The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-01-19

LONDON.-Saving Is a habit which
very few men acquire. These are
the rulers of the land, and the only
men who dispute with them are those
whose ancestors have saved for them.
l have often tried to estimate what
the proportion Is between those who
save and those who do not. and what
in each case the motive for putting
money by may be. 1t is my calcula-
tion that only enc man in five saves.
And even from that figure one must
deduct the numbers Of those who
save not for the purpose Of reinvest-
ment or increasing their capital, but
as a matter of precaution or fear
This latter class breads Illness, mis-
fortune, or premature death. 1t puts
the limit Of safety against these evils
at q certain sum, and, when that
amount Is attained, ceases TO strive.
This is not really that progressive
saving which makes capital.
The Workers.
Tho small percentage of men who
save with the intention Of using their
capital productivity soon acquire cer-
tain definite and common habits
which spring from the original saving
tendency and motive.
Time is money to them, and they
save one as religiously as the other.
They work continually, with no
thought Of overtime. As long as there
remains anything TO be done they are
ready to do it. They are like the
scholar who will not leave a lesson
until he has it word perfect. They
take their example from the farmer
in harvest time who goes on bringing
in the crops until the light fails--and
begins again as soon as the sun rises.
In the good times OF commerce they
work hard and in the bad times they
work harder They realize the rota-
ton by which Il period Of boom sue
ceeds period of depression. and
| they make their harvest out Of both
conditions.
The Shirker
The opposite type Is easy to de-
scribe. lie is the man who Is fond OF
declaring that the world owes him q
| living" lie Is a parasite on society.
not even as useful as the worm, for
the worm nj least performs a neces-
sary function. lie is wrong. II is not
| the world which owes him anything,
on the contrary, he is indebted to
human society for the price of his ex-
stence. If he labors at all it is for
four hours a day in good times be-
cause work Is at premium of price.
and for four hours a day in bad times
because industry can supply no longer
.hours.
OF course there is an intermediate
type who does not save, not because
he lacks the inclination, but because
he has not the chance. Hard cases
OF this character are far more com.
mon than Is supposed. In the first
place, there is the man whose health
will not allow him to work at full
pressure. Next there is the man who
has widowed mother to support or
younger brothers and sisters to keep
and educate. This is the cornmonest
instance. This mans earnings go not
to create capital which will make
None the less he does the state as
great service in the example OF self.
abnegation and self-sacrifice which he
gives to the world.
But we must return to the first
class--the maker of money and mate
rial wealth who reverses the process
practiced by the waster. While a boom
is on he will work double, tides 10
make all he can. for during this
period of initiation money Is easy to
get. Out of this abundance he will
put his money by. He can do this in
two ways-either by investment or by
the actual saving OF cash.
In either case he can afford TO view
the subsequent period Of depression
with equanimity II he has exercised
ordinary business caution. 1t Is true
that during depression the earning
capacity Of his investments will be
lessened. But this reduction Of in
como is q passing phase. The actual
value of the capital remains the same
and will recover its earning capacity
in due time.
In the second case II the saving
man has put his money by in the
form of cash, his reward will accrue
as soon as the boom ceases. When
depression comes. all that he has &c.
cumulated will be enhanced in value.
A practical instance is not hard to
find. The sovereign In i9is.l920 was
worth far less in buying power than