The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-09-21
TWO views OF ECONOMY.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers on the Louisville and Nash
Vile railroad contemplated a strike
when they were informed by the
company that on account Of the fact
that the road was making less money
it would he compelled to reduce their
wages 10 per cent. The engineers had
meeting and invited Mr.. Edward
Baxter, the attorney for the road, to
address them. Having had his
own salary reduced 20 per cent, he
was in condition to sympathize with
them and also do justice to the
road. He demonstrated the
fact that strikes depend for
success upon public opinion, and that
public opinion would not approve a
to.a al suspension of the business of the
railroad. He also showed them that
the aid they would receive from the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
would be less than the reduced wages
offered by the road. With such argu-
ments he induced the engineers to
abandon the contemplated strike. The
part of Mr.. Baxter's address of the
most general interest is in the sug-
gestion that off the financial crisis
now upon the country shall have
the effect to teach us habits
of economy and check the
reckless extravaganza TO which the
country has been indulging for the
past 10 years our present affliction
would be blessing in disguise" Mr..
Baxter may have alluded to the reck-
less extravaganza of the government,
but his remarks are equally applica-
hle to the private citizen. We have
been extravaganza ever since the civil
war as a federal government and quite
as much so as citizens. The lessons
of economy taught by the hard times
of last summer will be valuable
to very many people to WHOM
economy at all times is absolutely
necessary, hut on the other hand it
may encourage economy in those to
whom economy ought to be stranger.
The W ealthy have no right to be ecu
nomioal. They have made their
fortune off of others and it is due
others that they spend it with a law
ish hand, 30 that money like water
shall find its level, or in other words
shall not be boarded but flow out
actively in the currents of business.
The rich man who is not liberal in his
expenditures must be tinctured with
at least a grain of avarice, which grain
may terminate and grow full crop
of the NEST deadly fruits of vice, to.
wit, avarice. An avaricious man is
absorbed by selfishness, his hand
against every man and every mans
hand against him. While we believe
that economy in those who cannot at
ford to be otherwise results in free.
dom from cares and happiness, we
also believe that economy in the
wealthy will blight and blast
the best men in the land.
The doctrine that all of us are de.
pendent mutually upon each other is
by no means new, but for twenty
years it has been more generally de.
clared and talked about and we hon.
estly believe it has been practiced
more than formerly. There is but
one class of people that it has failed
to force recognition upon and that is
the very wealthy class. Although
thousands of dollars were subscribed
for the poor of New York, not one
name of q New York millionaire is
found on the subscription list, After
making a million man seems to have
stronger desire to make $40, 600, 900.
This kind of pursuit of money without
regard to the welfare of others is the
most corrupting of all vices, and at
the same time the most dangerous
practice to the integrity and general
prosperity oil the people. Therefore,
we say a man who has plenty of
money ought to use it literally, and
the greater his personal and family
expenses the higher he ranks in
philanthropy.
Ladies never have any dyspepsia after wine