ARE GOING MONEY-MAD ?

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 86, 4 January 1908, Page 10

ARE GOING MONEY-MAD ?

There appeared recently' in a London daily paper, a letter on the miseries of two thousands pounds a year. Ludicrous as sucn a complaint seems to most of us, the writer really made out a very strong case. Ho pointed out. that he had' to rent a house -in town, to keep a motor, and to • entertaiu.' Most of his 'own circle had from two-to' live times his income, and spent it,; with-the result thiit; he found - himself the earthen pot among brazon vessels, and lived, up to'his neck 111 debt; ' .'w ■- Tho mere fact that anyone could consider himsolf poor upon- an incomo . of'forty pounds li week is proof positivo'of tho amazing ex- : travaganco of'.modern life, Incomes . aro; growing so rapidly that a • man, who twenty, years ago was "considered wealthy is now«bhlyl; moderately well' off; Jet, in spito, of-itho/titH; crease of-wealth, expenditure -is> moro .-thaji; kd.ping'paco. with'it. . .V>-nv v.-' .'. Somo aver "that extravagance of- any kindis good for trade, and therefore; to.- bo encouraged. There may be. a modicum of truth in this statement; but ■ if making-:, money. "roll" is good for trade it is as bad as can be from every other point of viow. Noising: <le-, nioialises iabour worse than the prodigal.disr tribution- of money which.has-' #06 hceii' justly earned. • . • - But" the worst harm that the money-mad. da is'tho" Vile examplo which they set.' - Mrs . A does so and so, therefore Mrs. B must fio, the like. B is oiily liiilf as rich aS A/but'that" doesn't, matter.; And Mrs. C, observing' Mrs. B's new motor' or ■ sables, must havo tho same. So it goes on; and presently C finds, himself in the bankruptcy'court, and B lias to sell his placo and go abroad. : The canker runs, spreading lower and lower, through all classes of society. Tho shopkeeper is no longer content to live over his shop, tho maid spends every ..penny of hor wage's on her back, tho mechanic's wife runß into, debt to the tallyman, and tho lovo of luxury..and consequent decay of moralsaffect. the whole nation from the highest- tptho lowest.—"Chambers's Journal."