Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-06-26
CONCERNING WASTE.
Outward Dem onstrations Of u Mclanc,,ol
Condition of Society.

| outward Demonstrations OF a Melancholy
Condition of Society.
| Custom, the director of nine-tenths
of our expenditure, is founded partly
on convenience or necessity, but much
moro largely on mere vanity and want
of common sense, and the result of
this unreasoning custom IS abundant
wastefulness. Time, health, eniov-
ment, high intelligence, creative skill.
the hopes and valuable efforts, as dis
tinct from the absurd desires and moan
frivolities Of life, arc sacrificed: and
all this loss has been accepted by the
world as something predetermined
and inevitable. Yet how many social
customs arc entirely irrational; the
commonest and most accepted being,
as it seems, the most absurd. And,
to begin with the great measurement
OF life, the chief and permanent ex
penditure of mon is their expenditure
OF time, which is persistently, and al
most always, made in an unnatural
way. The sun, tho great originator
and support of life, should, it appears,
DO regularly followed in its daily
course. But good society re-
pudlates the daytime that is made
1or healthful exercise, and chooses
nighttime for its recreation. Working
days begin from four to six hours
later than tho average daylight, and
extend as many corresponding hours
into the night. Tho folly is entirely
Wanton; no resemblance OF u reason
can be given for it, and the tax on the
community is enormous. Nothing is
gained by the ridiculous pcrversity of
living wide awake at night and slecp-
ing in the day. The two words "goods''
and "fulniture' are. in respect of
household chattcls. held to be of the
same meaning; yet there is Il great
distinction in the proper use and value
OF these simple terms. 'Goods'' arc
to be considered things Of worth, ac-
quircd by labor, and selected with dis
ccrnment. A mans goods are evil
dences of his energy and power; the
things have come to him appropriate
~, have almost grown around him,
and they manifest himself; they arc
especially his own; he has contrivcd,
selected and arranged them; and by
them, as much, perhaps, as anyhow,
he may be known and estimated. Such
used to be the nature Of a mans i'm
mediate homo surroundings. In their
excellence and quality they justified
their appcllation; they were en-
phatically "goo,}." Now, men arc dil-
lerent, as "lurniturc' is different from
goods. - Their furnturc is mostly a
display OF general tmpty-mindcdness
but otherwise it is in no peculiar sense
a demonstration of tho actual pro-
prictor. 1t is supplied entirely by 9th
ers' at a price, to supplement- the pur-
chascr's deficiency. Most houses are
"wcll furnishcd'' when they are re-
plete with dear upholstery; the merits
Or demerits and the quality Of which
are often much beyond the owners
comprehension; and tho poor pup
chaser is thus surrounded by the evi-
dcnces Of his incapacity to find enjoy
mcnt in his own legitimate expendi-
ture, Or properly to regulate his own
affairs. Few things are more gro
tesquc to Witness than the mental i'm
potenco of ordinary purchasers in MI
upholstcrer's shop. The average Gus
toner does not, at these places, spend
his money for his own enjoyment, or
to be the means of giving reasonable
pleasure to his friends. His object is
the admiration Of just that portion of
the world whose admiration has no
value; those who, like himself. arc
seeking, Or arc striving to maintain,
some pitiful position in society, whose
members emulate each other in this
senselcss way. The owners status in
the world is often measured by this
queer display. And this is waste. In
deed a holocaust Of nine-tcnths of the
ornamental fashionable furniture in
England would be but q wholesome
and peculiar "act of faith" The clean
and simple dwellings, of the wcll-con-
Quoted poor arouse Intelligent and rev.
ercnt sympathy. The costly and OBJ
trusive elegance Of the rich arc mostly
nero appeals to ignorant establishment
and vulgar admiration. Dress is per-
sonal furniture. A garment. clothes,
may be the outward Indication Of the
man; but dress is that which hides the
wearer's character, and rather mani
tests his interest in fashion. All the
picturesque effect of clothes des igned
expressly for the wearer, and exhibit
ing his individual delight in color, dec
Grafton and arrangement so that in
every company there shall be agreea-
bic diversity of style and of impress
sion, has been lost to us. and we have
now, in fashion, the dull, constant
repetition of accepted forms that f,a':e, |
by some unknown authority, been
foisted on society. Some fifty years
ago not only were the characters of in
3ividual men and women fairly indi-
cate6E and themselves distinguishable
by their .:2own habiliments, but
these clothes themsc:S were cheer
ful: color abOunded ant; e. 1av-