The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-01-01
PAY THE SMALL ACCOUNTS.

The Philadelphia Ledger makes the fol-
lowing timely remarks on this subject,
which are worthy of careful study:
Certain seasons of the year are marked
in the calendar as "busy." Among these
are New Years. July, and, to less degree,
the intermediate quarters. The particular
"business of those dates is the settle
ment of accounts. In proportion as the
three lesser of the four occasions are ne
elected, the heavier is the weight of the
other, and principal. AS relief to the
work of January, and as facilitating and
making pleasant what is then to be done,
good housekeepers-and good housekeep-
ers are usually "good pay Anticipate
New Years by paying all accounts which
can be ascertained before the close of
December.
1t is not of large business transactions
that the purpose of this article is to speak.
expenses; the "items" of the tradesman,
baker, Mailman, tailor, grocer, halter,
shoemaker, shop-keepers and retail dealers
generally. Convenience causes small ac-
counts with retailers 10 be kept-though it
would be more convenient" to pay
monthly or weekly; and more sensible still
to make all retail purchases with cash
yet, taking things as we find them, and
knowing that there are millions of dollars
in "book" just now, the motive of this
article is to put those millions into circula-
ton. If one is not ready to pay all he
owes until his January income, salary or
wages comes to hand, let him pay as far as
he can.
In the economy of trade the small &C
counts are really the most important as
the Mississippi itself would be no river but
for the thousands of little springs which
are its feeders. The small payments are
the sources of the "circulation - of money,
and if, as the Ledger has often urged, all
small transactions were "cash, the alter
nate Citations and depressions of the bust
ness world would be much less than at
present. The current of business would
have an even flow.
But a newspaper article cannot change
fixed customs, or prevail on communities
at once to change modes and fashions.
People will and sometimes must ask credit.
Dealers will give it, too. And they will
not only give it when asked, but unasked.
And not only so, but they tempt purchas-
ers with the tender of credit. There seems
to be fascination among all civilized COM
munities in the facilities for commanding
supplies with the air of prince, and in
the practice of granting them with the
readiness of a holder of the purse of For,
tunatus. Pay day comes as the grand dis
enchanter; and, most serious of all, pay
days are the days of January.
If whole communities cannot be per.
shaded, individuals can be colnselled.-
The Ledger therefore, suggests to whoever
reads this article that he or she pay some
body before night that "little bill pan
isolated account perhaps which might have
been paid weeks or months ago-and tina,
he or she keep on "paring down" the
unsettled demands till by these successive
installments the January bills are reduced
to minimum. Money thus parted with
may, in many cases, come back to the orisi
nal disburser himself before the new yeal
comes in. A dollar paid in the morning
may aid in paying dozen debts before
night, and usually does. And a dollar is
after all that moralists may say, great
comfort. 1t is the representative of relig
ion as we'll as of mammon, for carolina
precept is, "Owe no man any thing
Sydney Smith, the clerical wit, protested
that he was made happier by every
guinea which he received, and SO, We sus
pect, are most men. And those who have
consciences enjoy money the more because
it enables them to acquit those consciences
either of the obligation of debt, or of char
ity, or of both. Pay your bills then, every
body who can, if you would perform thai
best "relief," the prevention Of want ant
suffering.