Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-03
WORK AND PRAY.
That Is What Sam Jones Proposes
 to Do About It.
Brighter Prospects Ahead. He Declares. for the People and the Nation-To the Strong. Not the Weak, Be-
 longs the Victory.
IooPyRIonT. ls9al


 turn their eyes from Washington city aud are turning their hands toward the duties and responsibilities which nre ncur at hand. It is q source of gratifi- cation as one journeys across this coun- trygto see new industries springing up, old ones beginning work knocking the dust off of wheels and spindles and ma chinery. The drumIncrs still plying their trade. talking more hopefully, the merchant with his business well in hand looking with wisdom which ex- perience has brought to him to the legitimate business of the coming year. The farmer with fuller smoke house and crib beginning his work for the year with heart ard hope.
 The mechanic either already em- ployed or looking soon for work to be given to him. The railroads with well sustained earnings in traffic. All in all this country is not going to the dogs or the devil either as to that.
 For two years the eyes of the people have been turned hopefully towards congress, but the congress of the United States has demonstrated that it cannot pass anything-most of them can't pass a saloon. The thing seems to be in an interminable tangle.- A house divided against itself. A few proposing and the majority disposing.
 Some one remarked the other day, who had been m Washington for sevcr- al months, that if the constituency of each congressman could be present ten days and watch his representative and take in the movements of congress he didn't believe that there was one con- gressman in dozen who could get ten votes to be returned.
 Mr. Carlyle seems to have offered feasible plan on which the finances of our country could have been projected for the future, but the present con- gross will sit down on anything which emanates from Cleveland or any of his cabinet; they seem to have nothing in view for the good of the country, but anything and everything to down Cleveland and his wishes.
 It is true to-day that the average citizen of this country is in no better condition than the government am sorry for the citizen who is in no better shape to meet the issues and fight the battles than the United States govern ment seems to be at this present time.
 With deficiency of million each month and bond sales one after another the thing seems to be getting into no better fix fast.
 The hopeful sign of the time is in the fact that the masses are wrestling now with problems more hopeful and nearer at hand than those to which they have looked at far off Washington city. . We face problems under the condition of things to-day which an industrious hopeful people can work out with credit to themselves and conquer with a courage that will bring its reward; If the lessons of experience which the past two years have taught us have been learned so that we shall not for get them, and we will abjure credit and pay cash or do without the things we are not obliged to have.
 Credit unwisely used will ruin any nation, any city, any municipality, any man. For two years and more we have been grappling with debt as perhaps no people ever did. The aggregate in- debtedness of this country, from the government down to the individual would astonish and appall any thinking man and he would despair of better days ever coming; but millions on millions of these debts have been paid liquidation has settled millions on top of millions, and to-day we are in far better fix for future operations than we were yearsor two years ago, or, if the facts had all been known, than we were five years ago. The writer of this article has had much experience in grappling with debt. He has been both debtor and creditor, paying debts upon the one side md watching cred itors shirls on the other, and such condition of things makes 1t hard to grow in grace. find but few hopeful and buoyant spirits, I find but few in- deed who are in despair. It is not wise just at this time to be too hopeful, it is battle and despair; we should strike happy medium, and every hon. est effort, every hour of the day should be put forth by every man until the top of the hill is reached and the traces can be slaclsed with safety. A thou sand voices call us on. Nothing but an enemy would advise humanity to cease it's struggles; the hustler is the man we should initiate. The industrious and frugal man should be our exemplar. Let us not throw water on any mans fire or discourage any earnest, zealous fellow, or talk down any project which means the bettermcnt of the condition, or blackguard any man who is moving, but not in parallel line with us.
 The fellow who pulls and works most manfully now will have the best devel- opcd muscle and be the longest winded nag when the goal is reached.
 If were asked what was going to do about it would answer very read fly am going to pull and pray on and work on I will die in the traces pull ing my best before I will lie down on the roadside and die in despair.
 The heroism and fortitude necessary to the struggle in .imes like these but develop character and manhood, just as the yielding of the ponderous hammer will bring muscle to the right arm.
 The old saying, "a faint heart ne'er won fair lady," may be transposed so it would read wealling in purpose and aim and courage will never conquer l.l.o tlo,a ,x,s+l, x,,h,oh xx,o