The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-11
SUNDAY. JULY IL. 1897.
OUR NATIONAL WEAKNESS.

An interesting story is told of the Hon.
Robert p. Porter. Some time ago during
his visit to the East he was stopping at
a japanese hotel. and. living on the
American plan Ct a cost Of s2.15 day in
our money. He met in the same hotel a
japanese friend. whose living expenses
were about 40 cents a day. In talking
over the matter. the Jap said to him. II
en- Just as happy and comfortable as you
are. TO be sure you have tables and
chairs. and washstands and pitchers, and
a bedstead and a sofa. i have nothing of
the sort. A nice. clean tatami mat and
n Quilt is a good enough bed for me.
Then you give so much more trouble at
your meals. with your tables and your
chairs. and crockery. glassware knives
and forks. spoons, mustard and pepper
pots. Ny meals are served in my room
by pretty maid. who kneels before me
while / eat. and chats and makes herself
interesting. looking after my every want
at the same time. Then you cart lot
Of unnecessary baggage around The no.
tel furnishes me with a nice, clean night
robe, and / can buy toothbrush for a
sen or so. You Americans make too much
effort to live"
This was a timely and Just rebuke 70
American extravaganza. Times are not
30 hard as many people would have US
believe the trouble being that the Ameri-
can people have in times past lived so
lururiously that they do not know how
10 come down 10 hard pan. 1t is not the
necessities Of life for which the people
are clamoring so much. as 1t is the luxu-
ries to which they have been accustomed
We are constantly told that there is a
great army of unemployed men in Rich
mond. and that those who work barely
make enough TO keep soul and body to-
gether But what do the facts show?
Last Christmas the stores were thronged
day and night. with eager shopper. who
were buying. not the necessaries Of life
only, but holiday dainties and holiday
presents. At Easter the several floral es-
Establishments in the city sold long before
the sun went down on Saturday all the
cut flowers that they had. 1t may be
said that the flowers were bought by the
rich, but we can say OF our personal
knowledge. that they were largely bought
by working people. for we saw with our
own eyes men in their working garb pur-
chase American Beauty roses at $3.50
dozen.
BY and by the summer season came
around and there have been more ex-
cursions out OF this city during the past
month. we venture TO say. than during
the same period in Rchmond's history.
Look at the Sunday excursion trains.
They are packed every Sunday with peo-
ple who flock to the seashore. spending
from So to SO or more on the trip. Seven
thousand people saw the baseball games
in Richmond on the Fourth Of July, 20
say nothing OF as many more who went
out Of town on a frolic. Watch the cleo
trio cars in the evenings. and follow
them 20 the suburban parks, where the
vaudeville performances are given each
night These things do not indicate hard
times.
We are not Puritanical. We love TO see
the people enjoy life. We wish they had
more money TO spend IN recreation. But
we do say that extravaganza is our ma
tional weakness. and that the discomfort
which now prevails is largely due 10 the
fact that under changed conditions we
we were In days past.