The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-02-08
THE LOVE OF NOVELTY.
A Fault That Is Peculiarly American an
-. Extremely DemoralIzIng.

A Fault That Is Peculiarly American and
- Extremely DemoraiIzlng.
There are none of the smaller evils OF
society that in the end produce more
suffering than the continued demand
of the mass of people for novelty.
II is peculiarly national fault, and
peculiarly fault of crude CIVILIZATION
to value things only so long as they
please the eye by novelty. 1t Is not
alone the woman Of wealth who changes
the style of her furniture, the service OK
her table, the very fashion OF receiving
her guests, but humble women cease to
value their possessions because they have
lost the charm of novelty. This Is not
80 in other countries to the extent 1t Is
here. The English woman OF the
wealthiest class, unless she is verlta-
BILE Mrs. Veneering, takes pride in her
old family furniture, and her beautiful
old silver, inherited from generations, Is
displayed with pride. When new furnl-
ture is purchased the housekeeper is even
then content to buy that which in style
and shape has been proven good by ex-
perience. The old-time decorations in
china which have been used for gener-
ations in England still fl nd buyers.
Here alone each year must bring its new
patterns in every thing purchased in
the stores. Even conservativ people
feel often forced to buy new things be-
fore they need them for fear OF being
thought old fogies in their ideas. One
of the worst features of this love OF
snewness" is the tendency to depreciate
the genuine value of goods. This leads
the manufacturer to bend all his ener-
gies toward startling the public by
change rather than improving his goods
so that they shall reach high stand
ard. For this reason imported goods are
often better than American, because
when they are made for the foreign
market standard of quality is preferred
to change of color. The American
manufacturer or the manufacturer
abroad catering to an American market
is chiefly concerned to make his wares as
different as possible from those OF the
| last season. There are many r1cf
women who would live in more re
fined manner and be great deal hap
pier if they would be content with goot
things and not try to ''gild refined gold;'
but the poorer woman is the CREATE
sufferer. The wife of the struggling
professional man or rising merchant
who can not compete with her richer
neighbor, is constantly brought into SO
ciety with her and made to feel doubl.
the shabbiness of her surroundings, til
she is discontented and discouraged.
There is no old-time custom honorc'
by long observance that escapes. Peopl
seek for new ways of celebrating Christ
mas, new games, and always something
that will startle by its novelty rathe
than something that will improve by it,
beauty. There is only one remedy: u
content and satisfied if you have a goo
thing, to use it and enjoy it. Do no
look for something novel at the shops
but rather something sterling and
sincere value. The manufacturer vii
soon learn to suit his goods to tn
, market. and we shall see the last of tn
shabby, half-made furniture, the cotto
and wool carpets, the badly woven SILK
and the thousand and one shams in tn
, .shops.-N. +. Y. Tribune.