National Republican., 1876-11-08
Lessons for Hard Tmes-Mistaken Economy
Life Ipsurauca.

We have spoken very plainly of the hard times
which are upon US, and Of the lessons they teach,
and Of the duties they enforce, of prudence econ-
omy, and, above all, of keeping up cheerful
spirit, and of holding fast and unshaken to our
faith in God. These lessons cannot be too often
repeated. We need to use the utmost prudence
and the most careful economy, cutting of all
needless expenses and sailing close to the
wind" till the storm has blown over. To this
general rule there is indeed exception, in the
few cases where, owing to peculiar circumstances,
men have undminished incomes; then II is rather
q duty 10 spend money more freely, in order to
furnish work to those who sorely in need Of it.
and who are out Of employment.
And in the matter Of sariRg, while reason die
tates the utmost prudence, yet common sense
should teach man in tvhet things he can save
best. He may deny himself iRruries, but he
makes q great mistake II he does not allow hi in-
self enough Of good plain food to live for in pinch
ing he dries up the springs of liic, he loses
ali strength and capacity for labor, and might as
well commit suicide at once.
There is such a thing as a mistaken economv
Men retrench where they ought to spend, aud
spend where they ought to save. Luxuries may
in food No matter how plainly we DR. dress ar SoW
plainly we live. So long as our dress is neat and
clean, the utmost simplicity need not make us
the contrary, it will sustain our credit
But We should think q man quite mistaken who
should stop sending his children to school be-
cause OF the hard times. Because he finds 1t
hard to get along will he have his children grow
up in ignorance, and lose their only chance of
being able by and bye to take care Of themselves,
or to occupy a position any better than that OF
common laborers?
so (ff we shall not be suspected OF an eve to our
own interest, which Is certainly very far from our
thCughts) we should cay for a man TO stop his
newspaper because 1t costs three dollars year or
SIX cents week, is way OF performing that neat
operation sometimes known as biting his own
nose off," II there ever was a time when a man
needed something TO "cheer him up, 10 divert
bis mind from him self to keep from brooding over
real or imaginary troubles tits now. And what
does this so etfeotuaIly as newspaper, which,
coming weekly, tells him of a world outside OF
himself, of whose troubled whirlpool he is not the
centre? He finds that he is not the only man on
the earth, nor the only one who has trials and
ations. And in reading about others troubles he
There is ono other matter about which We ven-
ture to make suggestion. Whom the times grow
harder and harder, and the pinch comes closer and
closer one thing AFTER another has TO be sacrificed
Perhaps man in better times has made provision
for his family against the contingency of his being
cut on ey getting his NE insured for one, two
die suddenly they might not be left utterly desti-
tute. Rut when Times grow very hard he fnds It
difficult TO pay the premium. By giving IL up he
cannot only be relieved from this Obligation. but
get a return from the company, what is ca lied
"surIender value" SO that instead Of paying out
anything he may get back portion of that which
he has already paid in. The temptation is very
strong TO throw up his policy and let it go. But
Wnat Us tne truest WISDOM
We hesitate very much to give ddpice to any
body. As every heart knoweth its Own bitter
ness. so every man knows OF Ought to know his
own business affairs better than any man can tell
him. He knows what he can do and What he ca n
nor. lie may disregard any suggestion, simply
because it is impcssIbie to folOvit. For that rea
son We do not advise any body, but we may with
out intrusion give the results of our own expe-
ricnce. AS our readers we'll know, we believe in
Life Insurance. 1t has always seemed to us the
most ready way-at once the cheapest and the
safest-of keeping an anchor TO windward, :"
guarding against those dangers to which we are
,hIpwreck of life and Of all that hangs upon life
For that reason we have for many years kept well
insured. When in the spring Of last year we
sharply to this, as we looked to ire Insurance. On
our country home. We kept twenty five thou
sand dollars OF insurance on our life-mors than
half In that great company, the Equitable, whose
massive building of solid granite seems to US
nt symbol Of its financial strength, tits assets are
over thirty millions Of dollars and iive thousand
in the Mutual Benent, of Newark, another com
pany with over thirty millions; and an equal
amount in the Washington, one Of our oldest
colossal size, is about as snug and sound as any
corporation in the city. 1t Is as staunch piece
Of oak timber as nosts the waves and may be
trusted TO ride out any gale, though il were the
fereest financial storm that ever blew
We cannot tell what relief this was TO US in
generally In good health, there we're times when
We telt pretty sober, IL not quite 'blue." Whsn
sueltering under the terrible heat Of tropical ci
the possibility Of malaria and deadly feyers;
many and many time did the thought come TO
US. that our poor body might be len 70 rest be-
meath paln tree on some distant shore, or be
committed TO the deep In the Indian Ocean or In
the Java or Chira Seas. At such times in the
greatest depression, II was an unspeakable relief
70 remember that whatever became OF US, there
was at least proyis for thoss dependent US.
This feeling OF security alone was worth many
times all that IL cost.
Ofeourse we do not set up our example as one
Tor others 70 follow who may be In eircumstances
entirely different. With some It may be an abso-
lutte imIossibility to hold on TO such n provision
and necessity has no law. But where It Is posi-.
bic. We believe 1t II at once the cheapest mode
Of providing for ones family, and the best posi-.
bic security; and In these hard times more than
ever, when disaster oyortakes % many other
forms OF Investment in which one had trusted, We
would hold on to this as a shset-snchor that will
not let go. II this word 0fcaution shall lead any
20 cling last to what they were half inclined to
sacrifice, or others TO seek this form OF security
against future disaster we believe that In years
10 come mUre than one family will have cause to
thank us foT This timely Harnlny.-Nep York
Ifef paI