Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-12-14
For the Bulletin.
Hard Times.

Such has been the cry for years, and
still one hears on every corner and in al
most all gatherings, hard times. Ask a
man to buy book, subscribe for news
paper or give something for the benefit
of his race, and you are generally met
with repulse because it is such hard
times.
Now, is it really so, or has the wall
been made so long that it has become
chronic? Is it not good deal fanciful
more than real, or are we, as people,
with an over-abundance of crops, such
as earth never before yielded, forced by
some irresistible fate to contend with
hard times? Well, l suppose what ev-
eryone says must be so, though | fail to
see it. And if SO, why can it not be
remedied? A great many remedies have
been proposed, and very positive are the
assurances that if ace had the control of
the government and our finances, good
times would come. Yes, we are suffer-
ing awfully, but elect us to power, and
give us the lingering of the public
crib" and money will flow as rivers.
And our statesmen and our legislators
are taxing their brains to devise some
thing to relieve the country from this
financial pressure l am not much of a
fnancier, never was burdened with an
an overabundance, but have always had
enough to satisfy real wants; but it
seems to me that vast amount of this
financial doctoring is quackery, and is
sure to kill in time. There are many
ills, and this may be one, where the let
alone system works like a charm.
What is the cause of hard times? I
am aware of some of the many theories
adduced, involved in theories about ex-
pansion. contraction, greenbacks, gold
and silver, ETC., but fail to comprehend
the causes in them. 1t seems to me
that there is one grand law that governs
all our financial prosperity or depress-
ions. Owe no man anything or, in
other words, PAY as you 60" or, better
still, Live within your means" This
everything is ruinous every time, and
fast living is mania with the Ameri-
can people. Extravaganza, prodigality,
needless expenditure, abound every
where, in high as well as low places, and
if any will live beyond their income,
does it require much knowledge of math-
ematics to show the result That young
man who labors for one dollar per day,
and spends during the twenty-four
hours for oysters and cigars at the sa-
loon, one dollar and five cents, how much
will he have at the end of the year to
pay for the clothes on his back? When
the bill is presented for payment you
will hear the doleful cry, hard times. If
the farmer or mechanic will run up a
bill at the store clear beyond their in
come, you may expect that they will
come around at settling up time and
join in the curses that are heapcd upon
the government for the hard times.
And if our young ladies' will spend their
time in making butterflies of themselves,
adjoining themselves simply for an out
side show, they will realize when called
upon to face the inevitable duties of
life, empty hands and purses, and con-
dole their hard lots in life.
My remedy, then, for the hard times,
is about this A general retrenchment
in living and observation-disclosures
in all things-every person become a
producer; that is, let every one go to
work; live within our income, and if we
don't lay by more than penny day,
at the years end we can all feel rich, for
we have the chink in our pockets and
zee ove no man. n. SHApLEY.
Walker. Dec. II.