The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-24
OUR EXTRAVAGANCB.
We BUY TOO MUCH--.wE MAKE TOO LIT
TIE.
Some Wholesome Suggestions, Which
If Acted on Would add Greatly to
Our Prosperity.
Associate Reformed Presbyterian.

For some months past the great scarcity OF
money and the difficulty of meeting pecunia,
ry obligations together with the serious incon.
VenienceS consequent upon these thinks, has
been the talk of the street, the burden OF the
newspaper and the favorite topic of the poll
tical economist. Low prices for the chief pro-
chases, precipta'e assignments and CONNER.
cial failures-these are the order of the day.
And all this in face of general crops OF un-
paralleled abundance. In one place corn is
6eing burned for fuel. in another, families are
suffering for lack of the very necesSares OF
life And may we not well ask ourselves the
cause of these hard times? They are attribut-
ed hy some TO over-prduct;on, by others to
uaHer-conSumption. A high tariff is the
;Scape goat in the estimation OF one political
party, while another contends that deStruc-
ton of the free trade sentiment and tendency
of the country would bring speedy anu per-
lnanent relief.
But it is not the province of the religious
newspaper to discuss the purely political and
economical aspects of the case, seNccpt so far
as they may he connected with and produc-
tive of q moral cause.
With some the cause is purely local one.
In many portions of the South farmers and
Others are involved in financial straits be-
cause OF u failure to realize fully their eXpec-
tationS in the various perSuits and calllngs OF
life. The farmer complains that his fields
have not brought forth as abundantly as he
expected, or in other words that he realized
only eight bales Of cotton where he planted
Cor Twelve and gathered but ten bushes OF
The merchant alleges that his sales have
been much less. his returns slower. and his
collections smaller than he expected. But
the simple truth with both farmer aud ner-
chant is that they have both projected their
plan upon an assumed or fictitious basis
anu have naturally fallen short of their cal
culations. The farmer planted in the spring
Tor such yield, making somewhat extrava-
giant estimate considering the fertility OF his
lands and his skill in farming, at the same
time failing to make any allowance whatever
for losses that might arise from untavorable
SEASONS and other unseen occurrences. Ana
npon this calculation, made in all probability
before seed was planted or a furrow turned,
the farmer proceeded to lay IN his supplies
and regulate his manner and style of living
for the year. And as he has already made a
somewhat eXtraYagant estimate Of what his
income shall be, 1t is not surprising that he
is even more eXtravagant IN his eNpedltures.
He JupS e1traudgantiy, dresses e1trnUugGItly and
zives e2travaganAy, all because he expects a
most eztruuuyuut yielG of cotton and c51T. But
when the harvesting period arrives ana DIS
fall due, the farmers face wears q more mel
anch0ly cast and his jubilnnt songs and boast
ing talk about "a bale to the acre" and "two
hundred bushels of corn to the piow' give
place TO the pit'ul vail Of "hard times" His
yield has fallen at least onc-third short OF
year he is just four months behind in meet
ing his obligations. But instead Of learning
wisdom, the process is kept up year after
year until the merchant, TO save himself, is
compelled to foreclOSe his mortgages and sell
him cut. Both farmer and merchant are to
blame, the one for buying and the other for
selling SO much.
The shary competitions of trade have fos-
tered the miserable creltH system 80 unireral at
the present time; and tbs this credit system
thai has in turn foStcred the eXtravaganl syS-
TEN OF living and general outlay which is
bringing so many into bope!cSs bankruptcy
The only efectual remedy is to abolish as
far as possible the credit system and adopt
the good old plan OF huying no more than
you can pay for, and pay for at the time you
make the purchase. The borrower" has al
ways been and ever will by Servant to the
lender"