Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-05-27
BORROWERS AND BORROWING.


rover nor lender be-. A greater than
the immortal dramatist has taught the
duty of brotherly kindness and timely
assistance. We must give respect and
obedience to the higher authority. But
to this, as to all other divine injunctions,
it is not only legitimate but obligatory
to apply righteous judgment and care
fully to decide every case by Its pecul-
| iarities. It is certain that it is not re-
quired of any one to lend indiscrimin-
ately and recklessly. There must be
some. reasonable limit. Here, as in all
matters involving ones relations to his
fellow men, duty is made clear when one
intelligently and carefully applies the
Golden Rule-"Do unto others as you
would that they should do unto you"
This will guide both the borrower and
lender. Let him who would borrow,
imagine himself in the place of him to
whom he is about to apply; and let him
who is asked for the favor imagine him
self the applicant. Let each decide what
he would regard as reasonable and right
in this imagined relation.
Our prime object here is to enter an
earnest, considerate protest against the
unwarrantable excess to which the prac-
tice of borrowing is carried in some COM
munities. 1t has an evil effect upon
both the borrower and lender. 1t pre-.
vents the borrower from making proper
efforts to obtain what he needs so as to
have his own. 1t causes him, if he re-
lies on it, to be disappointed often, and
consequently to lose the best opportuni-
ties to attend to his own interests. 1t
often occasions serious loss of time-and
that at the crisis when time is most val
liable. The journey to and from the
house of the lender consumes, it may be,
the best part of the favorable opportuni-
ty. The custom sometimes proves very
expensive, when that which is borrowed
receives injury that must be accounted
for. 1t also diminishes the borrower S
self-respect. compromises his independ-
ence, lowers him in the estimation of
those whom he plies with his frequent
requests, and renders him an undesirable
and quite dreaded nelghbor. 1t is pc
culiarly likely to result in practical dis
honesty, as the means or instruments
are used, worn, injured, in many instanc-
es, and no rent or remuneration is paid ;
so that the borrower owes what he never
pays
The lender is much injured by these
borrowing neighbors. He dislikes to
appear illiberal, and, therefore, frequent
ly lends when he does not enjoy it. and
when he is not able to spare. He does
not known, every time, when he will
really need that which he is asked to
lend. 1t not unfrequently happens that
when there is immediate and important
demand for some article, the annoying
discovery is made that it is at the house
or farm of nelghbor who borrowed il
! weeks before. Then the pressing inter.
est must suffer, without any prospect Of
compensation. How often has the farm
| er been sorely perplexed to find that hi:
| plow, or hoes, or spades, or harrow, OF
!. harness, or brides, or saddle, or barrow
t or ak, or forks, or scythes, or saw, o.
e hammer, or augur, or plane, are away a
:. the house of troublesome neighbor
Y How often is horse, or wagon, or othe
s vehicle, needed just one hour after it i
e carried off by the borrowing friend ? {?
}, The thrifty and economical man likes t
d keep his utensils in good condition; bu
: that is impossible, if he has to len,
them; for frequent borrowers are gener
ally such as take little care of their ow
or another's property.
N 1t should be remembered that dis
:. Greet, provident man supplies himse
d with what he thinks his own work ri
k quires and does not add to his store
d what his neighbors will need, and ougt
= to get for themselves.
II If we thought the ladies would rea
s this article we would add paragrap
9. for their benefit; for the borrowing pra
r. tice very frequently tells fearfully upo
er housekeepers. We will. however. simpl
I'd commend the subject, in this connection
I'd to some of the accomplished female col
I'd tributors to our columns. We are SUI
Of that the whole subject needs more attel
I'd tion than it receives from the warrior
es journals that are devoted to the true i
r. terests of individuals and society.
n, There is urgent need for some chanl
II III en0 mdo1ei, Gud1 VIII ledu W d Ieior
"a of the inexcusable borrowing pests. Oh
v idea occurs to US as likely to have goc
a effect in many, though not in all case
TT The derivation of the word "borrov
lis suggests the additional idea of Piled
sr, of surety. If money is lent, there
fe- generally pledge to return, with inte
re est; and, in addition, there is often, c
or pecially in these days, some speci6
NJ security. Why should not other kin
re- of property be loaned on some conditi
ad of pay. guaranteed by trustworthy unde
81 r,dinn.