The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-05-03
Hard Times.

The campaign of hard work on the farm
is about to commence. To many the
prospect is gloomy. From various causes
there are large class who are financially
crippled, and see not how the spring and
summer are TO be bridged over. Enter
ing the season of work without any spare
money and nothing on hand which they
can turn off to procure the necessary gro
ceries, clothing for the family and the re-
pairs of the farm, the prospect is gloomy.
And those alone who are in this position,
and having the loving and innocent eyes
of a family looking to them for support,
and for such things as other wives and
children receive, can alone appreciate the
situation. Yet they should recOllect that
the real necessaries are few, simple and
cheap. This remark is applicable to food
and clothing. Health does not depend on
the luxurics of the table; but, on the
contrary, we are q nation of dyspeptics.
for the reason that we eat too much. and
especially of that which is too rich. For
health, comfort and strength, we need but
few things, and those few are in the pos
session Of nearly all farmers, no matter
how much reduced the stock of provis-
ions. The important thing is, to be con-
tent with what we have. 1t is not so
much the scarcity or plainness of the food,
but the consciousness that necessity con.
fines us to it. Nor is fine clothes necessa-
ry for the comfort and respectability of
the family. We rejoice that we live in
an age and country, that the texture of
clothes do not establish the standard of
morals, intelligence or refinement. Live
uprightly, and as far aspossible meet your
obligations, but if you cannot pay, meet
the creditor frankly, and keep the con-
science clear. In this way, looking to
Providence to bless your labor In bOun-
tiful crop, and to the Government for a
sufficient currency to transact the business
o. the country prosperously, and the cramp
of the next six months will be passed over
without the serious consequences antici-
pated by many.
But we would beseech our farmer
friends to contract as few debts as posi-
BILE. Live plain, economizing in food and
clothing. Make the products of the
cows, the chickens and the garden moi
only supply your own table, but its sur.
plus supply other demands, without al
lowing your names to 60 on merchants OF
grocers' books. The practice is injurious
to you and fatal to the merchants. just
for this reason improve on the fact that
"a German will live on what an Ameri.
can throws away, and Jew on what q
German throws away, and that Chinese
will live on what Jew throws away"
And yet all these classes enjoy really bet
ter health, and are able to do as much Ia
Dor, and enter as fully into the pleasure
and zest of life as the first class.
Then, while the nation is approaching
specie payment, let us, by strict economy,
and by fidelity to business, be able u
make resumption personal to all our cases.
Debt is bondage. Debt is q hard task
master, and as q master it is degrading
and CALLING. By industry and strict econ.
omy the thousands of mortgages on the
farms of the West can and should be paid
By extravaganza and neglect Of business
the present debtors will never redeem
their farms, nor leave any mark for theil
posterity.-Iosoa State RSoister.