New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-30
ECONOMY FOR THE WINTER

ECONOMI TOH IHG WIN fbh'
The end of September year ago inaugu-
rated one of the most curious reforms when
ever took place in our social histOry-a reform
based at first on neither reason nor prln-
ciple. Every man began to economic before
he felt any lack of money; not because ne
held economy to be virtue, but because ne
doubted his neighbours financial credit, just as
now he does his religion, and for no better
cause. Not knowing what business or
speculation to trust, he resolved to button up
whatever money he might have in his pocket,
and by all means possible to keep 1t there.
Economy was for while literally the fashion;
it was the proper thing to have Invested In
Northern Pacific, and to find it expedlent to
Contract Now, when the general distrust
and contraction have made the evil reality,
and economy is necessity, we do not prac-
tice it with such complacency and airy grace.
Just at present, when the Summer holiday
is over and the heads of the firm or family
are planning the Winters campaign, Is
the time which they take to decide
how and where the pinch and tightening shall
be made. In most cases the object Is to make
it, not where it shall be least felt, but where
the next door neighbOr shall not find 1T out.
Brown, finding his shelves full Of goods which
sell too slowly for his needs, retains his orna-
mental platoon of statesmen, but docks the
number and pay of his hands who work out
of sight. His wife cuts down the wages OF
her sempstress, dickers with the washer
woman over every weeks bill, but
drives as usual in the Park behind
her blooded bays and liveried fOotmen.
H. nf Nv H.
Judged expenditure runs into every class and
grade. The master carpenters wife, pro-
nounced among her neIghbors as a generous
housekeeper and (on the basis of her dress
and parlor furniture) "a perfect lady," find
ing her allowance cut down one half, turns off
the Door woman who has sewed for her, and
buys her underwear ready made, saving
enough in this way to treat herself to Paris
ian Winter dress, mass of coarse cloth, gap
ing stitches, and tawdry bead work. The sew
ing woman in her turn Is driven to these
ready made clothing shops, and will make for
the rest of the Winter calico wrappers at
twenty-five cents for each, and other gar
ments in the same proportion. The fe-
male employees of the mills recently
closed or running on halfftime crowd the
doors where this work is given out, glad OF
this poor chance to escape starvation. The
other chance which offers itself to both Sc wing
woman and mill-hand, decent, faithful domes-
tic service, they turn from as involving loss
of caste. The cook or chambermaid at Browns,
OF even the carpenters house, is paid at
nearly double the rates of sales-ladies" in
the smaller shops. The sales-lady lodges in
garnet and lives on starvation diet, while the
cook has at her disposal all the comfort and
delcaces which her employer can command
for himself. The motive in this madness lies
in the much abused name Of "lady;" and it
is this motive which accounts for the humid
reds of women driven, by their own showing,
to the brothels of New York for bread This
appetite for vulgar display and struggle for
sham position have served THE TRIBUNE and
all other social Mentors as q never-failing
text for years in their crusade against
the shortcomings of our half-educated
classes 1t was apparent enough in the
days of lavish expenditure, but it is
oddly more noticeable in the recent attempts
at economy. The man who when in Europe
filings his money about to the amusement and
gain of all shopkeepers, and when at home
dares not dispute an extOrtiOnate bill for fear
of a suspicion of poverty, is the man who in
the hard times coming this Winter will dock
the wages Of his workmen to spend the
money on opera or ball tickets. Any appeal
to him would be wasted. When wealth is
held to be the sole qualification to rank or
respect, we are not likely willingly to betray
our lack of it.
There is class of rational and cultured
men and women whom it may be worth while
to remind just now that the saving of money
is not sometimes the best humanity or
economy. We fail to see the wisdom of dis
charging workmen or servants whose wages
would amount to hundreds during the Winter
months, and before the Winter is over sub
scribing thousands to beneficial societies or
sOup-houses. Nor is it better policy to deny
ourselves suddenly the comforts and Injuries
upon the manufacture of which the majority
of city operatives depend for their daily
bread These remarks, of course, only apply
to the wealthy class; but there are none of
us who should not carefully consider how our
small surplus funds could be expended in
wages rather than in aims.
dulcet dream of new kind of greatness for that
great city, 1t ID to be made the Literary Capital of
the nation The best literary talent is be attracted