The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-31
Women at the Bottom of Soeiety's
Extravagance.

The London Times says, in AN article
on English society: 1t must always be
with pain and de!icacy and hesitation
that W make any allusion to those who
are supposed to be the less able,t de-
fend themselves and the more under just
authority, as we'll, 1t must be added, as
also most sinned against. But one re-
mark must be made.
Even on the most superficial survey of
society, 'whather in the great furnace OF
the metropolis or in the lesser fires of
provincial and rural life, who can shut
his eyes to the lamentable fact that the
gentler sex have q great deal to do with
that boundless and ruinous eXtravigance
which introduces all. the vices and dis
ables all the virtues, even to decay and
extinction?
1t may be the necessity or duty Of
some to spend princely fortunes, in
princely pomp and luxury; if SO, they
are only TO be pitied for the difficulty OF
doing it gracefully, and redeem material
waste with personal refinement. But in
this great town, and each season more
than the last, there are thousands and
thousands who are manifestly spending
far more than their circumstances will
allow. For very much of this deep,
widespread and stiil-spreading evil the
women are answerable.
1t is they who dress at a rate far be-
yond their income; they who insist on
| the best houses in the best neighbor-
hood; they who must have equipages for
| all uses, times and places; they who can
| not abate their manifold requirements
even when the family increases and no.
bier cares should take the place of child
| ish things. Oh course the men have their
besetting sins and their pet exTava-
gances, sometimes very costly; and they
have often the still greater fault Of not
explaining their peeuniary atfairs TO
their wives with manly candor or com
mon business-like accuracy.
| They do not make the wife conf
dant and fellow-connsel0r. Bat there
can not be doubt that in a great major
iity of houses the lady knows quite
enough t0see, with very little refec-
tion, that she is driving her husband
and family into straightness and embar-
rassment, with the risk of ruin. People
must have very many and very good
acres, or very good investments indeed,
to be able to spend often the rental Of a
very good estate in a single entertain
ment, dressmaker's or an upholster.
ers bill, house at fashionable water
] ing-place, q prolonged continental tour,
a necklace, or some other toy.
| Yet women are such creatures OF ri
yalfy and display that they can moi
help sort OF triumph over those who
are less fortunate or less spirited, and
are soacontinuaily foremost to inflame 8
lpernicious rivalry. What can their hus-
bands do? They submit perhaps. They
sulk perhaps. They more commonly
cast about Tor ways and means, aud as
they hear aud learn more, they are more
| apt to take counsel from despair, anC
4 give themselves uD to the streams il
which tney are floating helplessly.
They can not be worse than they are
they may be better. TDey soon find they
are victims, and set it down to their sim
pllcity or their scruples. BY and b!
they make the discovery that in such al
affair it is better to be at the head thai
at the tail; better TO be on the right sid'
OF the wall; better to be in the ring thai
on the outside. So they press inwards
give and take confidence, and in time arr
millionares, or bankrupts and exiles.