Year: 1878

man ana woman -needS-to understand
and appreciate the admitted fact that
it is not so much what a man earns
as what he saves that secures his pros.
pe-ity. This is. Of couse. truism; but
it is not sufficient to he convinced of a
fact or principle-it is also necessary
to act upon it in our daily life Aicaw-
Der perceivsd the importance of his eel.
ebfsted formula which warned him
against Spending more than be bad. but
he failed to live up to it. 1t is not the
amount Of . man income that leads 70
richeA but bis ways of managing g.
There are few who are unable to earn
any income: these are cared for, more
or less, humsnelY, by public or private
characters. There are others who are
able to earn but find no chance; these,
although magnified to an immense
army. are really . small fraction of our
population. There are many, particu-
arly women, who are compelled to
live upon what in this country may be
styled starvation wages; for these there
is much to be said and done by the
wise and benevolent. There are many
more who complain that the incomes
they are able to earn are insufficient to
support their families. The majority
Of these people lose sight of two evil
dent and important truths-Arst, that
the cos. Of living has been generally re-
duced Of late; second, that they might
live both cheaper and better than they
do if they would set their wits to work
in the line of managing and saving.
Let US ask them one question did
they save money when they were re-


ceiving high wages in flush times II
not, how were they better off than
now Did they not rather develop
habits of extravagsncs and debt? Are
they not afflicted now by the expensive
ways Of the rag money era more than
by the parrowness Of their incomes
Should man who used to be paid 81
a day complain that he can now earn
but $2. when he can get. If he will.
more for 81 than he could get for his
S4s The general public of this city,
for instance, including the poorer class
es. are in many respects better off than
then. In matters Of health. of cheap
aud comfortable living. of transit and
recreation. there have been many i'm


provements. We will be more truly
prosperous than we were then when We
shall have taught ourselves to use to
the best advantage what we have. Up
to 1873 we were as people living be-
yond our income; now we must learn
the salutary lesson Of living within
! it.


The truth 10 that we are nation of
wasters. There are countries. as has
been often taid, which would be we'll
fed on what we throw away. What an
example France set to the world Al


though 90 often desolated and decimat-
cd, she 10 in . sounder codition now
than the nation which extorted from
her the five nilliards. A knockdown
blow from which France rises with
greater energy than ever would destroy
England. lmpoverishment for Franc.
results in developing her productive
capacity. In France. as a rule. every
body works. Everybody also saves,
ard that is fact Of yet great import
ance The French workingman lives
within his income, and his wife and
children help him to do 90. He also
lives well and enjoys himself. The
great difficulty with our people is that
an increase Of income only furnishes an
excuse for Increased expenses. and that
is apt to surpass the increase of income
An eminent clergyman once said that
he had found it easier to live upon o
small salary than large one. because
bis enlarged expenses has thrown him
off his balance. The clerk who accom-
modates himself to $1,000 . year. and
makes it supply oil his needs. is likely
to overlive his income when he is pro.
NOTED to 81, 200. Our resources as a
nation are seemingly incalculable, but
we should rely more upon our men
than upon our material. Personal
thrift is necessary to national pros
perlty. and there is no abiding thrift
which is not based upon frugality. A
| man may work and work and have
nothing. Such . man may be loud in
declaring that the laborer Is worthy Of
bis hire. and that be does not get
enough for his work, when the real
trouble is that he does not know how
to use what he gets. II is . good thing
to be able to earn much in place Of lit
tie, but il j. far more valuable art, to
make the little 90 far. II nothing but
adversity can teach us tact and mansg-
ment in cur home life. the necessity Of
keeping within our incomes and the
comfort and enjoyment that are to be
found IN small economies and cheap
pleasures. then We should be grateful
for our lessons in the school Of advessity.
and for . new enforcement OF such very
clementry truths - those we have just
| now enumeFated.