, 1876-06-14
THE MANIA FOR ECONOMY.

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THE MANIA FOR ECONOMY.
Without tronching upon the philosophy of
tho panic md tho resulting hnrd times, no
observing person emu doubt that a largo part
OF tho present commercial and socinl distress
ia owing to n certain mania for economy
which scouls to hayo fastened most upon
those who aro suffering the least. This gen.
ernl observation docs not apply to the OBJ
yiors necessity for retrcnch1uont in public
expenditures for vnrious ransona. Tho OK
ponl:tura Of tho peoples money is always
relatively greater thnn individual admins
tration Of private property, nnd for many
years past there llls been mn amount Of OK
sravngance, wnstaso, md plumber which
public welfare would require to be changed,
no matter how prosperous tho community
But tlaero is undoubtedly vast amonnt
of hypocrisy and meanncss III tho restraint
which many persons are putting on their own
individual expenditures, aud tho continuation
Of tho ha..l tines is largely attributable
to tho contnglon for boarding rathor than
rctronchsnont. reference il not made to
those pcopln wlsoso necessities, from q depro-
ciation Of property, loss in business, md n
failure Of nctual income, force thom to ocono-
,nizc, nor to those who. having lived beyond
their means mud experienced Tho discomfort
mud cl,agrin consequent uponit, have detor-
mined to do 80 no longer. The particular
clnss Mt fanlt is ,,ailo up of those who earn
as much money now ns before tho panic, md
those wlioso Share of worldly goods is still
largely in exccss of tho average well-to-t1o
man, but who have takon advantage of tho
general depression to stint themselves and
their fnmilics, md impress upon everybody
with whom they como in contact that there
is IN impending calamity wcrsc than any-
thing that Inns Unopened heretofore.
Tho atmosphere is positively blue from
the e1halations Of thoso morbid anl smiling
croakera. Tlloy protrudo their pretended
poverty on nIl sides, while they havo money
lying idle in tho bunk, continue to mike
regular annual profits, aud mover forgot to
cut of tho coupons from thor bonds as the
interest comes due. Stinginess among these
pooplo has assumed microscopic meanness.
Nor aro thoy content with boarding their
own means and resources at tho expense of
depriving themselves Of all qualification Of
their wants, but all their conversation Is i'm
pregnated with apprehension aud despond-
oncy, and their intercourse with other pco-
plo scoms principally for tho purpose of
leaving tho impression that tho world is
coming to MI end, or so'no other dire and
crushing calamity il about to fall upon man-
kind. Wo venture to soy that every render
of this who does not recognize TINT ho is tho
person meant will DO ablo instantly to fix
upon several persona Of Ills acquaintance
who Hlit tho description oxactly. II these
commercial and social 1artuDs, lad apirit
enough to appreciate that they are
tho chief agents in maintaining the
hard times, when thero ia plenty OF
money in tho country and whom production
Is rife aud abundant, they might perhars
give over tho intense satisfaction OF making
themselves mud everybody elso miserable. 1t
is not easy to say how sucl, people can be
affected, but pcrllapa tho best way to trent
thcm If 10 bully and cllnf them upon every
possible OCCASION, to hold them up to ridi-
culo instend Of joining iu with their tedious
| jcremiatla, to expose the insut1ernble solhsh-
ness aud meanness Of their conduct, md on-
dcavor to alla,no them into nn Abandonment
Of their sentimental and morbid economy.
Wo would not atlyiso anybody to live beyond
| his income, for 1t VIII this pernicious practice
| applied to the country Mt large which betrny-
ed us into the panic. Hut wo would advise
everybody to satisfy thcir ordinary wants
when tl.oy have the means to do 80, and
1.-Two upon their resources AZ liberally III they
would have done lad there bcoa no panio !;
and tho rich people who are constantly look
ing poverty III tho face, and whose fear Of
the poor-llouso increases with thoir acouln1-
lations, arc now proper subjects for scoH and
| ridicule.
Tho expectation Of relief from tho Cen
tenniM Exposition is based upon tho theory
that travel, sigllt-seeiug, and a greater
familiarity with tho improvements Of tho
time, will create new wants and bring about
more liberal exchange and consumption.
Tho railroads snay bs made an efficient agency
In this by tho reduction Of passenger rateB to
such figure HI will set people In motion,
and they will also profit by it. There will
10 an caaier aud moro liberal sentiment whom
local taxation is reduced, and less Of tho
| substance of tho people IL wasted upon q
claaa of bummers who ase now supported
altogether too well and too numerously.
Particularly tho nomination Of two good
candidates Tor tho Presidency, il this can
DO brought about, will ba political aid
to recovery from tho present depression.
But moro than al else, the repeated discom.
titurs Of the croakoss. and the liberalization
| A. II. Il i