, 1878-01-04
Extravaganza.

Itis not often that we find in the daily
press words more timely and more true
than the following from the New York
Daily Time,:
Such extravaganza ia living as that
which has characterized our people dur
ing these fifteen years past j. unprcce-
dgnted In our social history. II would
seem a. If the world had been Tausackci
tor objects of luxury. Costly dress, cost
ly wares, costly things To decorate costly
houses, and costly things tn eat aud drink,
have been brought from alar. There are
doubtless many people who, loosely
speaking, can afford all this. But il was
impossible that 50 much lavishness of
outlay should not bcget extravaganza
somewhere. II Is not in human nature
to Withstand the temptation to keep up
with ones neighbors. The profuseness
of the vulgar rich was like an evil con-
tsgion. The standard of living WAS
changed, and false ideas of life became
so common that sensible and honest folks
lost their moral bearings. In certain cir.
cles it was necessary to keep ones own
eeuipage; little lower down it WAS con-
sidercd equally vital to social happiness
to spend the summer in Europe or at u
fashionable watering g-place; and the ne
cessity of keeping up appearances was
shaded down in the various social de-
grees until it reached point where the
wife of an humble mechanic was above
'doing her own work." and the mechanic
found the plain fare of other times too
coarse for his dainty palate. Here and
there are notable examples of prudence
and frugality, but the general tendency
of the times has been toward extrava-
gance. Young men are brought up in
elegant idleness, as "if born with sill
yer spoon in their mouth, and manual la
Dor is looked upon as something to be
summed and abhorred.
1t is easy to see where all this delusion
has led us. EsthetiC homes, artistic
furniture, rare books, fine works of. art,
and much social glitter, cost money.
And when the fool, who makes these his
life has once created about him false
atmosphere of refinement, he is lost. He
must have more valuable pictures, more
snowy equipsges, because his neighbors
constantly incite him to emulation. In
1873 began period of shrinkage in val
ues which has piuched even rich people.
Those whose bubbles were most inflated
suffered first. The picture galleries,
yachts, libraries, and fine equipages that
have come under the auctioneers ham
mer these five years past have told where
the pressure has been felt. But many
men, though they have held none of these
costly properties, have been weakly
ashamed to retrench their expenses and
sacrifice their glitter They have "walked
in a vain show" They have kept up ap-
pearances. Some no doubt have stinted
themselves within doors that they might
shine to their neighbors. And some,
rather than give up an expensive house
or hotel, have wrongfully borrowed from
trust funds, from the deposits of GUS
toners, or from the till of their employ
ers. In all the recent Developments of
mans weakness, none are 80 deplorable
as those which show that he is too weak
to be honest, but bold enough to steal
from the widow, the orphan, the trusting
friend and neig ghbor. The commonest
vice of the time is extravagant living.
Keeping up appearances on borrowed or
stolen capital, maintaining style of life
which is beyond ones means, trusting to
the morrow to redeem the deficiencies of
to-day-these are the things which un-
dermine society and shake our confidence
in each other.