Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-02-22

A SHORT SERMON ON DEBT.

Being in town few days ago one Of
ms neiehbors came up 70 the store where
was and said: 1--we just sold my hogs.
and guess III settle up" Ny neigh
Dor paid his bill, quite large one by
the way. aud noticed he only had if
teen dollars in bills. and a little frac.
tional currency left.
That man this winter will sell some
corn, get enough money to last him TILL
about corn planting. and then 60 ''on
tick till after harvest, when he will set
tie up again, only to repeat the same old
routine with, pay as soon as ! sell my
hogs"
Now this way Of living is wrong. 1t
isa wrong 10 the individual farmer, a
wrong to the merchant. and a wrong to
the community, because, in one sense of
the word. be places himself at the mercy
Of the merchant, who, perhaps, presses
the account at the very time the farmer
least wants to sell but sell he must,
and at any price he can get in the
market
Il wrongs the merchant. because he,
poor fellow. never knows ten days in adj
vance where the money is coming from
to pay maturing bill If we would pay
cash, tho merchant would be able to pay
cash when he buys, and this would en-
able him to sell on a smaller margin !;
besides he would not be afraid Of that
bugbear, bad debt. And, by the way,
who pays these bad debts?
We do. Pay them IN the shape Of
enhanced value on goods. Why? You
90 aud get an article at your merchants.
Until that article is paid for, it is not
yours. Neither does the merchant own
it. He bolds-a mortgage upon your
honor and you are truly fortunate if he
does not foreclose the same in the shape
Of ''dun' or worse.
The same merchant my neighbor just
paid, discounts me ten per cent pay
cash. do not know whether be can
afford to make such discount or not.
but know he does do it. have not
the least doubt. should the farmers
throughout the country agree to pay
cash on delivery, but that the merchants,
hardware men, grocery men, machine
manufacturers, all the business commu.
nifty in general, would make a liberal
discount.
But this everlasting ''charge it, III
pay after harvest" or "I'll settle just a,
soon as | sell my hogs" is placing ar
untold and dreadful burden upon thu
farmers Of this country; and railroad
extortions and ''rings," sink into mer'
nOthingness in comparison with this su
icidal "charge it."
Try 1875, fellow farmers, with cash
1t may putyou to much inconvenience,
at FIRST, but after you once get startet
you'll have no more trouble. If yoI
have not the money to pay, 90 without
Owe no man anything. Keep out Of debt
Avoid it as you would war. or pestilence
Hate it with lasting hatred Abhor i
with entire and absolute adherence
Dig potatoes break stones, shovel snow
do anything that is useful and homes
rather than run into debt Do yot
want healthy appetite, good diges
tion. placid temper pleasant dreams
and happy waking? Then keep out o
debt. IL is the hardest Of all taskmas
tiers, the most cruel ofall opprcssCrs;
is milestone about the neck it spread
a cloud over the whole armament {
mans being; it eclipses the sun, it blol
out the stars it breaks up the harm,
ny Of nature. aud turns to dissouance a
the voices of harmony it burrows Il
forehead with premature wrinkles;
plucks the light from the eye, and dra,
the nobleness out Of the port and bea
ing Of the man; it takes the soul out
his laugh, and all stateliness and fire
dom from his walk. Touch it nc
Taste not Off fruits, for it shall bu
to bitterness and ashes on your lips.
Finally, would say to each and
all, keep out Of debt