The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1875-12-21

Nos m&ro Ahmess
From tie Toledo Blade.
Almost every person met upon th,
the streets or elsewhere, has some re-
mark TO make about tho "hard times"
and stranger, not familiar with tn,
facts, would naturally suppose that the
people OF tins country were actually in
a suffering condition-that poverty was
grinding the faces OF the poor. But
are we really passing through a period
OF hard times Times are always hard
with those whose expenses exceed their
incomes; but is there any greater sx-
cuse for such condition OF Lindividual
accounts now than at any previous
time? What really constitutes hard
times Have not the farmers been
blessed with such crops as seldom re-
ward their labors Are they not re-
ceiving good prices for all surplus pro-
ducts ? III SO. have they not the means
with which to buy from the manufac-
turers Is it not this prosperity Of the
farmers which render prosperous all
other classes OF citizens I? Then there
can be no longer reason for hard times,
il they exist. The farmers are buying
with their accustomed liberality. They
have not ceased to patronize the mer-
chant or manufacturer. True, the
Changers denounce "middlemen,p and
their conduct in this respect may have
checked trade in certain localities, but
the great volume Of business has not
been perceptibly affected. The truth
is, the "hard times" is more a creature
OF the imagination than reality.
There is abundance everywhere. A
good living may be obtained without
extraordinary exertion. and the frugal
and industrious may live comfortably.
These things being true, why is it that
we hear the cry of "hard times" from
every quarter? There is only one way
in which it can be accounted for. The
extraordinary ease with which money
was obtained during and Immediately
subsequent to the war, induced habits
Of extravaganza which have not been
abandoned as business has settled into
narrower channels and money become
more difficult to obtain. 1t is not the
difficulty attending the procuring of
the necessaries of life, but the inability
to pay for the luxuries, which causes
many to feel that the times are hard.
They have not measured their coats ac-
cording to the cloth; they have not
regulated their expenditures bv their
incomes; they have not curbed their
desires for vain show, for keeping up
appearances, and the necessary result
has been "hard times" with them.
But in reality, times are not hard.
1t is not possible for such q condition
of things, under reasonable economy,
where such an abundance exists. The
man who will not callous his hands to
obtain his daily bread-the man who
thinks the world owes him a living,
may, aud no doubt does experience
"hard times" but the men who are in
dustrious and willing to earn an honest
living will not suffer. There is an
abundance of bread for all who are
willing.to earn it. The poor man must
"learn to creep before he walks" He
must not expect to furnish his house
equal to that of his rich neighbor, who
acquired his wealth by economy when
starting out in life. The man who re-
ceives a salary of 81, 900, must not live
mp 81. 800 or s., 900 IL he would avoid
"hard times" And yet are not a ma
jority of the "hard times" croakers
acting on this policy? They regard
times as hard because their employers
cannot afford TO pay salaries which will
justify the extraxagance in which they
are wont to live. A great many men
are living comfortably on salaries of
5000, and great many are living in
misery upon salaries of 81 800 The
one curbs his desire for display-for
appearances of wcalth-and confines
the qualification OF his wants TO the
limits OF his income, while the other
attempts TO crafty every desire with
out considering his ability to pay for
what he gets. The former will seldom
be heard TO nse the words "hard
times" while the latter can hardly
speak of anything else.
That there has been contraction OF
business TO a more solid basis, there
can be no doubt but that there is
reason for hard times" cannot be
shown. Our foreign commerce in
creased in the twenty years ending with
1873 TO n wonderful extent, as shown
by the following figures
In 1853 In 1873.
Domestic exports s23i. .4i7697 eos. .ls2, ,562
Foreign exports. l7,55s. $50 -, ,l49, ,5ll
Foreign imports. 257,97s,6i7 G63,6l7, l47
Aggregate. 49s,92i,soi 1905 22l
1t will be seen that our imports had
about the same per cent of increase OBJ
tanned in our exports, indicating no
particular gain by the increase of our
sales to foreign countries, since we in
creased our purchases to the extent OF
the increase Of our sales.
Let MS hear no moro about "hard
times" then. Tho use OF the words,
under existing circumstances, may well
suggest extravaganza for the gratifca-
ton OF vanity or unrestrained desire,
rather than inability to meet actual ne
cessities and reasonable wants. To the
hand that is willing TO work, there is,
with rare exceptions, an abundance
within reach for supplying comforta-
BILE living. Young married people,
who think they must start of in the
world at the point where their parents
left it, after the accumulation OF years
Of toll, cannot reasonably expect any
thing but "hard times. Fashion"
and the "circles in which they move"
may suggest expenses which limited
incomes do not justify, but those who
would live honestly and provide against
want without embarrassment, must
communicative within their means
and when there il an abundance thew