The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-07-11
Hard Times

There are, according to the new
directory, ,507 saloons and ! ,l07 gro
ceries in Cincinnati. The steamers
sailing for Europe are OveTcrOwded
with eXcursiOnists, pleasure seekers
even taking passage in the steerage
rather than miss the opportunity to
get on the other side of the Atlantic.
The crops in this country are unpre-
cedently large. Spring chickens are
selling in our market at $l.25 to g 90
per dozen, and other things i'll pro-
portion. But what has all this to do
with the question of hard times it
will be asked. Much every way.
The saloons are patrOniZed by
very large proportion OF the pOpula-
tiOn. The amount paid over the
counters annually for liquors of all
kinds is much larger than the
amount paid over the counter Of the
County Treasurer in June and De-
cember on account OF taxes. It Is
also safe to say larger amount Is
paid for drink than is disbursed at the
corner grOcers for food, or at the dry
goods stores for clothing, or at the
butchers stalls for meat. Nearly all
the liquor money is spent by men.
On this side there seems to be not
much economy. Therefore, reduc-
ton in expenses strikes women and
children. This is not a temperance
lecture, but 1t may be asked, How
hard are the times, when fifteen hum
dred saloons and six thousand able
bodied men are supported by the pur-
chaser of drinks
The steamers sailing for Europe are
Overcrowded with pleasure seekers.
The crowds surpAss those of even
prosperous years. The excursiOnists
are not confined to wealthy people,
either. Therefore there must be q
great deal OF money, spare money, in
the hands of the middle classes.
Men in embarrassed circumstances,
or without spare money, would, Of
course, not think of going to Europe.
We look in vain in this direction for
evidence OF hard times.
The crops are Unexpectedly large.
Besides, the harvest last year was ex-
eeIlent. Agricultural products under
lie all our industries. In the prOduc-
ton of these essential foundation, the
United States have been especially
favored. Then, food and clothing are
cheap. A run through the retail
markets and retail stores will estab-
lish this fact. Are times hard ? IL
so, why?
That times are hard In u certain
sense is not to be doubted, but there
is no good reason why, i'll this cOun-
try, any considerable number of peO-
pie should suffer for food or clothing,
II they practice industry and econO-
my. There Is money enough unnec-
essarily expended in this city every
day to furnish food and clothing for all
who are not able, from a scarcity Of
work or other legitimate causes, to
earn it. Yes, far more than enough.
Then as to the scarcity OF employ
meDt. There is a scarcity, no doubt
about that, but Il Is not near so great
as it seems nor arc all those out OF
employment people who know how
to WORK. In the agricultural districts
every person who can work and
wants TO work is employed, but a
farmer has 3 dislike for a lOafer or
man who is the persOnifiCatiOn OflaZi
ness. In the city get your idle men
together and anRlyZe the crowd. A
large proportion will be found to be
composed of young men who never
hardened hand, and would feel in
suited IL offered position where they
might learn to earn living else
where than behind q counter, or in
some petty place that woman could
fill as well as q man. Another class
would be found composed of refuse
mechanics and labOrers who are drop
ped out on account Of ineiiiciency.
Still another Glass would be found
composed OF men who would tramp
twenty miles rather than accept work
or execute job, II they should acci-
dentally stumble upon il.
UnquestiOnably there is scarcity
Of work and much of it all is due TO
imprOvidence, pride, laZiness, and
general worLhlessness. The Ameri-
can people, as a whole, have hardly
comprehended the first lesson in
economy, and il, instead OF crOaking
and complaining, they would make
good and economical use OF what they
earn or possess, work where they can
find It for what their labor will bring
in the market, there would soon be a
revival Of business, better times, and
improved demand for labor and high
er wages.
There can be no law to punish pow
erty. The real poor are to be pitied
and relieved /; but there ought to be y
law against idIeness that Is the result
OF lsziness or intempersnce, or both.
Gin. Gazette.