The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-04-05
Down on Ben franklin.

1. Never keep money which is due
the Boston Transcript. Simple as
is this rule there is none SO generally
disregarded. We have a large class
in this community whose bank &C.
counts would allow them to owe no
man anything save charity aud good
will, yet who make il matter Of
pride TO pay no small debts save by
lordly courtesy, or at such times as
il may please them to mail check
to the marketman or the mechanic.
To them il appears as though the
good name they have always borne
puts them above suspicion. They
would pay instantly on being dun
ned by the humble creditor, and the
latter would await their pleasure
months aud borrow money rather
than ask for his due, since to do.
mand his own would be- to lose their
custom in future. II you cannot pay
what you owe, or owe nothing, you
have no duty iu this respect, but IL
there is the least sum due for work
or purchases sec to II that the sun
does not set tonight until that sum
is put into circulation.
?. Spend all you can possibly al
ford to disburse. / give this advice
boldly, although Il Is Just the con.
trary to that usually offered. But
ono does not have to DO a political
economist to see that the relief
would be instantaneous. Debt Is al.
ways to be avoided, but the proper
disbursement OF ones income TO its
last available dollar is . blessing to
the community. What possible good
does money do which is boarded in.
stead Of being put into circulation !
Suppose u mnn in the possession Of
an income Of $1,000 q year were To
enter one OF our suburban villages
and daily spend amongst his neigh.
bors that proportion which he would
receive each dayi do not mean
giving IL right and left for the sup
port Of the poor or shiftless, but
buying the labor or products Of his
poorer brethren. Does IL require
any instruction in political science
to see that he would at once turn
that town into a very paradise OF
prosperity? And, IL all those in com,
Portable circumstances would scru-
pulously do this the dissemination
Of comforts would increase in pro-
portion to the money spent. The
philosophy Of Benjamin Franklin
has cursed this country with q
mania for boarding; We fail TO real.
ize that the identical economy which
may be commendable in tho young
mechanic may be a positive wrong
in the retired merchant.
Did you ever calculate the amount
Of good done by Qet us call it in the
Franklin phraseology) the useless
extravaganza OF inviting a lady to q
theater? In the first place, in &C,
cepting she will probably disburse
for gloves, millinery, or searnstress
work quito a pretty sum, each pay.
ment being a blessing TO the one
who receives il, sometimes represent
ing to the employe the very means
I OF life. Then your own disburse
ment will help support the hack
! "'HV', thc h'tiS', tuc uotci NHtEt
You dine together, while il would bt
impossible for the large and worthy
corps Of the employees OF the theateI
to got their daily bread were it not
for Just such extravaganza as that oil
which you are guilty.
To rigidly economic at such times
as the present, SO that you may have
the means to give for benevolen,
purposes, is simply to withhold with
the one hand that you may disburst
with the other. IL the two rule,
herein recommended were observed
by every person in the community
only the inebrate aud the culpably
shiitless would be a charge on thei
fellows. As intimated here, | Dc
not in the least share the genera
communication of Benjamin Frank
lin. His maxims are worldly, sen
sual, selfish, entirely ignoring chival
rio, spiritual, or lofty ideals. Tn,
effect OF his parsimonious ideal o
human conduct is to be seen in jus
such stringency rs that which is nov
felt by the American people.