Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-03-20
lNTEM PERANCE.

SA"iiy eh1e VIC WVuio dNOIcbo Jul
selves. Reformation, abstinence,
makes a notable change in the power
ty stricken, bloated drunkard and so
does temperate living, a prudent
economy, make decided change in
the man and his family, who is an
improvident tspendthrift. Our whole
people became intoxicated during the
rebellion. The tremendous consump.
tion of material during the war made
flood of money necessary, and hab-
its of wonderful extravaganza fasten-
ed themselves upon us. These hab-
its arc like the habits of the drunkard
they cling to one with terrible power
and nothing but stern necessity can
ever cure some people of these habits.
We find great many people de-
ploring their financial condition and
making all sorts of excuses about not
paying their debts, because of the
wonderful hard times, and it would
seem as though many think this is a
good and valid excuse, and yet all the
time they are using all they can rake
and scrape together by any means in
their power to live in the most ex-
travagant style. See them upon the
streets and the manner in which they
array themselves would indicate
that they were in the high tide of fl
nancial prosperity; notice the SER
wants they keep about them and the
daintyness of their hands from con-
tamination with what is sometimes
termed menial service; note the ex-
travagance abouttheir palatial abodes
and one would be led to believe that
they are hardly blameless, especially
when they arc living more expensive
ly and upon much higher plane of
the wealthy gentleman of leisure
and ease, than those whom they in
duce to trust them and then don't
pay, pleading as an excuse, hard
times. We think their excuse would
have far better appearance of hon.
esty ifthey would cut off their useless
aristocratic extravaganza. Such peo-
pie will find sooner or later that they
will lose all credit and wear out the
patience and good nature Of mankind,
and sheer necessity will awaken them
to true knowledge of their con-
dition and the change in times from
what they used to be.
There are men in every community
and men of families too, that upon
one dollar day are living in the en-
joyment of comforts and yet laying
up money. A very little it is true,
but yet getting ahead in the world
1t is true the men in such families are
not the only ones who add to the
family earnings, but the wife earns
something, and most of all, takes care
of what is earned. On the other hand
families are found with from one to
two thousand year who are con-
stantly behind, and annoying those
who trust them by paying their bills
only after long and sharp dunningand
some times not at all. 1t is the differ
ence in living, as rule, which causes
all this; temperance on the one hand
and intemperance on the other. This
intemperance gradually undermines
the moral sentiments, makes dishon-
est men and women, for there is only
shade difference between the man
who obtains value from his neighbor
upon credit, well knowing when he
does SO that he may never remuner-
ate him and not seeming to care
much whether he ever does or not,
and the one who steals ii.
A little practice in this kind of bust.
ness soon hardens the conscience and
man finds it much easier for him to
cheat his neighbor this way than he
does to cut off his extravaganza
That man is we'll on the slippery
road that embraces within its range
deep dyed wickedness, who sc,N Hve
and appear like a king, though he
never pays for it. We would not
trust such a man anywhere, they are
not worthy Of trust, and he who does
rely upon them relies upon a broken
reed.
The people of this land must undo
the terrible habits of extravaganza
which have, serpent like, entwined
about them. Make no promises but
those you feel you can fulfill and re-
solve from that moment you will full
fill; wear no clothes but such as are
paid tor; if you can't eat wheat bread
and pay for il, eat corn bread. An
extravagant slip-shod want of
promptness in young man or any
body else is death to prosperous,
happy life.