The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-05-29
aKENosHA, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY, MAY -, 1878
HARD TIMES


- HARD TIMES .lsI ..ir|
1t is the common remark s'the times
Are hard" which is true, the times are
truly hard, and when will the times be
easy? 5@-a @&oa s41.~ W. o.
We hear the cause attributed by dif-I
ferent persons to different causes. The
Greenbackers say it is caused by
the contraction Of the currency there
is not money. enough, The politician
of one party says it isacaused by the
other party. Others say it is the
result of over production Of manu-
features. Over production Of wheat,
corn or any grain, will reduce the
price Of that grain, and the farmer will
be obliged to take a less price for his
grain when at the same 1ims the farm
er's wool brings a high price, and in
consequence he abandsns raising as
much grain and increases his flock Of
sheep one hundred field; the result is
his wool brings him SO low a price IN
consequence Of the over production
that he cannot continue so extensively
in raising wool, and sells off his sheep,
and returns to grain again, which had
raised Willie he was wool growing to q
remunerative price, Farmers most
all are doing the same changing, and
but few keep along year after year in
a uniform course of farming Those
who do, always prosper and never cry
"hord tjg.es'. .f.u re ...u..
Is over production or contraction
Of the currency the true cause of hard
times? Can we not say truthfulH that
extravaganza is the greatest cause for
the excessive hard times that are now
upon us? Let us look at the times
and how our fathers and mothers did
say fifty years ago. Then the farm
house was q suitable and comfortable
place to live in the old fashioned fire
place with it's large forestick, the
mothers and daughters were either
spinning: weaving or knitting (Which
was aahShe spianos ac melodeons tIey
had, no hired girls to pay, no cloth to
buy, for coats pants or vests, as they
were all manufactured at home. The
Ladies' dresses were mostly made from
cloth manufactured by themselves
One bonnet lasted for years. Cloaks on
pelisses lasted a half score of years.
Fathers and sons were clothed with
apparel made from homesp,ln, hand
wove, and made up i'll the house by
seamstresses whose vocation was to go
from house to house, cut and make any
wearing apparel that might be wanted.
The Sunday suit of both male and fe-
male was also of home manufacture
and make. Eight to ten yards of
calico Width cloth was all that
was required for ladies' dresses.
They did not sweep the street and
were not stepped on at the dance or
coming out of church. 4u 3a
The vehicles to go to church or ride
in were plain wagons or chaises, and
in those days the people We're mostly
out of debt, no extravaganza was in
dulged in, the whole. 4commun;ty was
happy and eoRtented. How isit now?
Look at the contrast. An extraya-
gantly large house must be had, cost
ing at least four thousand dollars. built
with all the new improvements (as
they call it), the house requires extray-
agant and costly furniture, a grand
square plane. The wearing apparel
must be of the finest broadcloth. cut
and made in the height Of fashion. a
new suit several times a year, besides
boots costing from ten. to twenty dol
lars per pair, and hats to correspond. Il
The ladies also perform their part,
dresses of the most costly patterns of
twenty yards or mare. trimmed te cor
respond, sometimes costing more than
the dress pattern, ard the making as
much as the pattern. Also q summer
autumn, winter and spring hat, each
costing say ten to twenty-five dollars.
Our foreign imports far exceed the
exports, as we find byhational reports.
We come to the conclusion that ey-
traVasance is n2uch itheflargest cause
of the hard times; tllis extravaganza
does not applylte al the inhabitants
as MANY are Drudprf an9 1fvo' u;+r;,,