Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-07-17
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who has gone through life but there have
been some times when he has been so
hurt of misfortune he could lot meet his
obligations. but all that | put aside.
There are multitude of people who buy
that which they never intend TO pay for,
for which there is no reasonable expee-
tation they will ever be able to pay. Now.
if you have become obliyions of honesty
and mean TO defraud, why not save the
merchant as much as sou can: Why nor
go some Gay 4, his store and when no.
body Is looking just shoulder the ham or
the sparerlh and in modest silence steal
away That would be less criminal be-
cause in the other way you take not only
/ the man S goods but you take the time OF
the merchant and the time of his account
. ant, and you take the time of the mes
senSer who brought you the goods Now.
II you must steal. steal in a way TO do as
little damage TO the trader as possible.
John Randolph arose in the American
Senate when question of national
finance was being discussed. and, stretch
ing himself 10 his full height, in a shrill
voice he cried out Mr.. Chairman. |
have discovered the philosophers stone.
which turns everything into gold--pav
as you CO., Society has got TO be recn1-
structed on this subject or the seasons of
defalcation will continue TO repeat them
selves. You have no right to ride in a
carriage for which you are hopelessly in
debt to the wheelwright who furnished
the landau. and to the horse dealer who.
provided the blooded span, and TO tie
harness maker who caparisoned the gay
steeds. and 10 the iiyeryman who has pro-
vided the stablng. and TO the driver
who. with rosetted hat. sits on the coach
box.
On, | am so glad il is not the absolute
necessities of life which send people out
into dishonesties and fling them into mis-
fortunes. 1t is almost always the superfu-
tiles. God has promised MS house, but
not palace: raiment. but not chinchilla
food, but not canvasback duck | am vet
to see one of these great defaleations
which is not connected in some way with
extravaganza.
Extravaganza accounts for the dis
turbance of national finances Aggrega-
tions are made up of units. and when one
half of the people of this country owe the
other half how can We expect fnanciai
prosperity? Again and again ut thu ma
tional election we have had a spasm of
virtue, and we said, "Out with one ad-
ministration and in with another and let
us have a new deal of things and then we
will get all over our perturbation. ~ do
not care who is President or who is Seq
rotary of the Treasury or how nluch
breadstuffs go ont of the country or how
much gold is imported until we learn to
p.y our debts and it becomes a general
theory in this country that men must bay
no more than they can pay for Until
that time comes there will be no per-
manent prosperity, Look at the PERM
cious extravaganza. Take the one fact
that New York every year pays $1,000
600 for theatrical amusements. While
once in while Henry Irving or an Ed
win Booth or a Joseph Jefferson thrills
a great audience with tragedy, you know
as well as | do that the vast majority of
the theaters are as debased as debased
they can be, as unclean as unclean they
can be and as damnable as damnable
they can be. Three million dollars. the
vast majority of those dollars going in
the wrong direction.
Harmful AM Unnecessary Experaa.
Over hundred millions paid in this
country for cigars and tobacco a year.
About $2,000,000,o00 paid for strcng
drink in one year in this country. With
such extravaganza, pernicious extrava-
ganee. can there be any permanent pros
perity? Business men. cool headed bus:-
ness men, is such thing possibility?
These extravagances also account, as |
have already limited. for the positive
crimes, the forgeries, the abscendings OF
the officers of the banks. The store OF
the business street swamped BY the resi-
dence on the fashionable avenue. The
fathers, the husbands craft capsized by
carrying TOO much domestic sail. That
is what springs the leak in the merchants
money till. That is what cracks the mis-
tolls of the suicides. That is what tears
down the banks. That is what stops in
surance companies. That is what halts
this nation again and again in its tri-
umphal march ofprosperity. In the pres
ence of the American people SO far as
can get their attention | want to arraign
this monster curse of extravaganza. and
want you to pelt it with your scorn and
hurl at il your anathema.
How many fortunes every year wreck
ed on the wardrobe. Things have gotfto
such pass that when we cry over our
sins in church we wipe the tears away
with $50 pocket handkerchief, | show
you domestic tragedy in five acts:
Act the First-A home, plain aud beau
tiful. Enter newly married pair. Enter
contentment Enter as much happiness
as ever gets in one home.
Act the Second Enter discomfort. En-
ter desire for larger expenditure. Enter
envy. Enter jealousy.
Act the Third Enter the queenly dress
makers. Enter the French milliners. En-
ter all costly plate and all great extrava-
ganees.
Act the Fourth-Tiptop of society
Princes and Processes of upper tendon
floating in and out. Everything ON n
large and magnificent scale Enter con
tempt for other people.
Act the Fifth and Last-Enter the as
signee. Enter the sheriff Enter the
creditors. Enter humiliation. Enter the
wrath of God. Enter the contempt OF So
ciety. Enter ruin and death Now drop
the curtain The play is ended. and the
lights are out
called it tragedy. That is q mis-
homer. It is farce.
Extravaganza counts for much of the
pauperism. Who are these people whom
you have to help? Many of them are the
children of parents who had plenty. lived
in luxury, had more than they needed.
spentaa they had. spent more. too: then
died and left their families in poverty
Some of those who call on you now for