Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-22
THE EVILS OF CREDIT
Some Economic Views Of Our LltoI
Correspondent.
A FARMER MAKES A SUGGESTION,
When silver and When Sound
Money In wantcd-The Card-Tnbie'
An EuioyabIe Pedestrian Tour
Personal Notes.


oCorrespondence OF the Dispatch)
ACTON. VA, September Alt Is said
the French svYer less .:s~ pan
les and depressions than any
other people on the globe. Our volatile
friends across the big pond know now 10
enjoy life, but they also work hard, and
every person saves something for rainy
day. We might take lesson from them.
Here we fume and fret and cry "hard
times" and more money" when the
amount OF metallic and paper currency
not including the amount held by the
Treasury OF the United Staes--ls more
per capita, than In any OF the leading
countries Of Europe. except France.
There is more money In circulation IN
this country than the general public
has any idea Of and yet we are wofully
in automatically and individually In
debt Nobody knows exactly how much,
as n nation, we owe; no one counts Ii
up, and the less said about II. the better
we are pleased. We pay annually TO
foreigners over sao.o0o.0o0 We pay II in
gold-. e., when we pay It at all. but
we keep on borrowing and paying the
interest on the back debt with what
we borrow. and adding up the interest
on that. for all the world like couplets
In the "House that Jack Built" We
have been doing this for long while.
and rest easy in the hope that we can
keep II on forever. But we are mistaken.
Payday must come; just the same to
nations as 10 individuals. In fact. We
already feel the weight OF Shylocks
o. 1t,to
own financial policy. Where 1t will end,
II all this borrowing business goes on.
no man can tell But the money comes
back. Millionaires. Dukes. Lords, and
Counts are purchasing In the South and
West immense tracts OF land. equal In
come surveys 10 whole counties, while
the number OF native landowners is
decreasing year after year. IL may be
only n question OF time when we will
drift TO feudal bondage. We need more
thrift and less debt. and national pol
icy for this great, grand. powerful nation
TO pay what we can Of what we owe
and borrow no more. individually. the
temptation ard inducements to buy are
at present greater than ever owing 10
low prices: but however cheap an arti-
Gle II bought on credit. 1t may In the end
prove very dear. Long standing con-
tracts bear uncertainty on their face.
TAKE NO THOUGHT.
The Christian exhortation. Take no
thought for the morrow. for the morrow
shall take thought for the things OF
itself" is also n good business motto.
Besides. man doesn't always know that
strength will be given him or n position
whereby TO meet his obligations. When
he cannot do so. he borrows. and one
need not always step from his own door
to learn the result-property depreciat-
ing. fences down. and Sheriff sales
Zach one forced thus 10 settle I'D takes
from others what they can Ill afford TO
iose-the shelter. perhaps. from an help
less family. A little more trust in Prov
dence and little less trust in national
loans. real estate, wholesale city houses
and the crossroads grocery store would
DO better for US all. Certainly nothing
has been more injurious 10 the farming
class than this general credit system.
Said a very thrifty old farmer the
other day when interviewed on the
money question:
ut all depends on how much a mar
owes"
How do you make that?"
"Well. II he's been free liver and
| wild Spectator. he wants plenty of free
silver" to pay off his debts, and II he:
| kept paid up as ne goes. sound money
| and little Of 1t, is good enough fol-
! Nim."
GOOD ROADS.
The average farmer is, perhaps. mos
| exercised on roads, and to find out Il
| General Stone. Of the Road Division. and
! the Virginia State Good Roads Associa
ton will get the blockade open up here
this winter in time for the spring traffic
Self-reglstering dynsmos. traction-powers
and such things are mighty good aids tC
| get killed with; hut deep gulies and biz
rocks will do the business for ordinary
mortals. and we pray for a few plougheC
bitches and roadbed Of dirt, pending.
| At the hotels the week has not beer
signalized by special gaieties. The ex
| hllaration OF driving parties, germans
and small teas have given way TO quie
rambles and parlor cards. or course, thi
| last amusement which has been pretty
freely INDUCED in the present season, ha!
| it's dual sides For one thing, card-play
| ing IL a godsend to elderly people anC
| wall-fowers--and some OF the mos
| charming people in the world come undel
| either clsss-and 1t Is a great promotes
| Of good-fellowship. In whist parties
| mamma and the chaperons lead; in euchre
| the younger set excel as players, prohabl,
because the prizes are desirable stakes
For, be II whispered. women are natura
gamblers. They adore anything lik
chance. and one has only to watch theil
| eager faces at race or around tn
| card table 10 know its wonderful fascina
ton 10 femininity. AS a rule. womer
4 are luckier than men, and, of course
| more emotional II Is an old chestnu
that she "trumps her partners ace,
for. as a general thing she can hold he
own, II solely for the interest OF tn
game. II betting Is permitted, as will
some OF the ultra set In. New York anC
| Washington. women show a positive pre-
ference for -. 81. II. 3. and Z. They car
| nothing for the double zero. and milk
| men, never risk stake on the color
There has been a tendency this season
| at hotels here. as elsewhere In Virginia
TO simplify the prizes, and II was a wis
step. C.lrd-playing ceases to be pleasure
when the thought of profit creeps in.
A PEDESTRIAN EXCURSION.
A party OF the Valley young people
with some visiting tourists. made pedes
TRAN excursion last week TO the OIL
| Signal-Service Station, on Doby's noun
tain. The party were well equipped AM
chaperored, and have evidence OF thei
trip In the way Of sketches and specimen
| OF flora and fauna Of the mountains
There were good walkers In the party
| but no runners. Despite the fact tina
there was once a lightning footed ATLANTA
| running is not woman's forte. She cal
swim like a fish and ride like Diana
| but to run nature surely did not con
| struct her.
| Tho entertainment given by the ladie
OF the Alton chapel for a eeserved chartt,
| was In every respect a success. Ices anc
cake and many fancy articles were dis
posed Of by lovely vendors, and httl'
| girls and boys with flowers and th'
| .grob-ba<' made pretty and successful