The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-02-18
Keep Ont of Debt.

A Judge in Georgia has most unexpect.
edly found himself thrust into promi-
nence over all his brethren and fellow.
citizens, aud become the centre of the
admiring and envious regard of the
people OF halfa continent, in consequence
of making the simple remark that he
never goes to sleep at mig bit until he has
paid every cent Of obligation incurred
during the day, and can lie down know
ing that he is free of debt.
Happy man Wise Judge exceptional
individual The brief statement of his
simple rule of conduct has caught the eye
of paragraphers in every part of the land,
and every day there floats into The
Ne,cs and Courier Office one or more news
papers bearing the inevitable announce.
ment, which We have quoted, with
suitable head lines to call attention to
the fact which it sets forth and to impress
tho lesson which it teaches. If one may
Judge from the interest which the state.
ment has excited, q man who goes to bed
at night without owing anybody cent,
affords as rare an item for q vigilant press
as the man who has never travelled by
rail, nor tasted drop of ardent spirit in
his life. OF course there are other such
men, besides the Georgia jurist, but
people do not hear of them. They hide
in the shadow Of contentment, and live
at home-because they have homes to
live at One may 90 on making debts
and paying them, after time, for years
together, and nobody be aware of the fact
besides himself and the anxious parties
of the other part. But let him once fail.
Let the financial sun 80 down on the
third day of grace and grief, and his
short.coming will be heralded to all the
world next morning. In order to travel
safely with crowd going down hill one
must keep his feet and keep moving,
however painful and breathless the gait
may be. IF he fall be will he trampled
and sorely bruised; for not many will
stop to pick himup. His nearest friends,
indeed, will be only too happy if they are
not pulled down with him, or do not
stumble over him.
1t is probably rare thing to find a
man who keeps wholly out of debt, at all
times; who squares accounts with the
world every day. II there were many it is
not likely that we should have heard of
the gentleman over in Georgia so prompt
ly and so persistently. Nmay be that you
owe only few thousands, or few units
of dollars, and that your assets are far in
access of your liabilities. If so, blessed
are you; but your position IS not on the
bench alongside ofour Georgia exemplar.
Your proper place is on the anxious seat;
and doubtless you occupy it much of your
time, in the solitude ofyour office or your
library. If the balance is against you, of
course, though ever so little, and the
surplus assets are not in sight, your case
is the common one. You are in debt. If
you own dollar, and owe a dollar and
dime only, you belong to the great ma
jority. You are ten cents behind, and the
odds are that you will find ii hard work
to catch up. That dime is the measure of
most fyour present troubles. 1t is bigger
in your eyes than the dollar, and we'll
nigh blots out the light of the sun. It
weighs you down by its absence 1t
fetters your hands because they cannot
touch it. The tiny eagle stamped upon it
grows AMI becomes q vuture to prey
upon your vitals, while you, modern
Prometheus, are helplessly chained to
the rock of debt.
It is a difficult matter to keep even
with the demands made upon US, what
ever our condition or circumstances.
From him that hath little there are a
thousand wants conspiring to take away
the little that he hath. When goods are
increased, on the other hand, they are
increased that eat them. More than one
millionaire has complained that he got
nothing more from his millions than his
"board and Clothes" and the cook or
coachman of such an one is the richer of
the two if the master be in debt and the
man free from it. He only is rich who
lives within his means, and he only is
happy, in a worldly point Of view, whose
desires do not betray him into drawing
on future energies for their qualification.
Whether you be millionaire, or a
clerk living on salary that scarcely
serves to meet absolutely necessary ex.
penses, from day to day, and from week
to week, there is only one rule of safety
for you. Keep out of debt. Owe no man
anything. If you cannot pay for what
you want, don't buy it until you can pay
for it. Ifit be difficult beforehand, while
it looks so new and fair, to cconomize to
the extent of enabling you TO purchase
the coveted yacht, or summer residence,
or rocking chair, or carpet or ball dress
or baby carriage, depend upon it that it
will be much more difficult after you have
enjoyed it for while. The chances are
great that you will pay much
besides money for your impatience
and that the pleasure of premature pos.
session will be more than counterbalanced
by the burden of the debt it represents.
It is not safe or wise to discount the
strength of tomorrow. Sufficient unto
the day is the evil thereof, and to.morrow's 5
burden will be heavy enough, doubt not,
without adding 10 il one which you can-
not bear to day.
The safest way is the best way. You
will be richer and happier and stronger
in every way for denying yourself
whatever you cannot buy outright-what
you have not yet earned. The borrower is
servant to The lender, and if you wculd
be truly frce-free from obligation, and
annoyance, and anxiety and sometimes
almost despair-borrow neither money
nor goods that must be paid for "a little
later" If you are in debt, or have been
in debt, you do not need to be told what
it means. If you have never been in debt
and are not now in debt, do not seek to
learn by experience what it means. The
difference, in fewest words, is the differ
eucc between having your mouth under
water and having it out Of water.
When the tide is at your chin-when
you are living up to your income-it is
bad enough, Another inch means drown
ing, and another dollar Of debt means
that final inch. 1t is of not much prac-
tical moment whether the waters cover
your eyes only, or 60 over your head. You
are in debt are in the sea of trouble, and
can never draw another peaceful breath