Daily globe., 1882-09-29
Wastefnl Habits of Americans.

WaStolul HaDItS OF AmerlcanSe
New York Tribune.
A statement of orr imports and ey-
ports of merchandise for the month of
March, 1880, and for the nine months
ending with that month, has just been
published. There are one OF two
noteworthy points in these statistics
to which we ask the careful attention
of our readers. Our imports of for
cign merchandise in March. 1879, both
free of duty and dutiable, amounted to
$41, ,S56.611. In the same month OF the
present year the amount was nearly
doubled, reaching the sum of $40, $685.
5O4. This very nearly equals the
amount expended by us on foreign
merchandise in any month OF our lar
gest imitation after tho war. Nor is
this increased outlay a sudden out
break of transient extravaganza refer
able to any given cause. 1t has grad
ually grown during the last year, be-
ginning with the first hint of our re-
viwing prosperity. For the nine
manths ending March, 1879, our ex-
penditures for foreign merchandise
amounted TO $329,375,177. For the
nine months ending with the March
just past, the amount had increased to
S46S, ,213, ,622.
The increased expenditure is, of
course, gratifying indication of re-
newal of prosperity, but the fact that
it exists at all isindication of some-
thing else quite rs significant and not
so agreeable. 1t must be remembered
that Americans less than any other
people depend upon other nations for
the necessities of life. They are more
amply provided than any other with
food, clothes, fuel, and minerals. Even
during civil war which tore the Ma
tion into fragments, or during the
worst seasons OF commercial depres-
sion we have ever known, there has
never been any hint of actual want.
We have always been well-ted, we'll
clothed, well-warmed. When we 60
to foreign nations for their wares, we
go, with but one OF two exceptions,
for luxuries. These are dutiable az
ticles, andss-it is in dutiable articles
that the enormous increase Of our i'm
ports has occurred. 1t is the costly
silks, foreign wines, high-class dress
goods, bric-a-brac, house-furnishing
and equipages which have drained the
country Of this enormous additional
SUM. Our wealthier classes have for
gotten the lesson OF economy which
the Nation set itself to learn in 1873,
OF rather they never accepted it.
During the lowest depression which
followed Jay Cookies failure there al
ways remained a large class Of salaried
officials and men who, having incomes
invested in mortgages, benefited in
stead of suffered by the hard times
and lowering of prices. They had
more money to spend than before,
simply because more could be bought
with the money. 1t was q noticeable
fact that the shops whose trade NEE is
the requirements of this class doubled
their attractions i'll that season and
made higher profits than before, at the
time when the streets of our great
cities were crowded with eager, un-
employed Workmen. 1t is not, to
meet the requirements alone that the
present enormous increase in the inn
pOrtatiOn OF luxurious has occurred,
@uut the demands of classes whose in
comes depend OH the tiuctuation OF
every change in the currents of trade.
IL our miiilOnaires chose 10 fling their
money wasteluliy into the sea instead
Of into The HANDS of foreign puryeyors
OF lu1urics, the effect upon the colldi-
tion OF the country would be bad, but
Slight. But tic imitation OF them
by every other class down to the very
lowest, III habits of prodigality and
headls lsslg imprudence. will yet bring
aboutahothcr crash OF ruin as it did
De.orc, as heavy and more irremcdi-
able.
1t is not the absolute fact of our in
creased outlay which is important,
but the condition OF society OF winch
it Is the index and warming.