New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-13
THr y1WY IN SFPTEWBER.

opened drove townspeOple back in swarms from
the country. Economy. too, no doubt, has It's
share in shortening the Summer holiday. What
ever the cause, the streets are filing up earlier
than usual. The retail trade, which is the
surcst gauge of the public purse, was eXcep-
tionally dull during August, when in ordinary
seasons Western customers partially supply the
loss of city business. Chicagoans, as well as
New-Y Workers, have fallen upon times which
force them to wear their old coats and
take their ease on carpets long off color The
lesson is worth at least as much TO Americans
as the comfort of new coats and carpets. When
the hard times are over, there are very lew or
us, whatever our income, who will not have
learned how much money we used to spend IN
show and luxury in which was neither real
comfort nor beauty. The hard times are not
yet over by any means They will perhaps be
harder than ever this winter, in spite OF the
enormous crops, owing TO the fact that public
confidence is shaken in every kind OF invest
ment by the strikes. The discOntented work
ingman Cor the tramp who represents him) Is
a new element to be considered in business
matters. He may break out any day, like
train of gunpowder under ground, and is about
as reasonable and manageable. The small
capitalist is just now MORALLY afraid OF Inn,
and it is the millions of small capitalists who
keen in motion the great currents OF trade.
Our people are gathering home for the Fall
work in more serious mood than usual.
There is decp-rooted feeling that worse dam
gers than lack of money are close at hand.
Well-to-do church going people are reused TO
the existence of class who are not beg
CARS, and yet declare themselves to be starry
ing. They perceive. for the first tim3 too,
the existence of certain beliefs in this class
which sermons and Sunday schools do not reach.
Orderly folk, who have been used to think
of Communism and bloody minded Jacques
ms belonging altogether to the other side of
the water are unduly astonished at their APP
pearance in Pittsburg and Cincinnati.
The fact is. there is no need of alarm,
simply because the American workingman,
though in hard strait. is neither French
man nor German. He does not trouble him.
self much with vague theories of human equali-
ty. He is in Il hard strait, because, when economy
became necessary, two years ago, his was the
only class which refused to economic. Mil
lionaires retrenched; the clerk whose income
was 1000, brought down his expenses to
800; but the laborer who earned from $500
10 5000 per annum, spent every penny OF It,
It is fact, well known to everybody who has
had dealings with the ignorant grades of labor
ers, that they are more extravagant In proper
ton to their means than any other class. AS
rule, John, who digs, when he has dollar
in his pocket. buys as choice cut of meat
with it as the man who pays him for digging.
Before the war he lived on 81 per day.
The coarser grades of flour and meat, which
he ate then, are the same price now. Men OF
more culture than he are learning to do with
out things of far higher value to them than
food. John will learn the same lesson this
FALL We have great faith in his hard Ameri-
car sense. He saw how gigantic joke the
foreigners cry of 4" bread or blood" was in
st. Louis with country in the background
yielding enormous crops. and vast territory
waiting for him to till it. John will not turn
permanent Communist or thief but, when tho
Spring comes, will go energetically to farming.
In the mean time. let lis deal with him in the
towns reasonably and justly. How to do this
is the first question for us to settle in Septem-
Der, both as individuals or corporate bodies.