Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-11-08

Agreat many people in these days are try
ing to economize. We are passing through
a crisis, which is not exactly like an old
fashioned panic, that came and went after
the fashion Of a tornado, destroying all the
dead trees and wrenching out few that
had life in them; it is a general collapse,
rather than panic, and more like a steady
persistant, withering north-easter than a
tornado. 1t is hard time for those who
have no money, because 1t is difficult to
earn any thing: but it is a hard time for
those who have money, because there is
no way to use it. We are suffering Just
what might have been expected, after the
over-tradiDg, and over-rating, and over
spending OF the past few years. 1t is the
reaction which comes after a debauch 1t
to useless to conceal the fact that we are
peculiar people The French have gone
to work, economical and paid the heavy
debt incurred in their late war. They are
richer than ever, and their paper is as
good as gold.
We have run riot in extravaganza, kept
up war prices. manufactured five yards of
cloth where one was needed, built innum-
cradle railroads on fictitious capital, sold
millions of bonds to the unwary that are
good for nothing, paid onr debts with bor-
rowed money, and spent two dollars when
we were earning one. And now we feel
that we must begin to retrench. With the
poor, this means something that is terri
ble to them. The one must stint his house,
hold in food and clothing, and keep the fire
low. The other must abate his luxuries.
and manage to live on ten thousand a year
instead of twenty.
Some people have natual gift for say
ing, and whatever their income may be,
always lay by something Others live from
hand to mouth, and whatever their income
may be, lay by nothing. Let US look at
this subject in practical and homely way
There is such thing as false economy.
Nothing is gained by purchasing inferior
articles, merely because they are cheap
garment that comes to pieces after it has
been wore two or three times. may not
cost much in the beginning, but you have
to keep on buying garments every few
weeks, it is very costly in the end. Poor
flour and poor meat may be had at a great
discount, but the family will not thrive on
such food. Furniture may be bought at
low rates, which does very well until YOU
begin to use it, and then it tumbles to
pieces. The true way is to buy only what
is needed, and be careful 20 get Your mon
ey's worth, fair weight and good quality.
1t is poor economy to neglect necessary re-
pairs. in order to save time and money
or to allow buildings to go to decay for
want of a little paint. A stitch or two in
time, five minutes work, with few nails
and hammer or pot of glue, or patch
oileather, which every man may do for him
self, will save great many valuable things
from destruction. A small expenditure OF
money for other repairs may save great
deal of money in the end.
1t is sign of wastetulness, and cannot
be economy, when you see fences with the
the stats broken, and the posts awry, and
the gates unhinged, shingles gone from
the roof, windows fractured, rickety door
steps. carts lying round all winter with one
wheel gone, dilapidated ploughs, tooth
less rakes, dismantled grind stones, and
all kinds of tools rustng in the rain. 1t
is the worst kind OF economy to take the
young children away from school, and set
them to work. In doing so you rob them
of their capital, and it may be keep them
poor all through lite. The temptation to
do it is very great. especially in manutac-
turing towns; so great as to call for the
Intervention of the law as children null
tiply, expenses increase, and the father
may say that the young one had better
work than suffer want. This may be so ;
but it is hard to starve their brains for the
sake of their stomachs; and it is possible
that the child might be kept at school
a little longer, if the old folks would be
willing to give up certain personal indul-
gences, which cost more than they imagine.
True economy consists. first, in habitual
watchtuness. both as it regards what is
brought into the house. and what is carried
out of it. The amountsof waste in our
American housekeepiaW is enormous. A
Frenchman would live shlxuriously upon
what we throw aways The crumbs which
fall fiom our tables are very large. A
public lecture, delivered by an intelligent
Collector of Garbage-vulgarly known as
II swlll-man-and based upon his expert
cnce in the various households that he