New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-31
PAYING IND S1VING.

PAIING AM OIfIhb.
On this last day of the. year a very odd
party of preachers take the field and urge one
solitary duty on mankind. During the genial
Christmas season pulpit and press preached
the one lesson-Give. But Pay is the watch
word of to-day. Tailor, butcher, grocer the
boys tutor, the gils' dancing master, the
family plumber, call loudly upon US to settle
our accounts with departing Time, and to yex
not the ghost OF 1875 with any unpaid bills.
We remember that The TRIBUNE preached
sermon to its readers in the beginning OF this
now old year, the gst Of which was to owe no
man anything to retrench-letrench-u Until the
yearly income showed that shilling outside OF
yearly expenses, in which Mlcawber declared
true JOY was only to be found. If this income
would not pay for cloth, let us wear flannel;
if it would not compass flannel, let us wear
our old coat and hold every darn and patch
"a badge of honor, if in them we could face the
whole world this last day of tie year owing
no man penny.
We do not doubt that the readers Of TIE
TRIBUNE have followed its counsel; have
eaten their bread dry rather than owe for
butter, and can see the year depart knowing
its skirts are free from any debt OF theirs.
We have no sermon to preach to them on
economy. If they secuted our advice ana
the sermon is needed, tine yellow envelopes
with their CHASTITY Enclosures, which are even
now attacking their gates, will bring the ar
gument home to them with sting and force
which no words OF ours could carry. Every
body knows what the devil would be when lie
was at deaths door; and no such frugal man
IN pr0mise) goes forward to meet 1876 as
the miserable fellow lettering under the ex-
travagances of 1875. We can safely leave
him to his creditors, his shifty tricks, and
shiftier resolutions. The word of counsel we
would otter is to that model subscriber who
has paid everybody, but is very far from find
ing that everybody does the same to him.
lis stern, immaculate virtue bears hardly on
his neighbours if he were reckless, topsy-
turyy fellow he could feel for the poor prodiSal
who has squandered away his substance in June
and July and has not a penny to meet his
January bills. But he IL the elder brother, and
he metes scant justice or mercy to every
wretch not as clear of debt as himself. Cred
tors would do well to remember how difficult
paving virtue has been to practice this year.
Fix per cent of the delinquent debtors are
such by no extravaganza or fault OF their OVID,
but simply because they have failed TO receive
money justly their due, or the honest work
which is their due too, but which the mann
moth thcfts of men IN high places have taken
from them. Let there be in the beginning OF
1876 an exceptional degree of patience and
moderation be little lax i'll judgment; give
the struggling debtor verge of time. A few
DAYS grace, and the chances are that lac will
Il, oil ha If
men are honest, and more apt to be yirtuous
if not pushed to the wall 100 sharply.
When the corner is turned, January bills
paid and we set forward with fresh resou-
tons for next year, there will very probably
be a marked difference between the plans of
men in town and men in the country with re-
gard to the laying out OF the years income.
Your tOwnsman, as II rule, proposes to make
his accounts for 1876 FOOT up better than
those Of 1875, not by stricter economy, but
by Il little bOlder speculation. Why should a
man save pennies when he can clear thousands
of dollars he reasons, az the majority of city
people have reasoned for the last decade, and
brought the country to the verge of ruin by
the argument. Your farmer, on the contrary,
finding himself pushed to the wall, retrenches
way which is tho worst extravaganza
He stints his wife in servants, his
children in wholesome food. clothing
and, above all, in amusement, and
either lays by the savings for "a
rainy day" or invests them in fancy
stock. Fancy stock is as delusiye lottery as
any sham gilt operation, and the average
farmer is as easily taken in by sheep and cat
tie as the volunteer used to be by pinchbeck
watches. 1t will take long to convince many
of these small farmers that it is not wise to
make life all cloudy to ward of the storm of
possible rainy day, or that there are invest
ments to be made of money in his children's
quickened intclects, stout bodies, and a cheer
full home, which will pay better than any
stock or bond. But farmers of this sort never
read The TRIBuNE-and why should We try
to convert themi