New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-09
PENNIES AND POUNDS.

An old English proverb advises people
to stake care Of the pennies and pounds
will take care of themselves" This ad-
vice is in accord with one of the funda-
mental principles of prosperity. and with
the slight change Of cent for pennies and
dollars for pounds, is especially COM
mended to tho inhabitants of this coun-
try. There exists among our people Of
all sections tendency to wastefulness
and extravagance which can find no
parallel in other lands. We are wasteful
of our food, Of our clothing, Of our
money, and so many Of Us live beyond
our means that our financial annoyances
are perpetual, and the abundance. always
grasped after, is seldom attained But
even when coil is struck, or favorable
turn in shoddy brings wealth as vast as it
is undeserved, the filthy lucre thus &C
CURED readily takes wings and flies away.
Seldom does it last beyond a single gene
ration, and when it does. it not unfre-
quently becomes curse to the possessor
and q root of every evil
That which is obtained with difficulty
is most highly priced and most carefully
cared for. What comes without effort
goes without regret. When, however, the
humiliating conclusion is reached that all
is gone, the bitterness OF Marah comes in
to intensity the woes of want, and I'M
availing tears descend to point the moral
Of neglected opportunities.
The mania for expensive pleasures and
idleness, SO common among
our young men and women in American
society, constitutes the most serious him
drance to our prosperity as people. On
der its influence the health and wealth of
the well-to-de are wasted, and the entire
tone of American morals is depressed.
In striving to initiate the follies of the
leaders Of society the shoddyite is more
over led into that wasteful extravaganza
which so soon runs to ruin, while many q
fair one, whose vain ambition chafes
against the hard boundaries of circum-
stance. is hurried body and soul into
Thus it is that through vanity wholly
with the vital principles of
American republicsnism the status Of So
ciety in this country is lowered and our
political institutions are prevented from
Yielding their highest fruitage.
We have, however. strayed away some
What from the direct purpose had in view
when this article was commenced, to
wit: An expatiation on that provident
ARE Of little things from which great re-
,ults arise. A proverbial Scotticism tells
low ''mony little makes muckle;" and
through series Of consequential casual
les we are informed that "for want of a
,ail the shoe was lost, for want of shoe
he horse was lost, and for want of horse
he battle was lost. The relation between
mall and great things is therefore easily |
We all know how the small |
iced produces the large tree, the small |
,park destructive conaagration, and
low, from small beginnings, enterprises |
# great pith and moment spring. But
What we wish to impress upon our people |
8 that spirit of economy which is provi-
lent without being misery, and attends
o the little as well as the large concerns
f life.
Under that peculiar civilization main
cined throughout the South, and partic.
larly in the extreme Southern States, up
0 the period of the late great struggle for
be nations life, our people were educated
ato habits Of extravaganza which were
ot easily abandoned. But the impover-
shment which followed failure brought
18th it such supremely bitter needs as
hould have taught even the reckless eau
ion and the improvident prudence.
thousands, wholly unprepared for labor,
ere forced to minister to their own ne
essities, and the lesson of economy their
imperatively demanded was
ard aud bitter for them to learn. Had
ley, in their previous season of prosper
y, not despised the little things, go easily
asted because they are little, but 20 vast
/ their aggregate if saved, they would
ave been Gar better prepared for the re-
sssea which new dispensation thrust
pom them fa u ;sa9
One reason Why our people have been