Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-06-18
An Old Question.

What a godsend it would be to this ma
ton if Benjamin Franklin could return to
earth, and infuse into the discussion Of
ness CT perception. robust common sense,
and delightful humor. In default of this,
the best thing the student of such prob
lens can do is TO peruse the volumes
which preserve the stores of wisdom con-
tributed by this remarkable man. A
reading of these books will show how old
those problems really are which the new
tiedged thinker of to-day fancies are novel
questions first propounded to this gener-
alton. Take the matter Of luxury for
example. and its evils to society. Many
people talk and write as though luxury
We're sudden development of recent
years. But more than hundred years
ago there were people declaiming just as
loudly against the evils of luxury in
America. In letter which Franklin adj
dressed to Benjamin Vaughan on the 26th
of July, 1874, he refers to the latter's in
qury as to ''what remedy [ have for the
growing luxury OF the country, which
gives so much offence to all English trav-
ellers without exception.'' Franklin re-
plies that he thinks the matter eXagger
atcd. and considers travellers poor judges
whether it is growing or diminishing.
and then proceeds:
II have not yet indeed thought OF a
remedy for luxury. [ am not sure that
| in great state it is capable of a remedy,
| nor that the evil is in itself always so great
| as it is represented. Suppose we inc ude
| in the definition of luxury all unnecessary
| expense. and then let us consider whether
| laws to prevent such expense are posi-
| BILE to be executed in a great country,
| and whether. if they could be executed,
our people generally would be happier or
| even richer. Is not the hope of being
one day able to purchase and enjoy lux
| urieS a great spur to labor and Industry?
| May not luxury. therefore. produce more
| than it consumes, if without such spur
! people would be, as they are naturally
enough inclined to be lazy and indolent. >
Franklin realized, as all effective writ
ers 90, that one concrete illustration of a
principle carries far more weight than
pages of theoriziug. He therefore follow.
ed up the argument which he had just
made with the story of an incident within
his own experience, which showed its
force:
The skipper OF shallop, employed
between Cape May and Philadelphia. had
done us some small service, for which he
refused to be paid. My wife, understand
ING that he had daughter. sent her
present OF a fashioned cap. Three
years afterthis skipper being at my house
with an old farmer of Cape Nav, his pas
senger, he mentioned the cap, and how
much his daughter had been pleased with
it. But said he. it proved dear cap
to our congregation. How so?' When
my daughter appeared with it at meeting,
1t was SO much admired that all the girls
resolved to get such caps from Philadel-
phia; and my wife and [ computed that
the whole could not have cost less than
hundred pounds True said the farm
er. but you do not tell all the story. |
think the cap was nevertheless an advant-
aye to us for it was the first thing that
put our girls upon knitting worsted nit
tens tor sale at Philadelphia, that they
might have wherewithal to buy caps and
ribbons: and you know that industry has
continued. aud is likely to continue and
increase to a much greater value, and an
SWer better purposes, Upon the whole,
| was more recunciled to this little piece
of luxury, since not only the girls were
made happier by having fine caps, but
the PhiladelDhians by the supply OF warm
mitteuS IN Y Post.