The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-05-30
What We Forget.
From The bedford Inquirer.

There has never been a time, however
prosperous the country, when some people
have not complained of hard times And
this complaint has net been confined to
one class; the farmer, the mechanic, the
day laborer, the merchant and the doctor
and lawyer are all represented among the
complainers. How little of this complain
ing is founded on reality will readily be
noted by any one who will take the trou-
BILE to look backward few years. 1t is
doubtful if there has been time, in the
history of our country, when all the people
were able to enjoy so many Of the COM
forts and luxuries of life. Our people
have better food, better clothing, more
comfortable houses than they ever had
Fbefore, aud work fewer hours of each day
for these blessings than ever before. They
travel more, they visit more, they take
more holidays than ever before.
Let any farmer who has reached his
fortieth or fiftieth year look back and call
to mind how farmers lived and worked
forty years ago How many of them had
buggies or carriages in which to ride when
they wanted to visit their neighbors or go
to church? Where were the reapers and
mowers, binders and threshers that now
| tighten their labors and shorten their hours
of work How many farmers wives had
sewing machines or cabinet organs or
| hundred other conveniences that now
tighten their labor or make more enjoyable
their hours of rest and recreation? They
seldom got more and often less for the
products of the farm than now, and almost
every necessary of life cost more then than
now, except possibly bread and meat.
The mechanic will find that his condi-
ton has improved in similar manner.
He lives better, dresses better, travels
more, enjoys life more than ever before.
The day laborer finds himself in the same
category; then from seven to nine dollars
per month was considered good wages for
a farm hand, and he worked from daylight
to dark through the longest summer days,
and during the winter months was often
glad to get his boarding for his work. He
was happy with one pair of cowhide boots
or shoes and simple suit Of strong home
spun goods that were worn Sunday and
work-days alike Among the mercantile
and professional classes we will find the
same changes have taken place. Each
enjoys, in his home, comforts and Injuries
he did not dream of forty years ago A
dozen trips year to some one or more OF
the large cities are now common thing
and are taken no more note of than a
twenty y-mile visit to friend or relative
forty years ago, while an outing Of from
three to six weeks in the year and trip
to California, Florida or Europe is no
uncommon thing. Yet this merchant,
lawyer or doctor will come home, and sit
ting down to read his daily paper in com
Portable room, with velvet carpets, cush-
ioned chairs, steam heat and electric light,
will be heard complaining of hard times.
The fact is we have all risen to higher
plane of living, we see more, we have more,
we want more We measure our wants
not by our necessities but by our desires.
We complain of hard times because We
have not the money to gratify all our
desires. We forget how much we have to
be thankful for; how much more We have
than our fathers even dreamed of few
short years ago. Like children spoiled by
indulgence we fail to realize the unnum
bered and ever increasing blessings we
enjoy and pine and complain because we
sec some new bauble Just beyond our reach.