have wealth !;
their estates count up into the hundreds of
thousands, not unfrequently into millions.
With these. this article has nothing to do,
perhaps. If a man is rich, If he has the
cash to do it, and sees fit to
make the annual expenses of his
family equal to respectable fortune, it is
nobody's business but his own, and
it may be good thing in many ways. His
disbursements help all classes, directly or
indirectly, who minister to the desires and
tastes of his HOUSEHOLD. There lies but one
objection which arises out of the democratic
idea of American society. The idea of equal
ity, of no class distinction, stirs up discon-
tent among those who are unable to do
as the rich do. There is no class
among us who patiently accept the lot
of inferiority or unfavorable discrimination
in outside appearance. Some are forced to
tolerate the reality, but they do it with
bad grace. For this reason almost every
body is living or trying to live, above
his means. What can an average bust
ness or professional man in Indiana
To ola
mum by the best use of his skill and
industry? Let him be trader, lawyer,
an educated man in business or any pro-
fession. If he be of middle age and blessed
with an intelligent family, it takes but a
glance to see that he needs several thou
sand dollars to live in this city, the
way things go. And it should be
added with emphasis that Indiana
polls is exceptionally devoid of exelu-
siveness and ofthe spirit of ostracism. There
is not its like in America for mingling with
out distinction the rich and the poor to-
gether. But how many men in business
without pretty large capital can clear So 900;
how many SS,OO0s The time is coming, ifnot
already here, when a salary of g, 900 or
$500 will be considered good for the servi-
ces of we'll educated man. II will not
take long to show how that sum may be
dissipated with house rent at 500, and other
things in proportion. The point in the case
is that man can not keep up home on
that sum, and hence he must run behind
hand. Now, large share of this awful
burden of expensive living is chargeable to
the women. Without wishing to blame
the dear creatures, or to speak unkindly
of their thoughtless mistake, they are, by
their fashions and ways, running the pros
perity of the country. 1t is the testimony
OF ladies engaged in the trade of dress max
ing that the cost of dressing at
this true is about as follows: For
a lady of society, married or unmar-
ried, who comes up to the standard of
style and elegance so as to pass without
question or remark, it will take $1,000 to
pay her dress and millinery bills for year.
Falling into the second class, only appear
ing well without extravaganza, she can be
kept respectable for half the sum; and a
well dressed lady. who lays claims to strict
economy, denies the expenditure OF
over $500. But it is evident
that for those who go the
rounds of society, parties and receptions do
run up the cost to 81 900. This Is the testi-
mony of father whose daughter keeps his
nose to the grindstone. Luckily, he has
but one, for ne can hardly carry the load as
it is. Dressmskers say that the average
dress of the better qualities, such as poplins,
alpacas and similar fabrics leave the shop
at an average cost of SIS to $50;
silks from 500 to SIPS. The hats to
correspond two to four per year will run a
cost $50 to SIS. Many exceed that amount.
Comparatively few ladies make their own
dresses, especially that class who do moth
ing else. The working women do that,
but the idle sort must have everything
made. Even large part of those who con-
descend to weai at homo the cheap but ele-
CANT calicoes hire them made in the elabor-
ate styles of the day. The material for a
calico dress costs from sl.75 to 81 90. But
the dress-maker charges 81, or twice
the value of the goods, for making
IN. For making other dresses
the prices are $40, SIS and SIS. 1t is
notable that dry goods are exceedingly
cheap. But the man of family is not able to
appreciate this, beause fashion SO Increases
the quantity used, and the elaborate work
of making, that when ready to wear the
cost Is excessive. What can wives and
daughters be thinking of when the head of
the family is straining energy to scrape up
g, 900, $1,000, or even 5000 year. while
they dJssipate much on dress. They
are thinking just this; Society de-
mands 1t; they can not resist the
desire, amounting almost to neces-
sity, to "keep up'' and be just "decent:"
This is only one line of study. The
house and furniture constitute another
branch. Terrible evils, fatal to society and