The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-01-06
Pecuniary 1ndependeucev

Pecaniary 1ndependeasev
Thsrs are two milton, Of persoS,, !,
France who live quietly and moderately
upontheir incomes fromEinvdstments il
real estate OF other properly. InEn
gland there ar6 probably half as MANY
who live in simple and unostentatiou,
manner under the same circumstances
The English Government funds known
as "consols'' in the. technical terms O
the money market, pay three per cent
per annum; the. French 8. .rentes', pa,
about the same rate of interest. Tn,
average income from these sources t,
each owner of these funds is not NOR,
than three hundred dollars per annum
and on this amount thousands of per
sons live simple and contcnted lives
enjoying in modest, unassuming man
ner the fruits of their carefulness ant
| economy. .; u51 a....t r.f..rrr..
A French "rentier," or an English
owner. of the funds" or q person wht
may be possessed of real estate, occu
pied or rented, enjoys q certain sooia
distinction on account of his "inde
pendence," to which term there attache.
distinct idea of certainty of income
with the assurance of q coRpetenc,
and freedom from the cares and incon
veniences of poverty or embarrassment
So long as these persons live within
their incomes, they are privileged per
sons in an easy and well-defined posi-
ton; persons of moderate fortune wht
can afford to look upon their front dool
as secure from the possible presence o.
the typical "wolt," which is the dread
of all those who live by uncertain EN-
Payments. But without the strictesi
plainness and economy of living, all
these people would become. "of all
men the most miserable" Their prop
erty saved by years of industry and
economy. would soon disappear and
leave them, in their old age, in poverty
and wretcheduess. Few of them.
knowing their security and realizing
their comfort, are tempted to risk theii
income in the hope of increasing the
rate of interest by riskful investments
or specu]atiOns.
How fortunate it must be for Ameri.
cans if they would but take lesson
from such examples as these! VIVA,
misfortunes, what losses, what disap.
pointments and even miseries would be
avoided by q more contended dispo.
sition, more devotion to simplicity of
life and economy Of livingP What
secure friendships, what continued
social pleasures, what permanent family
affections and happiness in our home
lives could be enjoyed, if people were
only more contented with their present
fortunes and the modest enjoyment OF
what they now have in secure posses
sion? The foul demon of speculation
keeps us all in a turmoil; society seethes
and bubbles over with the excitement
due to the constant race for riches; to
the struggling pursuit of more wealth.
This is common to all classes. Farmers
and country jewellers are tempted to
send their small savings to be swallowed
up in the whirlpool of speculations in
the cities, in the vain hope of acquir-
ing riches that have never existed. and
which they can no more secure than
they could grasp q shadow. The bust
ness man and the man who possesses
already snug competence, haste to
throw their property away in the same
foolish manner to be swallowed up in
the bott0mless NAV of speculation.
And SO the wrecked hopes and fortunes
may be counted by the thousands and
crime, ignominy and wretchedness are
present everywhere. In less degree
the evils of everything, too. prevail, and
men and families mourn for want of
that which they have unwisely squan-
dered and wasted in way that brings
no solid comfort to them.
There is no happiness in living be-
yond one means. Those who have no
debts to pay as they 60 and make this
their rule, are more careful and eco
nomical than those who buy on credit
whatever they may desire or think they
need. Buying on credit is our National
bane, an evil which saps the founda-
tons of our social comfort. It keeps a
man in debt, increases his expenses;
makes his necessities greater, and
tempts him to risk his property in vain
efforts to extricate himself from Pc
cuniary difficulties. 1t is quite easy to
spend what we have not; but a man al
ways thinks twice before he breaks
upon small accumulation which he
already has, and will rather add to it
than trench upon it. Therefore the
habit of saving, once created, is a safe.
guard against careless spending and
should be encouraged in every legitimate
and proper way. There is an economy
that is mean and stingy; but it is very
easy to avoid this fault without falling
into the opposite vice of extravaganza,
and to hit the happy mean of sensible
and wholesome economy.--Rural New
Yorker.