It is not only such boldness that is to be reprehended, but
extravagance of costume. This latter is the cause of fraud unlimitable
and ghastly. Do you know that Arnold of the Revolution proposed to
sell his country in order to get money to support his home wardrobe? I
declare here before God and this people that the effort to keep up
expensive establishments in this country is sending more business men
to temporal perdition than all other causes combined. It was this that
sent prominent business men to the watering of stocks, and life
insurance presidents to perjured statements about their assets, and
some of them to the penitentiary, and has completely upset our
American finances.
But why should I go to these famous defaultings, to show what men will
do in order to keep up great home style and expensive wardrobe, when
you and I know scores of men who are put to their wit's end and are
lashed from January to December in the attempt? Our Washington
politicians may theorize until the expiration of their terms of office
as to the best way of improving our monetary condition in this
country. It will be of no use, and things will be no better until we
learn to put on our heads and backs and feet and hands no more than we
can pay for.