The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-02-19
Wednesday, Feb. 10. 1908
Paving Debts.

Sherman once maze q TeudIh W lno eHS'
that "War Is He'll" the same is true ant
worthy OF all acceptation. j. II. Hall OF I'M
Savannah side says that "Debt is the Devil
and he states maxim just as true.
In Spanish cou mites and such other land'
where men may be imprisoned Tor deot anc
kept in jail at the expense OF the government
until the debt is psid-in such territory Snel
mans definition Of war is perfectly appllcaole
to debt, except that 1t expresses II very
mildly.
For some men debt is good thing. II
enables them to pile up great fortunes. NC
man can make fortune without going IN
debt to do so. He must have credit 10 carry
on business, and where man manages DIE
business in a judicious way 1t is good thing
to 60 in debt.
On the other hand there are men VINO
should never be allow ed the use OF dollar
which they have not made themselves iol
they are utterly devoid of that business acn
men which makes the dollar to Increase In.
stead of diminish. Such man should never
90 In debt, he is sure to lose, just as sure to
lose as the other man Is TO win.
Every man looks on debt with his owp
glass at his own focus. To some small deoi
seems as big as q mountain. To others
debt as big as mountain seems small
dodge him II you CAM Some men cannot
sleep II they owe more than they can pay
Some men don'ttry TO sleep until they do
owe more than they can pay.
We 20 into debt for different reasons.
Some 60 in debt for bread: some 60 In debt To
make MOE ey; some will not 60 into debt for
any cause. A man who goes in debt for bis
bread will live poor and die poor. An uncer.
tain outcome awaits every man who goes In
debt to make money. The man who goes In
debt for nothing will be neither poor nor rich.
He Will have plenty TO do him and nore to
spare.
In this day Of business and enterprise near
" every man owes some debts. On account
of the universally of debt men have taken
this means to measure their fellowman. On
the Rlalto they do not ask If man Is we'll
educated. They don't care snap for hit
genealogy. They don't lay much store by
brain and intellect; but does he pay bis
debts? That is the question! This method
of jrdging men by the business world is a.
right as are the immutable laws. There are
exceptions where men cannot pay their debts
Such q one is duly held in the scorn which
he deserves. While people do not point the
fluger at him, mentally they turn their backs
in contempt He is freak, trick. an an.
thopoid, and nota man. You know him and
you know the estimation In which he is
held. 1t does not seem to worry him much.
When he makes debt he does not intend to
nay It unless circumstances are such that he
will be obliged to.
This exception ia not always among the
poor classes. While he Is never rich he H.
counted "well.to-do." He lives as we'll al
home as you do, probably better. His wih
owns nice home and we'll furnished, end he
lives there In great comfort, probably more
comfortably than do you yourself-but you
would not exchange with him for any con-
sideration. He doesn't pay his debts!
Not only should man pay his debts but
he should do 30 promptly, as promptly as he
can. II he cannot pay promptly he should
not incur the debt. What right have 10
shoulder my burden on another man? He's
all right but slow pay. Have you ever heard
anything like that? This being interpreted d
means be is able 10 pay but is going to put 1t
off as long as he poss bly, can.
While there are few will not pay at ell this
slow pay class Is legion. By how much fail
to pay my debts promptly, by 30 much fail
in being a model citizen.
Some men have way Of measuring up
church members by the way they pay their
debts. When they find man In the church
Who fights harder to keep from paying bis
debts than he does to pay them they pass
judgment, and may you be delivered from
the verdict!
1t frequently happens with business men OF
the strictest integrity that they cannot pay
promptly because they are not paid promptly
themselves.
It also frequently happens that good men
fail to pay altogether because their debtors
have failed to pay them.
When a man becomes bankrupt what hap
pens? Does the bankrupt get together all the
property that he possesses and turn 1t over 10
his creditors! Do the bankrupt's debtors
come up and pay all they owe prom pity In
order that the bankrupt may discharge bis
debts? Does not the bankrupt rather max Q
over all the property that he possibly can to
his wife, II he has not already done so, and do
not his debtors look on his accounts as some
thing to be lodged rather than discharged?
Queer ethics hold in our business dealings.
AN honest man Is the poblest work OF
God." He discharges all his obligations
promptly when he can. When he cannot he
30 arranges { hat his creditor shall suffer no
inconvenience.