New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-08
Morse false beacons did in the good old media
INCOME AND OUTLAY.

About once year an animated discussion IL
opened in the papers on the subject OF the ex-
penscs of the household and the amount of in
come on which a young man can safely venture
to marry. HOusckeepers Of all ranks and ages,
who usually only WELD pen to enter items in
the grOccr's passbOOk, rush into print with elo-
quent arguments in favor OF their own theories
as to outlay in the family and kitchen, the man
agemcnt of servants, ETC. Every hOusckccper
eagerly reads her neighbours experience and
opinion on this mOmentOus subject. There is no
secular question, perhaps which exctes more
general interest or comes home more directly
to each one of us than this of yearly income
and domestic outeO. Just at this season, too,
it is brought before us in the array more or
less alarming, Of New Years bills; and each Of
rs makes some feeble resolve that, in this
matter at least. we will turn over new leaf
during the coming year Perhaps the best way
to reduce this vague resolve Immediately to
definite practice would be to examine our eX-
pcnscs for the past year. and decide which OF
them were necessary and which were extraya-
gauccs. If, on calm reflection, in January You
are confident that the acquaintance OF either wine
dealer, caterer florist OF jcwcilcr is luxury
which yOd can well do without, shut the door
iucAoraby on him through every mouth Of the
year. Don't tampcr with the temptation, or
attempt any compromise; do without the lux
uIy absolutely That is easiest in the end.
OF one point we may be certain. II is useless
10 try to make Of the experience of others infall
Die rules for ourselves in this matter of out
lays. No man can dictate the necessary ex-
pcuses Of another any more than he can the
diet Taste, intellect, position, differ in their
requirements of essential pabulum as much
and widely as do stomachs Hence the utter
uoees5ncss Of the schedules made out and pub
lishcd b. young married people OF their eX-
pcnSCs. 1t is easy to estimate the amount OF
beef. flour, clothes and coal needed to keep the
human being of ordinary weight and size fed
covered and warmed. But to one of his neigh
bors, music may be practically more essential
element Of life than any which the butcher can
furnish, and to another an occasional glimpse
of green trees and running water. There are
pleasures which would be reckless eXtIaya-
gance to one man, but are necessary to the
mental health Of another, whose income de-
ponds, probably, wholly on his mental health.
In general way however, it would be safe for
every householder in New-YOrk or any other
Of our large cities to assume that he had erred
in this matter of family expense, on the side of
extravaganza in 1851, and for every small
farmer or vilagor to doubt whether his
economy had not been equally imprudent The
habit Of thoughtcss expenditure has within the
last twenty years become almost universal in
our city life Nothing is 50 contagious as the
practice Of valung money only for the imme-
diate qualification which it will buy. The
banker, merchant professional man in town
strain, every nerve and spends every penny OF
hi, yearly income to purchase for wife and
children present social rank, display or the
satisfaction Of luxurious tastes. lie lets the
future. which ne is making greedy and exact
ing, take care Of itself.
The old-fa-hioucd farmer in Ncw-England
and the Middle states, on the contrary, works
lust as hard and lays by large share Of his
yearly income to buy for wife and children
social rank or comfort in the future. He is apt
to stint both the body and soul of his boy and
girl while they are young of tleir Just share Of
food IN order that he may leave them a bigger
patch Of land when he dies In the larger num-
Lcrof cases. however, this false economy does
not Interfere with the body or its wants.
There are wealthy farms where the whole end
of existence for father, mother and children Is
Drr,iscly the same as that Of their oxen: to eat
and DrcDafe the vhcrcTithal TO eat The older
generation in these place, do not read, do not
travel Art, music, social life are words which
convey absolutely no meaning to them. The
small denomnational colleges, scattered
through the Middle and Southern States, what
ever their defects. have at least educated the
children of this class into the knowledge OF
broader, fuller lie than their parents have ever
known and taught them to desire II. It is just
here that the old-school economy which We
dcprrcatc thwarts and dwarfs their lives All
roads by which their Imagination, taste or
higher capabilities could pass from morbid eX-
istcnce into action are barred to them by IN
undinching, stingy, hard home routine.
We throw out these brief hints not As rules
of action for any of our readers, nor even as
general principles, but simply to Indicate how
wide and intricate the subject is, and how
worthy Of close and careful study. Each head
of family, each independent worker must
determine for himself what is an extravaganza
and what a necessity IN his own lie. Any
ou.lay the motive Of which is display may
without hesitation be set down as the first.
And if ne look closely into his habits he Will
often find that the very item of expense
which has seemed most essential to him Is the
one which he would better check. il most
probably feeds vanity or selfish passion
while an economy may sometimes be actual
waste in il suicidal repression of talents and
tastes which are as necessary to his real life rs
the use of his hands or feet.