The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-08
TALKS ON THRIFT
The Waste of Money


! of the downfall of the widow of a
prominent Wall Street man, who twice
has been presented to British Royalty,
/ lived on Fifth avenue, was a social
leader and a woman of the four hun
dred. In the brief six years of her
widowhood she has wasted a fortune
of over 100000 and now faces the
charge of passing worthless check.
She says she has made "sad mis-
take" but did the "best she knew
how with her money-put it in ILL
advised business venture, invested in
doubtful securities and spent the rest
in social aspirations.
OF lesser magnitude, but no less
tragic, is the recent case of German
woman with three children. who in
the short space of ten weeks has
spent (not "invested') $1,400 received
from her husbands death in an &C.
cident. During that time she has WIS.,
tied the savings bank on an average
of every other from $25 to $50 each
time.
Another woman who received life
insurance payment of $4,000 wasted
her inheritance in two weeks at the
races. Another who received $1,000
bedecked herself with jewelry and had
to go back to the factory in three
months. A certain youth received
$4,000 as his share of his uncles es-
tate, quit work and lived the high life
for short time, and then went broke.
as they all do.
The only redeeming feature of these
processes is the fact that the waste OF
money cures itself, for soon there is
no more to waste. The above-men-
toned individuals have found it out
1t matters not whether the sum be
large or small, it seems an endless
amount, but little extravaganza ev
cry day soon brings the fund to state
of exhaustion.
Life Insurance companies have
found upon investigation that large
proportion Of their policy settlements
are frittered away in the course of 6
few years. The hard work and the
sacrifices of tho bread winner, in
which the beneficiary usually has
shared seem to count for naugh
when the settlement comes, and pass
7 es considerable sum into irrespon
/. sible hands.
This is no Indictment against won
anhood, but as sex they seem t.
have the knack Of spending cas-.
money fast. While thrifty woman i
the Lords choicest creation, the thrift
less one is His greatest bane. BAN
men of experience will corroborate tn
conclusion that it is unwise to leav
T money to the wife in such way a
to tempt her to be improvident wit
it. The fortune first mentioned woul
have given the wife an income Of a
{ least $1,000 year for life, If proper
ly invested, and the smaller amount
would have helped the benefciarie
over many a rainy day. The cautio
Y TO the men in such matters is to so al
, range affairs that the income and no
the pricipal may be used.
The best legacy you can leave you
wife is a well-invested estate. If 20
> love her you can prove it by not gil
K ing her absolute control of her legac.
but by saving her from all the pitfall
that are open to the unsophisticate
and the unwary. Save her from he
= self, her friends and the slick pr
n moter who dazzles her with allurin
d tales of large returns from her inves
Iments.
Many a man has spent lifetin
= providing for those he must leave b
s hind. and in his provision caused the
3 own downfall. 1t is reflection upo
S the woman to make these statement
n but they are cruel truths borne o.
st by everyperience. You do we'll to co
st slider what might happen to those wi
in survive you if they fall prey to Il
temptations that beset those me
toned above. The best estate y,
can leave is the certainty that Il
future will not find those you love
y want through their own folly, ma,
possible by your own shortsighte
ness. Thrift not only prepares
, the future, but safeguards the futul
and easy money needs such prote
ton.