The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-05-06
sxArxLx. SUNDAY. xlY ..
~ WICKED A. We CAN AFFORD
TO BIZ.

~ WICKED A. We CAN AFFORD
A great French cynie said that ''ths
average man 10 generally abost - wicked
o. he can afford to De-" This II true to
she extent that the superficial morals OF
ths people are always better in hard times.
The freedom with which man spends his
money usually represents the difficulty or
ease with which he won IL The dollars
flung away by the golden calf" Of Wall
street ''buli" represent no memories OF
anxious toll. privation and ssif-deniai;
4hss u Why bandit 10 always generous
with his guineas; they represent NO toll or
pains beyond the snsontery necessary to
steal purss on the highway or the skiii
that bursts bank from she outside.
Any dishonest fool can break hank
vault II he u custodian OF its keys.
6windisfs are ~ . rule extravagant, for
they win not by honest labor or industry.
but BY the immoral employment Of their
wits TO cheat honest industry ont Of its
legitimate accumulations. and. going up
higher in tho scale. men who win money
honestly. but win II easily in flush times.
are free In their habits and expenditures
Tor the sams reason that boys born rich,
bandits and swtndlers are lavish-the
money came easy and viii 60 quick.
Flush times are times Of monetary ex-
tfavagancs, times Of animal indulgence.
times OF gambling, guiding and kindred
vices. Hard times always show great
improvement In public morals IN this
respect No man short Of drunkard but
will do less drinking and gambling when
he tolls hard for his dollar than when his
dollar falls into his lap With little or no
effort on his part. when hs gathers IL -
easily - he could . goossbsrry.
In hard times many natures rule their
spirits down TO frusality and temperance.
because they are too honest 10 steal dol
lar, too manly TO squandsr v hen they can
not AFFORD 10 pay any longer for the con-
viviaiity In which they have been tempted
by flush times to indulge.
The number OF marriages In England
has always nuctuated with the price Of
corn. and 20 tho number OF an honest
mans Injuries nuctuates with the price Of
his labor. The amount Of ale and ardent
spirits in Great Britain falls of enormously
In hard times and - regularly rises with
good tinss. which brings as back to the
French cynic'a conclusion that from the
broadcast point Of view men arc about A.
wicked ~ thsy think they can afford to be.
In England for tifty years past vital
statissics have shown that In good years
people drank freely. while in hard years
the sales of drink fell on immensely. The
same IL true Of the United siases. During
the plethora OF cheap money during the
civil war and after the war UP TO the panic
Of 1874 our consumption of malt liquors
and ardent spirits was enormous compared
with the consumption of those years that
stood for ''hard times" This does not
mean probably that there were any more
dsunkards in good years than during
s'hard times" but IL means that in ..hard
times" all prudent people cut down their
Injuries and get down closer TO the bed
rock OF the necessities OF life both in diet
and dress.
When money comes slow and bard a
man OF sense, remembering how much
work 10 represents. Is slow to lie, II 20 for
things he can do without, hut " hen money
comes in fast and IL easily won i, is loosely
held, because tho man thinks he can Al.
ford to "treat" himself and his family.
The rich man. the man of moderate com.
pesen,e and the wageworker all reduce
expenses. and the sale of Injuries falls OF!
greatly in bad years.
In all the luxuries OF life, expens.ye
clothing. cesiiy cigars, theaser and opera
tickets. high-priced food. there are prob.
ably the same increase and decrease In
good and bad years that are noted in the
consumption Of malt liquors, winss and
ardent spirits.
The present ''hard simes" ought 10
teach our people useful economic lee
son. for Ne are the most was,efei and ex.
trasagans people in the world This is the
testimony of all intelligent Germans.
frerehmen and Engiishmen. We are alb.
soialely psotlgsi in our use of lsauers
ses~ Stt} W "SRN~sssFs AstS<s u tltEAsei
In the heart Of populous manufacturing
and agricultural district. 1t has bat IS /.
COO people, aad yet il 10 estimated tAst il,
psoeis nsy 81, 30. 90 year for malt liouor
ard other intoxicaats.
Another source Of national extrsy.xanes
h The turf According 20 reports made TO
the comptroller Of New York state .Ae rae
Ing associations Of that state received ea.
tseen NosemesF - lsSs.. aud January
1894. $spa 2sA4A Hut this 10 oaly q srasll
part ef what 10 spent on the turf. In iSs
Gfty t~o-ysar-cids won 5000 or ovsreaea.
saa one OF them vea sise.e and Al to.
ssiisss ssis. sS& OF ccurse these great sura,
saasd aas b. Paid II thoussnds Of persons
eAaSslsls The ''srsrsing class" did not bet On
lsssss
tas aTsnk hahit. vice. shssftssssness and
ssgsl4ias as aeabsless the cause Of tAree.
fs@fses ~ siss poverty in the United States.
s.-as SIS sssssasas issscn enforced by hard
ksss~s ssss sss ~ without IL god edscs
kse~ So eassAsssAas American people
-zssSs@ssss, lard tluasss are alvAys